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Support Calla to study at Guildhall

  • Great Success!

      10 September 2025

    My heart is bursting with gratitude to all of you who have been so generous in this fundraising campaign. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

    We raised a total of $5,840 through this Give A Little page, which is incredible.

    I also recently received the news that the Todd Trust has generously granted me a $10,000 grant.

    So together with this page and the Todd Trust, I have managed to cover the first instalment of my tuition fees, which is huge.

    Everything feels like it's falling into place. I'm setting myself up in London, my visa came through, and I've found a place to call home all in time for the academic year. I'm also discovering the rampant infestation of kiwis that are in London - most notably in the coffee shops that actually make good coffee.

    I'll email some more updates to you soon as the university year kicks off next week.

    Thanks again to all of your incredible generosity. Looking forward to sharing the music with you.

    Much love

    Calla

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  • Answering the big questions!

      2 August 2025

    What does it feel like to sing opera? How does opera weave its way into your own music? And, what's the number one piece of advice you would give to people wanting to explore their voice more?

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  • Waiting in the Barcelona summer for my UK visa

      23 July 2025
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    Thank you so much to everyone who has donated in the past 9 days. I am so incredibly grateful for this outpouring of support.

    I write this update from just north of Barcelona, where I am volunteering at an eco retreat as I wait for my UK visa to come through. It's peak summer here and the days can be sweltering. Last night I performed a set of music for the team as the sun set, which was very warmly received.

    I traveled to London two weekends ago to have two consultation lessons with prospective teachers for the year. In the first lesson we had me travel up to an F6 with absolute ease, to which the teacher proclaimed "holy f***!" and then apologised for swearing as she was just so excited. In the second lesson I sang my best sustained Eb6 that I have ever done - with full freedom and ease. This feels like a tiny glimpse into the journey of opening up my voice over this year for which I am so incredibly excited.

    I had a few days catching public transport in and around London and got to have a taste for what it will be like to live there. I love the eclectic nature of the city, there is such huge diversity of people and culture. There's an oldness to London that excites me. The feeling of millions of bodies being pushed together over centuries and all of that compacting on the cobblestones.

    I'm on track to be heading back there mid-August in time for school starting mid-September.

    Lots of love,

    Calla

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