BUDDING singers with no previous experience had their first lesson on Saturday at the Oxford Lieder Festival’s ‘Singing for All’ classes.

Vocal coach Fiona Dobbie coaxed the inner-artistes out of first-time singers at the Jacqueline du Pré Music Building in Cowley Place.

By the end of the two-and-a-half hour session, the group had learned harmony songs by ear.

The session was one of 30 events being staged in Oxford as part of the eight-year-old festival of song – now recognised as one of the top classical music festivals in Europe.

Upcoming concerts include performances of music by Schubert, Schumann and Beethoven, with the festival closing with a concert featuring New Zealand opera singer Jonathan Lemalu on Saturday, October 30.

The festival also works with Oxfordshire schools staging masterclasses throughout the year.