Future Classic Women Awards – Joanne McGahon

Hello and welcome to future classic Women Awards with me, Stefania Passamonte on women's radio station the program where we search for the most amazing new female artist on the classical panorama. Our nominee today is the Amazing Soprano, Joanna McGowan. Good morning, Joanna. Good morning. Lovely to see you, Joanna. The London soprano, what does it mean? Are you really from London? I am from London, yes. Born in London. Born in London and I've always lived there and I got sort of nicknamed the London Soprano by some of my fans online and so it stuck really, which is quite good. I think it's a good name. I mean, it's kind of the Unicorn. You know, this city where everybody comes from everywhere and rarely you find someone from London. Okay, so how do you like London? Yeah, I love it. It's a great place. There's so much going on, it's buzzing and actually it's great just to come to Covent Garden this morning because I used to do busking actually in the opera in the piazza. I love it and the atmosphere there. I don't do it anymore, but I used to in the past do that and it was great fun. So it's really nice just to come back to Covent Garden and it brings back lots of memories for me. Well, you are now performing in the most amazing, you know, stages. And what's the most exciting place you performed? Probably last year actually, at the Royal Albert Hall. Yeah, it was quite unexpected. I was asked to. It was an anniversary concert and actually one of the conductors that I've worked with, it was, he was retiring, he did a special concert and he got all the sopranos that have worked with him. We all got to sing this piece together. It was really lovely. So that was just an amazing moment for me because I never thought I'd sing at the Royal Albert hall. So I was just really amazed. I mean, it was gorgeous. Thinking about when you were basking in the. In Covent Garden piazza. I mean, well, the basking thing, it was just, that was just a bit of fun, really. Of course, yeah, yeah, yeah. But no, and, and actually I still do. I mean, I would still do the Covent Garden thing. I wouldn't call it busking. I, I don't know. It's a performance, isn't it? Yeah, it's a little performance there and yeah, no, it's a good thing to do. And I think performance wise, it's the hardest audience you'll ever have when you sing outside like that because they're on their way somewhere else. They haven' paid to come and see You. And then you've got to work really hard to make them stay and listen. So it's quite a good thing to do, I think. I wouldn't want to do it all the time, mind you. I think that takes the word outreach to the core. Reaching outside. Fantastic. Going back to your other question, though, I think I actually sang in the Tchaikovsky hall in Russia. That was probably the most beautiful place and the most wonderful acoustics. That was an amazing. What about the audience? Yeah, they loved it. They loved it. They sort of give you a standing ovation at the end. They've just. They love their music, so it's great. But what I love of the Russian audience is when they upload, you know, that they are all in synchrony. So fantastic is the way the performance from them as well. And it's beautiful. And it grows until it's a big. It's. It's a very special audience, I think. I agree, I agree. Was it one winter or summer? Spring, really. May, June. Time is when I've been there a couple of times. I had some Russian friends and they told me the snow, when it's there in Moscow and everything, it makes everything so magical. I haven't been there for the snow. It's always been sort of springtime and actually been quite warm when I've been there. I mean, it really has two very different climates, doesn't it, there? Okay. So how did you decide to become an opera single? Well, I. You know, it wasn't really my decision because I was doing some musical theater and stuff like that, and I decided to have some more vocal training. And my teacher was an opera singer, and he said, you should be doing opera. And I said, no, no, no, no, that's not for me. And he said, no, it's gonna. It'll help you with all styles of music. Just trust me. So we started working on Carmen and he knew. He knew I was gonna fall in love with it. And within actually only a year of singing, you know, trek working on Carmen, I auditioned for Eno for their post grad course, and I got on. It was very unbelievable. But I think it's because I came to it a little bit older and my voice was already quite mature and I had a lot of experience performing, so it helped. What, in musical theatre? Anyway, you're singing. Is the way of singing that much different from opera? It's not really because you sing in the mask, which is sort of in the nasal cavity for musical theatre. And actually opera is a similar thing. But I don't think I'd been singing correctly when I'd been doing the musical theatre. And actually musical theatre, there's a lot of belting as well, which is something you would never do. What is a belting? Belting is when you really sing in that chesty way from the gut, but it's much more in the throat than in the nose. And to be honest, it sounds amazing and that's why everyone loves that sound. But if you want to sing for a long time, you can't really maintain singing in that way. Also, there is a big difference between opera and musical theatre is how much the singer move. I mean, yeah, musical theater, normally you're dancing at the same time you're acting. You're doing so many more things, isn't it? Definitely. I mean, although in some of the operas, you. You might be rolling around and doing all sorts of things as well nowadays. But before you just had the super, you know, opera singer. Also heavy at the time, because they didn't move much, did they, in the past, the conception that the bigger you wear, the bigger your vice would be, be and could be and could be not. But yeah, yeah, that's true. That is very true. But I think the setup with opera, the way you sing, the support and everything, and actually the placement of the voice is slightly. Well, it is definitely different to musical theatre. It's. It's a much brighter sound and I find I can sing for a long time classically, whereas musical theatre I can't. My voice gets very tired because it's. It's in a completely different place really. Now. One question, one hard question. Why didn't you think that opera would be for you? You didn't like opera? I did, but I probably. My musical taste was probably more pop and, you know, modern music, and I just probably was a little bit ignorant, I think, as to what. What I. I didn't really know what I liked and funnily enough, my singing teacher seemed to know more about what I would like than I did. But, yeah, I think I just was ignorant to. To classical music, really. I'd always sort of turned away from it when I was young because I thought it was a bit uncool. Absolutely. And then once I started to get absorbed in it and understand it, I was really excited by something. I just couldn't believe what I was hearing and it was thrilling to sing some of the arias. Well, there is also another thing, and that's exactly what I want to talk about. I mean, this whole program is about bringing classical music more to the. To the Everyday life, the fact of being working women and the problem that you have in your career that are the same, similar, if you like, to someone going to an office, for example. And. And in particular the fact that classical music is as modern today as it was 100 years ago, 200 years ago. You know, Carmen. All right, nowadays, maybe you wouldn't kill yourself, you wouldn't be killed. Although still that happened. But, you know, the. The passion, the. The love, the jealousy. Something that is. Will be always with us, I think. Yeah. So dramatic some of the opera stories, aren't they? They're just. They are. It's like EastEnders to classical music. The things that go on and real life dramas that, as you say, you can still experience now. So what about your family? What did they think when you decided to go into opera? Yeah, they weren't so sure to start with. They were like. Because you know what it's like when you're practicing, you might sing the same phrase over and over and over and you don't actually get to hear the whole aria. So I think at some points they were a bit like, oh, oh, shush. But I think when they come and actually come to. To a concert or something, they're quite pleased with it all, really. But it's not quite the same when you're there with someone practicing. I think now I want to listen to the next song, but before we listen, it's from your latest album, Delanon, Soprano, and it's called How Beautiful Are the Feet by Handel. Is that really talking about feet? Is that really a song about feet? It's not. Well, it is in a. Because it's from the Messiah and I think, yeah, it's talking about Jesus's feet and how beautiful they are. Even his feet would be beautiful. Yeah, it's a funny way of doing. Although at the time they were kissing the feet, isn't it? Yeah, well, they washed his feet as well, didn't they? There's that whole story there. So, yeah, it's a piece from the Messiah. So it's a very serious one, isn't it? It is quite serious. Even though it is a strange title. I know people always think, what. Okay, then, let's. To Joanna McGowan singing our beautiful Artefit by Handel. O beautiful are the feet of lamb that preach the gospel of peace how beautiful are the feet how be. And bring that tidings, that tidings of. Tidings of good things and bring. Tidings of goodness. Welcome to women's radio station. Hello and welcome to Future Classic Women Awards with me, Stefania Passamonte on Women's Radio Station. Hello and welcome to Julie Mae is Listening. Hi, this is Anna Kennedy and we're at Women's Radio Station supporting women's well being and we're talking all things autism women. The possibilities are endless. That's what makes us different. Hi, I'm Nicole Goodman. And I'm Lauren Mishkon and this is the Self Care Club podcast. The advice for self care today is endless and can feel like yet another overwhelming job for women. The Self Care Club is part social experiment, part reality show. Every episode we trial a different self care practice, live it to the letter for a week and report back to you on the results. Will it actually improve your well being or will it be another waste of your time? We test out self care so you don't have to welcome to the Self Care Club. My name is Ingrid Marsh and I host the Radical Wellbeing show supporting women's well being. On my show I bring you ordinary women like me and you who are sharing their unique stories. Women who have refused to be defined by their pains, to be silenced by stigma or crushed by stereotypes and who are taking back their power. And together our mission is a simple one and that's to inspire you to kick away the roadblocks too, to don your wings and be the person that you were born to be. Do you want to be a doula? Would you like to support families through pregnancy, birth in the postnatal period? Or do you have qualities of compassion, listening, caring and empowering? At Nurturing Birth we offer approved doula training courses across the UK which are facilitated by an award winning doula. Here you will learn more about the support you can offer, explore the doula role and think about how to set up your business. No need for previous qualifications. Find out more@nurturingbirth.co.uk hi, I'm Hazel Butterfield, a blogger, book lover and mental health advocate and you can listen to my show get booked here at Women's Radio station daily at 5am and 5pm throughout my shows we'll talk about the books I've read, new releases, chat to authors, publishers and book enthusiasts, all with the theme and aim of supporting women's emotional well being. If you have a book to tell us about, get in touch@presentersomensradiostation.com join me on my show and share my love of books and writing. You're listening to women's radio stations supporting women's well being. Women's Radio Station is creating a global Network for the empowerment of Women. And we want you to be involved. Join us on Instagram and Twitter @WomensRadio station. That's Women's Radio STN or Facebook Women's Radio Station to keep up to date with all our exciting programs. Welcome back to future Classic Women Awards on Women's Radio Station, the program where we search for the most amazing new female artist on the classical panorama. Our guest today is the fantastic London soprano, Joanna McCallum. Joanna, we heard the really, really pretty How Beautiful Are the Feet. I love this title, even if it's quite a serious song, but the title is beautiful. So it's actually with the Prague Symphony Orchestra. The Prague Philharmonic Orchestra. Philharmonic Orchestra. Ye. The city of Prague. Sorry, Prague. Okay. So how was. To go to Prague to record? It was amazing. Yeah, it was a great opportunity. And I worked with Paul Bateman, who's an amazing conductor, so when he said he would work with me on the album, I was really thrilled because he's worked with all the big names, so I was very excited. And then he recommended that I go with the Prague Philharmonic. And, yeah, it was amazing. I sang in Smeky Studios live with the orchestra and that was an amazing experience because actually. Was it the first album is your debit album or. No, it's my second album and the first album I did with just me and piano, which was lovely. I really. I'm very pleased with that one. That was back in 2011 and so it was 2018 I released the one with orchestra, but I'd always wanted to do one with orchestra. So when the opportunity arose, yeah, it was great, but obviously I ended up sort of organizing all myself and sort of managing it, even though, you know, I was working with producers and stuff. It's. It's a. It's a man's world, actually. So for. I was. I remember my singing teacher said, no, you need to get someone to manage the whole thing. And I was like, no, I'm. I want to make these decisions. And it was hard work, actually. And then the decision to put it into the charts as well, which I was. That was a risk because I thought, what if it doesn't do very well? But everyone was very much behind the album. I have quite a lot of lovely fans online who supported me, so that was great. But, yeah, the whole experience was amazing. And obviously I've sung with orchestra quite a few times, but to do the recording in such an amazing studio with lovely players as well. They were lovely players, so it was great. Let's tell the audience is it different to sing when you're recording compared to singing live in front of an audience? Yes, very much so. The pressure that you feel at that point, whether the red light goes on and, you know, you. It's. I compare it to an athlete. I know that sounds ridiculous, but it's. You've got that one moment, really, to show what you can do and you're. You're kind of not focusing on things. You have to try and focus on the words and the lyrics and make it into performance, but it's hard to, because you know that everything is under the microscope and you. And you're. You're also listening yourself and. And not in the moment. So, yes, it is a difficult thing. It's different. It is different. At the same time, you know it's gonna last forever. You wanna be perfect. And the moment you want to be perfect, you do mistake, that's for sure. Yeah. And I think if you. If you're a massive artist with a huge label, you have a lot of time to record things. Many times you might spend three days on one track, whereas I was doing a lot of them within three days. So the pressure was huge to get things right. So, yeah, it was quite stressful, but also amazing. You just think, well, you just got to go for it with those things, haven't you? Because what's the point otherwise, of course. Did you like Prague? Have you seen. Did you have time to visit the city? I didn't have a lot of time, but I had an afternoon in the rain. It was raining, unfortunately. I ran around the town having a look and it was. It was lovely. It was. I'd like to go back again on the bridge. It was the Carlo. The Charles Bridge. Yes, that's right. Yeah. The statue. Yeah, yeah, yeah. No, it's lovely. And it's a very musical city as well. Everywhere there is classical performances. Everybody is super good. Yes. No, the orchestra were great. It was. It was. Yeah. Amazing, amazing time. What would you say was the most beautiful place you performed or most interesting place? Actually, those are two different questions. I mean, I went with All Souls Orchestra. I work with them a lot. They're based in London and they sometimes do a tour. And we went to Vienna. Oh, that was lovely. And I sang Mozart there and I just. I'm going to visit Mozart's house and everything. The whole thing was just a great experience because you just think, oh, this is amazing. Here I am in Motop Town and it's. It's pretty there in Vienna, isn't it? It's A lovely place. Where else? Obviously, Russia was different to anything. Moscow was different to anywhere I've been before. I mean, I love the architecture. Yeah. It was so unique and opulent at the same time. Yeah. Yes. I mean, lots of gold everywhere. It was just. Yeah. Something else. And Italy. Oh, yeah. Yes. I used to go with. There was an orchestrator when I was first singing and first started doing oratorio and things. We used to go with a choir and orchestra to Italy on a little tour, and we went to sort of more rural areas. So pretty, so lovely. Some of those moments can be so special, especially when it's an audience that don't get so much music. We used to get a standing ovation before we'd even started. In those little Italian villages, they were so excited. They just loved everything. It was so uplifting. You know, some audiences, it's different as you go around the world. Different audiences react to music in a different way. But the Italians definitely so enthusiastic. Oh, wonderful. I've been told that the German audience is the most difficult one. Did you find that? Have you performed in Germany? I haven't, actually. That's on my to do list, but, no, I haven't. Have you? I did, but every time I went, they were so amazing. So excited and so warm, actually, so I've been told by German friends of mine. You know, the Germans, they know so much and they are so, you know, tough, particularly on the German repertoire. And with me, I don't know, they were just. Well, you must have been good. I think I am. But apart from that, the audience was really as warm as would be an Italian audience. So I was really, really impressed. That's lovely. I wanted to check with you if you had this experience, maybe with some other audience like they normally. Quite warm, you know, And I think sometimes that's how you present yourself. If you are warm and, you know, you introduce as well. Oh, yeah, absolutely. I love that. Yeah. I find I'd make a much better connection with the audience if I get to speak first. Sometimes doing oratorio and things, when you don't get to talk and you're just waiting and then you stand up and sing. Oh, that's quite cold, doesn't it? Absolutely. And that's also quite difficult, I think, when you're listening to others and then you just, you know, acting if you're doing things, that's another thing. Story. Yes, absolutely. The waiting game. Waiting to perform and. Yeah, not able to act out is hard. Now, the next song we're gonna listen is one of the Favorite. I think the best beloved song ever, that is the Ave Maria by Gouno. There is also an Ave Maria by Schubert. Which one do you prefer? I think probably the Gouno because it goes on a bigger journey. It has this climax in it and it's very exciting. But I mean both pieces are amazing to be honest. But the Gounod just, just has the edge. Yeah, I think it's the all harmony and everything. There is sometimes something into the pieces. It doesn't matter really, the text or what they're saying, the fact that they're religious or anything. It's just the way the harmony is going and the way your voice is penetrating in the soul of the audience, isn't it? That's right. And it's a beautiful melody. It really is, isn't it? Well, let's listen to Ave Maria Pacquino with Delano Soprano Joanna McGowan. Sa. Fr. Sam sa. Me. And this was Gono Ave Maria sang by the London Soprano Joanna McGowan with this city of Prague Philharmonic orchestra from her latest album the London Soprano. We will be back after a short break. Sa. Foreign. Welcome to women's radio station. Hello and welcome to future classic women awards with me, Stefania Passamonte on women's radio station. Hello and welcome to Julie Mae is listening. Hi, this is Anna Kennedy and we're at women's radio station supporting women's well being and we're talking all things autism women. The possibilities are endless. That's what makes us different. Hi, I'm Nicole Goodman. And I'm Lauren Mishkon and this is the self care club podcast. The advice for self care today is endless and can feel like yet another overwhelming job for women. The self care club is part social experiment, part reality show. Every episode we trial a different self care practice, live it to the letter for a week and report back to you on the results. Will it actually improve your well being or will it be another waste of your time? We test out self care so you don't have to. Welcome to the self care Club. My name is Ingrid Marsh and I host the radical wellbeing show supporting women's well being. On my show I bring you ordinary women like me and you who are sharing their unique stories. Women who have refused to be defined by their pains, to be silenced by stigma or crushed by stereotypes and who are taking back their power. And together our mission is a simple one. And that's to inspire you to kick away the roadblocks too. To don your wings and be the person that you were born to be do you want to be a doula? Would you like to support families through pregnancy, birth and the postnatal period? Do you have qualities of compassion, listening, caring and empowering? At Nurturing Birth we offer approved doula training courses across the UK which are facilitated by an award winning doula. Here you will learn more about the support you can offer, explore the doula role and think about how to set up your business. No need for previous qualifications. Find out more@nurturingbirth.co.uk hi, I'm Hazel Butterfield, a blogger, book lover and mental health advocate and you can listen to my show get booked here at Women's Radio Station daily at 5am and 5pm throughout my shows we'll talk about the books I've read, new releases, chapter authors, publishers and book enthusiasts, all with a theme and aim of supporting women's emotional well being. If you have a book to tell us about, get in touch@presenterswomensradiostation.com join me on my show and share my love of books and writing. You're listening to Women's Radio Stations supporting women's well being. Women's Radio Station is creating a global network for the empowerment of women and we want you to be involved. Join us on Instagram and Twitter womensradio station, that's womensradio STN or Facebook. Women's Radio Station to keep up to date with all our exciting programs. Welcome back to future Classic Women Awards on Women's Radio Station, the program where we search for the most amazing new female artists and the classical panorama. Today we're talking to soprano Joanna McGowan. Joanna, we've been talking about performing in Prague, I mean recording with the City of Prague Symphony Orchestra, performing in Moscow, in Italy. What was the most exciting place you performed? Most exciting place? Well, I think as I said before, the Tchaikovsky hall was the most exciting just because it's, it's got so much history there. So it just felt a real honour to perform on a stage such as that, knowing that some of the biggest names in opera had performed there. So that was probably one of the most thrilling. And also it's all being televised live on the telly. And so the pressure was on. But yeah, that was, that was a pretty, pretty good. And I think another moment that was, I think pivotal for me actually was after I did my course with Eno, I won a competition for the Voice of North London. It was only a small thing really, but it really changed things for me because it was in all the sort of local newspapers And I got to sing in an open air prom with a full orchestra outside. And because it was local, all of my friends and family were there. And it was just one of those moments which I'll never forget because, you know, I sang all the last night of the prom songs and Omeo Babino Caro and it just was, I feel like a bit of a starting moment for me where I thought, hang on, I like this. I like this more than I thought I did. And I want to do that again. I really want to do that again. And it sort of. It sort of ignited something in me more than it. I mean, I always liked singing, but that, that kind of got me going. And actually I never asked you, what did you sing? Operas. Did you have a chance to sing an opera? Yeah, I did actually a few years ago play the title role of Tosca. Again, that was in a small theater, smaller theatre company and I did After Eno I did a couple of sort of community operas and something at the Hackney Empire and things that was. They were great. But yeah, playing a title role was amazing just to sort of learn the whole thing because I thought, you know, I. It's just great to actually take on a whole role and understand it fully because when you sing the arias you sort of, you do a little bit of research and stuff, but it's not the same as inhabiting a character on stage because you really get to know the person then. And did you have a chance to sing musical theatre? Like, musical. Yeah. So that's, as I say, when I started singing, I was doing a bit of amateur dramatics and I did some musicals and things and I did roles then and that was great fun. What would you say was your favorite musical role and what was your favorite. What would be your dream role in opera? I was seeing the dream role in opera keeps changing because I think the thing with classical singing is actually your voice changes and I'm continually learning what's right for me because I. There's pieces I used to sing that I probably wouldn't sing now. I still would. I think I'd love to play Carmen actually. I used to. I think I'm becoming more of a mezzo as I get older, actually. And I just. I started with Carmen and I feel like I'd like to go back to it because. And learn all the arias because I know most of them. But yeah, so Carmen is something I'd love to play and I just think she's a great character with lots of stuff sass. So that's. I'D love to do that one. And then musical theatre. Wow. Well, I tell you what I'd love to do. So recently I've been doing a lot of sound music because I do music therapy for a charity where we, we sing to Alzheimer patients. We just do a load of concerts in a week and as part of those concerts we do a lot of musical theatre because that's something that people connect with. Everyone knows the songs, so. And especially the sound. My favorite things, my favorite song. Well, you know, Julie Andrews is my hero. I love her. Absolutely gorgeous. So I love all her pieces, all her songs, but especially the sound of music. So. Favorite things, Climb Every Mountain is something I've been singing recently and I think I would love to play the Mother Abbess. Maybe not yet, maybe I'm not quite old enough yet, but that would be my West End role, I would think, because I know Leslie Garrett did it and I. If anyone's listening, I would absolutely love to sing that. And I've been singing it away to all the, in these concerts and it's, it just goes down well. Everyone loves it. They love it. How did you get involved with the music therapy? Okay, so I'm, I work with a wonderful pianist, Anna Tilbrook, and she, she was very much involved with this charity and she said, you know, Joanne, you really, you really should do this music therapy because it's really rewarding and I think you'll really get something out of it. And I thought, oh, okay. So I went along with her and we started, I started work. You work as a duo and so it's for a charity called Lost Cord. And you do 15 concerts in a week. So it's quite. In a week. Yeah, you wouldn't do it all the time. You just do like one a term or two a term. And yes, it's an hour long program and you basically. It's very varied. The pieces have got to. Because you really are trying to connect with the audience and you hope that if you try all different styles, something will connect with them. And it's amazing because the music starts and often patients don't really know who they are anymore. They've obviously lost their memories and things with Alzheimer's and so they don't know who they are, they don't remember anything. And the music starts, you start singing and they start singing along and then that, that in turn seems to ignite memories and then they start chatting and it's like you get the old person back, the personality comes back out again. It's actually incredible. So the wonderful thing to do. And I think sometimes these things make sense of all your training, you know, you do all this music and what's it all for if you can't give something back sometimes to people? Well, we've been talking before about the most exciting moment in your career. Would you say what. Which one was the most challenging moment in your career? Do you know, I think sometimes the challenge is when you're not feeling well or you're not feeling, or you have some kind of sorrow going on. I know when my mum was ill, there were times then that it was very challenging because you can't bring that to the stage with you. You have to try and, you know, keep strong and carry on and not let your emotions get in the way. If anything, try and use them to give a good performance. But that can be really challenging to sort of turn off what's going on in your private life when you have to be public and you have to look good and turn up, you know, looking coiffed with nice hair and all the rest of it, when actually things are not so great. You need to smile. You need to smile. You need to have the chit chat afterwards as well and look perky and like, this is what. You know, that's the. One of the things that go. That goes along with this singing business is that you have to be, you know, you have to have the personality a little bit as well and it's difficult when it's not, you know, you're not always on. Sometimes you have. But, yeah, those are the challenges, I think. And is that. What would be. What would you say are the pros of your career? The pros? Yeah. Oh, the applause. No, I think actually it's really nice when people give you really good feedback sometimes afterwards. It can be. It can be. Make you feel really great if you've put a lot of work into something that those sort of. And also just knowing that you. If you've. Emotionally. If people have been moved as well by something, some singing, you know, enough. It's an honour sometimes to sing at funerals and weddings and things. And when people are emotional and they're moved by what you've done, that really pleases me because I think, well, I'm really glad that I've managed to connect with people in that way. That's a really. I find that amazing because music is so powerful. Totally is. I think it's the most powerful tool you have. Is the only one that touch you inside without physically touching you, isn't it? Or physically. Visually, there's something really that goes on. You can close your eyes and be moved anyway you can. And, and I think with time, with experience as well, you learn that it's not about being perfect, it is about the performance because it doesn't need to be perfect, but you need to emotionally connect with people and have that the character running through things and that's when things become exciting. And now one of the most moving pieces ever. Although it's from a funny opera, it's all Miuba Binocaro by Puccini. Sa. See. K. Sa. Welcome to the Women's Radio station Supporting women's well being Women's Radio Station is all about diversity from opinions, career, ethnicity, education and most importantly, women's well being. We aim to celebrate the individuality of every woman everywhere, providing opportunities and the platform for your voice. Visit our website womensradiostation.com for more information. Do you want to be a doula? Would you like to support families through pregnancy, birth and the postnatal period? Do you have qualities of compassion, listening, caring and empowering? At Nurturing Birth, we offer approved doula training courses across the UK which are facilitated by an award winning doula. Here you will learn more about the support you can offer, explore the doula role and think about how to set up your business. No need for previous qualifications. Find out more@nurturingbirth.co.uk hi everyone and welcome to the Femaling Show. I am your host Nicole Goodman and I am a woman's identity expert and coach. As women, we fall into different phases of identity through our adult life and during these, our challenges can look pretty similar. Here at wrs, I want be talking to you about the real issues we all face and even the ones we can silently struggle with. Through honest, heartfelt conversation here at Femaling, you will learn how to accept yourself, understand yourself and be yourself. Hi, I'm Carolyn Van Beers. Please join me for a brand new show here on women's radio station. It's Mother's Hour. If, like me, you're a mum, juggling far too many balls and dropping most of the them, this is definitely the show for you. We'll examine the highs and lows of motherhood and make sure you laugh out loud as we take on this challenging role together. With spoonfuls of advice, incredible stories. It will be refreshing, honest and funny. Look at being a mum. Are you struggling with money? Turn to us as a national charity, helping people struggling to make ends meet. Job loss, illness or bereavement can cause a real financial crisis. We Give practical help to get people back on track. Whether you're thinking of having a baby, trying to get out of an unhappy relationship, or just unsure what benefits you may be entitled to, we can help visit turntous.org.uk welcome to the Women's Radio Station Supporting women's well being. Women's Radio Station can give voice to your brand. With a wide range of sponsorship opportunities, including individual programs, we can tailor your experience for you. For more information on how you can sponsor a Show, go to womensradiostation.com Women's radio station Supporting women's wellbeing. Foreign. Welcome back to future classic women awards on women's radio station. Our guest is soprano Joanna Miguel and this is the last leg of our interview. So it's time for the odd questions. So I'm gonna ask you if you have any obby strange hobby, preferably to free your mind or relax. It's not strange. I go running. I've got two dogs, two labradors, so I often go for a run with them. But I think that really aids sleeping and it just helps to clear your head, I think if you're a bit stressed out and stuff. So, yeah, running is my. Is my thing. Well, I have a friend I've told before, he likes to run marathon and he's a pianist, but he runs listening to what he's performing, practicing, and there's a way for him to learn better. Do you do that? I do sometimes. Yeah. I'll listen to some pieces while I'm running and I've done a few half marathons, not a full marathon. Oh, really? Yes. Slow time. Don't ask me what time, but yeah, yeah. No, it's just the idea of doing it, to be honest. Yeah, no, it's great. Yeah. Yeah. It's a long way. Yeah. But it makes you be in tune with all your body, isn't it? Yeah. And I. Yeah. And it just gives you a time to switch everything off, I think sometimes as well. Yeah. And just get in the zone and do you have any ritual or superstition before going on stage? Do you know? I don't. I'm not really a superstitious person. If anything, I'd probably say a prayer before I go on because I get a little bit nervous and I like to just say, oh, you know, it's in your hands. God. But I do something that when I used to get nervous years ago and something I realized I need to do is have a little bit of quiet, just a moment to sort of settle myself and just calm Myself down, breathing, you know, deep breaths and just calm. That's something I will always try and do because. And also give myself time, make sure I've got time to get. I've got lots of time before the performance so that I'm not rushing and I'm stressed out because those that really. Oh, that's a horrible feeling. You know, when you're getting somewhere and you're late. Oh, my gosh. No, I can't think about. Well, it happened to me once. I went for. I had this fantastic concert in Trieste and I thought I held all the time of my, you know, of the day. And I went out for a stroll and I visited the city and it was lovely. And then I come back and there were people coming and says, oh, you're the pianist. I was like, yeah, so we're here for the concert. Like what? You know, the concert starts in another three hours. I was like, no, no, it starts now. It's like, what? So I run in. I didn't check what time the concert started. So it was an afternoon concert starting at 5 instead of 8:30. It's the time in Italy when normally you have concerts. Yeah, it's quite late normally in Italy, isn't it? Absolutely. So I had to go and get dressed in one minute and then run on stage and perform. Bam. But luckily you had it all in your fingers. Luckily I was back in time. Imagine if I was back at 7:30. Well, you could have. I've got lots of time. So any embarrassing moment, you get all funny moments. Well, I had. I had a dress malfunction once when I was doing a concert and it was a recital. Well, it was. Yeah, it was a Christmas concert. And my straps, I didn't have straps. It was a strapless dress and it was one where you tie it up at the back. And my friend, who the pianist had tied it up for me, but so tight, because I said, make sure it's tight. But actually doing it that tight meant that it made a sort of spill effect and the top just wouldn't stay up and we ran out of time, so I just had to go on. But I was doing Carmen and all sort of things where I was walking around the room bending over, so I had. I was holding this dress and the whole time it was just. I was spilling out. So that was awful and very embarrassing. But there's been. There's been lots, actually, because I think that's the nature of performance is you're going to have silly things happen. You know, the wrong shoes or the wrong bra. And sometimes I have nightmares to go to a concert and forgot my concert dress, for example. Yeah. I spend ages just checking again and again before I leave for something because, you know, it's horrible feeling when you get there and you're like, I have to have certain piece bra or whatever and you haven't got it. It's. Yeah. No, that nightmare. I've had that as well. The sort of naked on stage fear. Yeah. I dreamt I had to go with jeans. Although, you know, people now say we should be just dressed more casual. But I think it's part of the fun. What do you think? I think so. And I think especially for me because I do quite a lot of corporate singing, you know, where I go to events people really love. They immediately know what I'm going to do because I turn up in the, you know, I've got the big dress on and everything and they, they're like, oh, what a treat. Oh, yeah. If I was in my jeans, they'd be a bit disappointed, to be honest. Absolutely. Well, the next song is again from your latest album, the London Soprano and this I Could have Danced All Night by Lou Bed, bed I couldn't go to bed My head it's too late to try to set it down Sleep, sleep I couldn't sleep tonight not for all the jewels in the crown I could have danced all night I could have danced tonight and still have great storm I could have spread my wings and done a thousand things I'd never done before I'll never know what made it so exciting why all at once my heart took flow night. Began to dance with me I could have danced, dance, dance all night. I could have danced all night I could have danced all night and still have begged for I could have spread my wings and done a thousand things I've never done before I never noticed that it's so exciting why all at once my heart flee. Began to dance with me I feel Dance, dude. Fantastic way of finishing our interview. I could have danced all night Totally. I could have passed the whole day listening to you singing Joanna. Oh, that's very kind. Beautiful performance with the City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra. So if you have any questions that you would like to ask to our guest or nomination for our future Classic Women awards, please email presentersmensradiostation.com or tweet us@womensradio sdn. A big thanks again to our guest Joanna for the great chat and the biggest beautiful music play today. Thank you so much for having me. It's been My pleasure. Well, we would be welcoming you back definitely, anytime you have something new to play. And if you have been, you've been listening to Future Cassie Women Awards on Women's Radio Station live every day at 10am and 10pm London time. If you want to listen to it again or catch up on our previous programs, you can head to the presenter page. Stefania Passamonte Future Classic Women Awards on Women's Radio Station thank you for listening. Welcome to the Women's Radio Station Supporting Women's well Being Women's Radio Station is all about diversity from opinions, career, ethnicity, education and most important importantly, women's well being. We aim to celebrate the individuality of every woman everywhere, providing opportunities and the platform for your voice. Visit our website womensradiostation.com for more information. Do you want to be a doula? Would you like to support families through pregnancy, birth and the postnatal period? Do you have qualities of compassion, listening, caring and empowering? At Nurturing Birth we offer approved doula training courses across the UK which are facilitated by an award winning doula. Here you will learn more about the support you can offer, explore the doula role and think about how to set up your business. No need for previous qualifications. Find out more@nurturingbirth.co.uk hi everyone and welcome to the Femaling Show. I am your host Nicole Goodman and I am a woman's identity expert and coach. As women, we fall into different phases of identity through our adult life and during these our challenges can look pretty similar. Here at wrs, I will be talking to you about the real issues we all face and even the ones we can silently struggle with. Through honest, heartfelt conversation. Here at Femaling, you will learn how to accept yourself, understand yourself and be yourself. Hi, I'm Carolyn Van Beers. Please join me for a brand new show here on Women's radio station. It's Mother's Hour. If, like me, you're a mum, juggling far too many balls and dropping most of them, this is definitely the show for you. We'll examine the highs and lows of motherhood and make sure you laugh out loud as we take on this challenging role together. With spoonfuls of advice, incredible stories, it will be refreshing, honest and funny. Look at being a mum. Are you struggling with money? Turn to us as a national charity, helping people struggling to make ends meet. Job loss, illness or bereavement can cause a real financial crisis. We give practical help to get people back on track. Whether you're thinking of having a baby, trying to get out of an unhappy relationship or just unsure what benefits you may be entitled to, we can help visit turntous.org.uk welcome to the Women's Radio Station Supporting Women's well being. Women's Radio Station can give voice to your brand. With a wide range of sponsorship opportunities, including individual programs. We can tailor your experience for you. For more information on how you can sponsor a show, go to womensradiostation.com women's radio station supporting Women's well being.