Katie Marshall

By Natasha Barbieri

Katie Marshall is a thirteen-year-old soprano hailing from the United Kingdom. Her clear, sweet voice and passion for music can be heard on her self-titled EP which features “Dolce Vento” and “Pie Jesu.” I was impressed not only by her voice but also her initiative.

1. Tell us what inspired you to become a classical singer. 

I was inspired at a very young age to sing Classical Music by my sister who was also a  Classical Soprano. There was always music around the house & I loved being immersed in it & listening to her practice.  I was always singing everywhere I went  &  was known as the little singer where I live, as I was always humming or singing! I asked my parents when I was six if I could have singing lessons & they agreed. I loved learning to sing classical music. I also loved watching & listening to music, especially musicals like Phantom of The Opera & was greatly inspired by Sarah Brightman. I loved singing along to all the Phantom songs. I have been to see the show four times and one of them was the 25th Anniversary show at the Royal Albert Hall.

2. Who are your favorite singers? 

My favorite singers are mainly from Classical & Opera. I also love listening to more crossover artists too. My very first love was Sarah Brightman & she inspired me as a soprano as I was growing up. The other performers I love watching and listening to are Shirley Bassey & Dolly Parton.  They are both such great personalities and I spent a lot of time singing along to them as a child in the car!  I have also been influenced by many other artists such as Josh Groban, Enya, and Mirusia Louwerse. Other favorite artists are Joyce DiDonato, Angela Gheorghiu, Renee Fleming, Maria Callas, Sissel Kyrkjebø, Jon Antoine, Noah Stewart, Jonas Kaufman & Luciano Pavarotti. All these artists inspire me and I find listening to them helps me to learn a lot of my songs.

3. Training is an important part of a musicians life. Share a little about who you study with, how many times a week you have lessons, theory lessons etc. 

Training is very important & I work very hard. I am really lucky to have an amazing teacher called Julie Unwin. She is an Opera singer and has sung all over the world. Her training & advice has helped me so much. I have a lesson with her each week & work each day for an hour on all my songs. I like to understand each piece I am learning and about the character that I am portraying.  Theory is also a very important part of singing & I have lessons each week. The voice is a muscle & so you have to keep using it & training it to get better. My voice is growing and changing all the time. You have to look after yourself as a singer & sleep, drink lots & work hard on your technique to produce a nice natural and not forced sound.

4. How does your family feel about your career since you are still so young? And how do they help keep you grounded?

My family are amazing and extremely supportive of my singing. I couldn’t achieve what I have without their continuing support. They give me the confidence to believe in myself & the belief that you can achieve anything if you work hard enough!

 At the age of 13, you have already won numerous competitions. How do you prepare yourself for these types of performances? 

I have won a lot of competitions and love this part of what I do. My greatest joy is to get up and perform. It makes me work even harder to achieve the high level expected of you. I work on each song individually and perfect the pronunciation of the different languages I sing in. I study each piece and listen also to other singers, like Renee Fleming. You have to make sure that you have time before to prepare & warm up your voice so that when you go out onto the stage you are confident and relaxed & can then just enjoy performing. That’s the most important thing.

6. How did you first become involved in your various charities?

The charities I support are a very big part of my life. I really wanted to use my music to help raise awareness for charities. I was invited by the Prince’s Trust to meet with the head of Ambassadors in London & I was so impressed by the great work they do. I was overwhelmed to be asked to join them & support them as much as I can.

The Children’s Air Ambulance is very special & as a young girl myself, I felt that I could help them and raise awareness of the work they do saving young lives every day. I love singing at fundraising events for them & supporting them.

*Katie is also an ambassador for Born Free Global Friends an international wildlife charity. 

7. You have released a self-titled debut EP. Tell us what you have learned from the experience. 

 My EP is something I am very proud of. I was so lucky to work with such amazing people. Barney Smith is the musical director from VOCES8 & he offered to help me record my songs. I recorded them in London at the Gresham Centre and worked with John Brunning on his Pie Jesu there. I was so lucky to have two other composers send me their music. Chris Broom with Dolce Vento & Andrew Jones who wrote the song ‘Per Aspera’ especially for me. I learned that recording songs is so enjoyable and also very hard work. To work with a live Orchestra is incredible & makes your songs come to life.

8. When can we expect to hear a full-length album from you?

I am very much hoping that in the not too distant future I will get the chance to record a full-length Album. I have so many songs I love that I want to record!

9. If you could work with any modern composer (Eric Witacre, John Rutter, etc) who would it be?

I would love to work with the composer Sir Karl Jenkins. I particularly love his ‘Benedictus’ as it is stunningly beautiful. I would love to have met & worked with Mozart!

10 THINGS THAT MY FANS MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT ME:

1. I am a lover of Tudor history! I am passionate about the life of Queen Anne Boleyn and I think that I own every book that has ever been written about her!
2. I can raise my right eyebrow all by itself!
3. The sound of people sniffing in a quiet room drives me BANANAS!
4. I love white chocolate… in fact, I love all chocolate… but especially white chocolate 🙂
5. My middle name is Robyn… So I’m Katie Robyn!
6. I’m a whizz at playing Mario Kart!!
7. I currently have 2 cats. One is an Egyptian Mau called Mitzy & the other is a Half Persian Calico called Bella. My dog is a White long haired Chihuahua called Elphie
8. I play the Piano and love composing.

9.  I cried when I met my icon, Andrew Lloyd Webber, at the Classic Brits rehearsal. I really hope that one day I can meet Sarah Brightman and sing with her.

10. I forgot to get Andrew Lloyd Webber’s autograph when I met him as I was too overwhelmed. I have a space put aside in my autograph book & hope one day I will meet him again and he can sign it.

For more information about Katie Marshall please visit her website: katiemarshallmusic.com

Natasha Barbieri, Editor

Editor

Creator of Classical Crossover Magazine. For Natasha music has always been closely tied to her faith. At age 18, Natasha made her opera debut playing the part of the mother in Menotti’s ‘Amahl and the Night Visitors’ with the Eastern Festival Opera. At 20, she was a winner of the 2011 Young Artist Competition at Andrews University. Natasha graduated in 2012 with a Bachelor’s of Music. Natasha has released a series of Holiday singles “A Place Called Home” (2020), “One Little Boy,” and “The Perfect Year” (2021). In 2021, she was nominated for the ‘Future Classic Women Awards’ show on Men’s & Women’s Radio Station. Natasha is the creator and editor of ‘Classical Crossover Magazine’ a venture that has allowed her to interview many of the top stars in the genre including Sarah Brightman, Celtic Woman, Mirusia, Paul Potts, and more. During the covid-19 pandemic, she created an online concert series for the magazine that has seen her perform in the same line-up as Alex Sharpe, Lucy Kay, Barbara Padilla, Classical Reflection, and more on the virtual stage. In 2022, Natasha was included on the charity album “Stars of Classical Crossover: Christmas” in benefit of the Wallace & Gromit Children’s Charity.