Kayleigh Thorn

"I feel that the training has been so well adapted to suit the ever changing industry we will be going into"

What made you choose Leeds Conservatoire?

The audition experience for Leeds Conservatoire stood out to me so much more than other drama schools I had auditioned at. The teachers made me feel so welcome and it really helped take away some of the nerves surrounding an audition day. From what I was told about the course, it just seemed so different to all the Actor Musician courses I had been looking at.

Has anything been totally different to what you expected when you started at Leeds Conservatoire?

Obviously, due to the pandemic, the training we have been receiving is very different to what I expected however, even with this setback, I have still been having an amazing time here and felt that the training has been so well adapted to suit the ever changing industry we will be going into.

What is the most mind blowing thing you've learned so far at Leeds Conservatoire?

I've found it really helpful having lessons in Artistic Development where it is all about understanding where we fit in within the industry and what specifically we, as individuals, can bring to the table. Also, being part of an ensemble is such a big part of this course. I've found it incredible how quickly we all genuinely connected and actually being able to feel that connection within the rehearsal space is an amazing thing.

Is there anything that has really made you push yourself as a musician or performer?

Coming onto this course, I had very little to no knowledge on music theory, and obviously coming on to an Actor Musician course, I was very worried that this would be a big obstacle. The teachers have been so supportive and understanding of the fact that everyone has come from completely different musical backgrounds. In order to aid communication of music with my cohort, I have been really trying to push myself in my music theory so that we all have some common ground that we can work with. The projects we have been given throughout the semester in our Music Lab classes have really helped push me out of my comfort zone and try things that I would never normally have done.

What sort of accommodation are you living in? What advice would you give to new students about accommodation?

I am living in a student accommodation building a bit far away from the conservatoire building. I would recommend definitely looking around and seeing where is the best fit for you. I personally wanted to meet lots of different people from different universities studying completely different courses which is why I felt that living further away was a better option for me.

What do you get up to outside of studying?

Being away from home, has inspired my creativity quite a lot which has resulted in me writing a lot more music than I have done before. I've found a real passion for song writing which I am hoping to continue.

What is the best thing about living and studying in Leeds?

Leeds is such a great place to be. There's constantly so much going on and the city has a massive student population which means there's always different events happening all over the place.

What advice would you give to a new student about to start at Leeds Conservatoire in September?

Come in with a free mind and be willing to take on anything that gets thrown your way. Allow yourself to face the challenges and don't be disheartened if you find certain things more difficult than others. Training is a journey and there is no right or wrong, as long as you throw yourself into everything 100%, you will have a wonderful time and you will get so much from your time here.

How would you describe your experience at Leeds Conservatoire so far in three words?

Incredible, Enlightening, Life-changing

Find out more about BA (Hons) Actor Musician at Leeds Conservatoire.