Ines Mayhew-Begg | Music

 INES MAYHEW-BEGG 

Music | Bmus Vocal Performance

Young woman leaning on wall. Light shoulder length hair and suit jacket.
📸 Robbie Mcfadzean

How did you find out about Transitions? 

I found out about Transitions through the RCS website when I was looking for serious learning opportunities in classical singing.

When did you get involved with Transitions? 

I got involved with Transitions in late 2015 just after I left school at 18. I felt overwhelmed by the intense music industry that I had no experience of but knew I wanted to be part of it. Without being able to have much proper classical singing training there was no simple step for me to go straight from school into the RCS. Through Transitions I was able to spend the next two years concentrating on music and getting my voice to audition standard. They also provided me with invaluable support and information and it was because of the opportunity they gave me that I was able to go on to be accepted into the RCS and complete my Bachelors in Music.

What was the most useful thing you learned about your artform and yourself? 

During my second undergraduate year, I had a very difficult time with imposter syndrome, which seriously affected my learning. I was afraid to put myself forward for opportunities and make important decisions for my career. I reached out to the Transitions team for support for the first time since starting my degree and it was a real turning point. Carole gave me wonderful advice about dealing with difficult situations and importantly, made me feel like I was allowed to take up space in the RCS. From then on, I learned to take charge of myself as a musician. I think that no matter how you feel about yourself along the way, it is important to see the bigger picture. There is no such thing as ‘the right time’ or ‘perfect’. You are not just a piece of art, but a full human being with other things going on and I think this is vital to hold onto while doing such specialised training in the arts.

Why should someone think about joining Transitions?

Transitions is incredible for anyone who wants to study at the RCS but has not been able get access to the learning opportunities they need to get in. You will be given information, tools, training and expert support that will help you get ready to apply to do an undergraduate degree. They not only give you this kick-start, but as an RCS student, they will continue to have your back right up until you graduate and even after. In my final year, they provided me with some first-class coaching sessions which really taught me about myself as an artist and helped me make decisions about my future, including starting a Masters in Music. It takes a lot of practice and discipline to get into the RCS and complete a degree, which comes down to yourself, but I owe a lot of my success to Transitions because without them I would not be here today.

What is one piece of advice would you give to any current student on Transitions? 

My advice to current Transitions students is to take full advantage of all the opportunities that are offered to you; coaching, lessons, short courses, workshops and masterclasses. There will never be another time when you will get free access to so much learning, so go for it and do not look back!

Do not be afraid to put yourself forward in classes, ask the ‘stupid’ questions that everyone else is thinking but not saying, perform badly and make mistakes 100 times over and see that you will not actually burst into flames, Mozart will not come back to haunt you and you will not get ‘thrown out’!.

Take ownership of your art in all its good and bad forms and see how much more quickly you will learn and grow.

If you could do it all over again, what would you do differently within your time with Transitions? 

If I could change anything about my time with Transitions I would certainly have been more proactive in asking questions and seeking opportunities for myself. At that stage, because everything was so new and overwhelming for me, I either did not know what questions to ask or stayed quiet. I would encourage anyone who feels the same way to just speak to people and make these important connections because in doing so you will learn and access new things that you probably did not even think of.


If you’d like to find out more about how to apply for Transitions, visit our pages on ‘How to Apply’ here.