Morag McLaren


Morag McLaren is a Scottish singer, director and coach who now focuses on helping young singers at the early stages in their professional careers.

Early life and education

McLaren was born and educated in Edinburgh, graduated in Music Education at Lancaster University and trained as an opera singer at the Royal Northern College of Music, where she studied singing with Frederick Cox. As a mature student she completed an MA with distinction in Performance Health and Personal Development at London College of Music.

Performing and recording career

McLaren has performed in a wide variety of opera, musicals, concerts and music theatre productions during her career, including principal roles with Welsh National Opera, Scottish Opera, The Royal National Theatre and in the West End.
McLaren toured internationally with Opera Circus, presented on BBC Radio 3, released three solo CDs and featured on RNT cast recording and other compilations. She has presented one-woman shows worldwide, including Dorothy Fields: Rhythm of Life and Georg Kreisler’s . She is a founder member of the opera improvisation group, Impropera.

Coaching

McLaren also works as a vocal coach/consultant for emerging artists privately and has led performance workshops and master classes at The Guildhall School of Music and Drama, London College of Music, Ardingly International Music School, Guildford School of Acting, and The Cooper Hall Emerging Artists Workshop. Her teaching collaboration with Theresa Goble involves her in a range of vocal workshops, with an emphasis on the integration of vocal skills with acting for singers.

Directing

McLaren is Patron of Frome Festival, and as the founder and principal Trustee of The Cooper Hall Foundation charity, promotes music performances, education and the development of creative projects at Cooper Hall, a performance space, venue near Frome, Somerset.
She directed the operas The Turn of the Screw, Hansel and Gretel, and Cosi Fan Tutte for Frome Festival in collaboration with Bath Philharmonia. She also directed Dido and Aeneas at London College of Music.

Personal life

She is married and has two adult children. Her son Gregor Riddell is a professional cellist and composer and her daughter Kirsty Riddell is an artist.