Michael Smallwood
Tenor
Teaching Philosophy
My goal as a voice teacher is to support singers in developing vocal freedom, artistic awareness, and professional independence. I work from a body-centered, functionally oriented approach to vocal technique that is individually adapted to each student, regardless of level, genre, or career goals. My teaching is informed by a diverse professional background and by ongoing research into vocal health and career sustainability, which encourages an open, reflective, and student-focused studio environment.
I view technique as the foundation for artistic expression rather than an end in itself. Through a clear understanding of breath flow, vowel function, and register balance, I help students build a reliable and efficient vocal technique that supports expressive freedom without unnecessary physical effort. I emphasize physical awareness and constructive self-assessment, encouraging students to trust sensation rather than external sound monitoring.
A central aim of my teaching is to foster independence and self-responsibility, equipping students with the tools and confidence to work autonomously and meet the artistic and practical demands of the profession.
Australian tenor Michael Smallwood began his vocal training alongside a law degree at the University of Melbourne and continued his studies at the Victorian College of the Arts, the Australian National Academy of Music, and the Juilliard School in New York. He was a member of the Opera Studio and later the ensemble of the Hamburg State Opera, followed by ensemble engagements at Oper Halle (2010–13) and the Aalto Theatre Essen (2013–16).
He has appeared at major opera houses and festivals including La Scala, the Opéra national de Paris, the Gran Teatre del Liceu, the Vlaamse Opera, the Dutch National Opera, the Theater an der Wien, the Santa Fe Opera, and festivals such as Aix-en-Provence, Glyndebourne, the Enescu Festival, and the Ruhrtriennale. As well as returning regularly to Hamburg, he has appeared in the last twelve seasons at the Berlin State Oper.
His repertoire spans Baroque—working closely with René Jacobs and William Christie—through the Classical and Romantic canon with conductors including Simon Rattle, Riccardo Chailly, Daniel Barenboim, Vladimir Jurowski, and Marek Janowski, to contemporary music by Luigi Nono, Wolfgang Rihm, and Olga Neuwirth. In concert, he has performed the major oratorios of Bach, Handel, Mozart, and Beethoven. His chamber music collaborations include tours with the AToS Trio and performances with the Smallwood–Golder Duo in major song cycles by Schubert, Schumann, Beethoven, Britten, Fauré, Hahn, and Janánek. His recordings include Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Wagner’s Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg and Parsifal, and DVD releases of Die Entführung aus dem Serail, Don Giovanni, and Zimmermann’s Die Soldaten.
Recent highlights include Tamino at the Sydney Opera House, performances of Kurt Weill’s Die Sieben Todsünden and Happy End at La Scala under Riccardo Chailly, and the role of Jack Twist in Charles Wuorinen’s Brokeback Mountain.
Alongside his performing career, Michael Smallwood maintains a private teaching studio, working with singers at all stages of development. He prepares young singers for Hochschule entrance examinations and supports advanced students and professionals in addressing technical and vocal challenges. A particular focus of his teaching is guiding male singers through fach transitions—most frequently from baritone to tenor.
