What do you think of when you hear the word 'OPERA'?
We know that today opera doesn't necessarily sound like your go-to pass-time for Saturday night. We also know how many preconceptions go hand-in-hand with saying "I'm going to the opera".
One of our main missions as a society is to break those misconceptions down. We want to paint as real a picture as we can of opera for young people and, to do that, we want to provide a range of resources for any budding opera societies out there. This includes suggestions on how to get people involved, social opera-related events, and even potential funding!
Another aim of ours is to give young operatic professionals and amateurs a platform to communicate ideas and opportunities. We want to give you access to resources connecting people throughout the UK.
Get in touch if you have any queries or concerns! #youngoperageneration
ISABELLA PITMAN
president
​
Izzy is a third year music student at the University of Oxford and the founder of NSOS. As president of the Oxford Opera Society, and committee member of the Wagner Society, Izzy is driven to change the face of opera in the UK. She is looking forward to seeing NSOS challenge perceptions of opera and pushing for increased accessibility to opera for all young people, regardless of socio-economic background.
KATHERINE REES
vice-president
​
Katherine is a third-year drama student at the University of Exeter. She is passionate about the involvement of students in opera and founded the University of Exeter Opera Society which she is now president of. Her other involvement in the arts includes committee position with the University Gilbert & Sullivan Society and she recently became a Royal Opera House Student Ambassador for Exeter. As Vice-President of NSOS, Katherine looks forward to enabling diversity in the involvement of young opera enthusiasts. She believes that NSOS will be an opportunity for like-minded students to join together and create a great community.
JAMES EDWARDS
secretary
​
Originally from Anglesey, North Wales, James has recently graduated from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama’s undergraduate programme. He is looking forward to working as Secretary of NSOS, and is eager to spread the word among young people that a ticket to the opera can cost about a third of the price of a ticket to a Premier League Football game.
ANDREW LEE
treasurer
​
Andrew is a first year PPE student at the London School of Economics. He has recently been involved in teaching music to young people in his local area and organising concerts for them. As a pianist himself, he is passionate to see more young people inherit an interest in all forms of classical music. By serving as treasurer, he hopes to oversee NSOS’s growth and sustainability, so that it shares his passion in opera for the many years to come.
SOFIA KIRWAN-BAEZ
publicity Manager
​
After growing up in a very international family, Sofia did a music undergraduate at St John’s College, Oxford. She is currently doing a masters at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama in vocal performance. She is very much committed to increasing music’s accessibility, and in particular opera, with respect to students, and has worked in numerous roles towards that goal, including as a Royal Opera House student ambassador.
JOE ALLEN
events coordinator
​
Joe is a first-year jazz saxophone student at Leeds College of Music. He is the co-founder of Leeds College of Music Student Union Opera Society and is dedicated to opening up opera to those who would never normally have the opportunity to engage with it. Joe has a large wealth of experience in events organisation, from producing theatre to being the festival manager for a large, city-based, charity music festival. He is delighted to bring this experience over to his role as one of the two events officers on the NSOS committee. His other involvements in the arts include work as a musician and musical director for local theatre productions and concerts across Oxfordshire and a short production internship at Opera Holland Park. Joe is looking forward to seeing NSOS welcome more students to opera and encouraging the engagement of the wider community with opera.
IMMY WOOD
events officer
​
​
Immy is a second year music student at the Univeristy of York. Immy has been involved in opera and musical theatre both as performer and director. She is very passionate about opera, hoping to pursue it in the future. She wants to make opportunities more accessible for students, and to also enable students to meet people who share the same passion of Opera as them. Immy is so excited to start as one of the Events Officers for NSOS so that she can help with bring these amazing Opera opportunities to younger people.
President / Isabella Pittman, presidentnsos@gmail.com
Vice-President / Katherine Rees, presidentnsos@gmail.com
Secretary / James Edwards, secretarynsos@gmail.com
Treasurer / Andrew Lee, treasurernsos@gmail.com
Publicity / Sofia Kirwan-Baez, publicitynsos@gmail.com
Events / Joe Allen & Immy Wood, eventsnsos@gmail.com
.jpg)