Vanessa started Soul of the City after realising how much she loved singing in harmony and how much she wanted to create a space where people could meet, sing and feel free of pressure. She grew up playing piano, fell in love with harmony and the amazing power that comes from choir singing at eight watching the London Community Gospel Choir. The performance blew her mind, hearing the different dynamics, how the harmonies soared high and fell quiet, all voices working together, filling the space, all singers listening intently to each other and guided by the conductor, epic! She later discovered a sense of real freedom through jazz singing whilst doing her music degree. Starting the choir in 2009 felt natural: part instinct, part “what skills have I got?”, and entirely rooted in the belief that singing should feel good, be fun, and bring people together.

Her background blends classical piano training, composition, orchestration, jazz performance and years of directing choirs at major venues including the Royal Festival Hall, Brighton Dome, the Roundhouse and Concorde 2. She brings the same encouragement her own teachers once gave her: a belief in people, a love of big enthusiastic sound, and a knack for guiding singers to do things they didn’t think they could do. She still thinks of choir as “organised yelling” in the best possible way! A place to feel feelings, make connections, and experience those magic moments when everyone is listening, locking in, and absolutely going for it.

Where Music and Sound Meets Wellbeing Through Deep Listening explores how music can be experienced through the body, not just the ears. This panel focuses on the power of feeling sound to create a deeper, more immersive listening experience. By shifting from simply hearing to truly sensing music, we open up more meaningful ways to connect with sound and enhance overall wellbeing.