Concordia Magazine 2025

Even when he took up his place at the Academy, Harrison was not considering a career in opera. ‘Everyone was talking about the operas they’d been in. I had never sung in an opera in my life — not even a scene but just a couple of arias, and it felt as though I was far behind everyone else. But during my first opera scene at the Academy I realised I was getting the same buzz as I got from performing Les Mis at School. I love music, I love singing, I love performing: why hadn’t I sung in opera before? Now, I fall in love with music over and over again with each new opera.’ Now studying with Alexander Ashworth for the Advanced Diploma in Opera at the Royal Academy of Music, Harrison is thriving. He finds opera not only challenging vocally but also intellectually and physically. ‘Preparing for the role of Escamillo has been interesting because we’re quite different people. I try to be nice in my day-to-day life! Escamillo is arrogant, macho and extremely powerful.’ Harrison’s preparations begin by translating his sung texts into English so that when he sings a line in French he knows exactly what he is saying. To ensure his pronunciation is accurate he uses IPA transcription, a method of pronouncing all the world’s languages. ‘The whole process of singing a role must be completely subconscious, drilled into the body, before you come to the ‘blocking’ phase, when you are learning the physical movements you need to make and where you should be on stage. Posture is very important for a character like Escamillo. You cannot be on stage thinking about what you are singing; you must be in the moment — living it, performing it and acting it.’ Harrison is a passionate advocate for music education, believing that music involves pattern spotting, problem solving and communication: skills that have been shown to improve academic results. Music can offer an opportunity to switch off and relax while still keeping the brain engaged, which can be important at school. Harrison still turns to the piano for relaxation. He also cites one-to-one time with an instrumental teacher as an important factor in building confidence and communication skills.

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