What people are saying.
"There is no one I trust with my instrument more than Samantha. She has been my go-to mentor and cheerleader since I was 11 and still is an invaluable support over a decade later! She provides excellent opportunities to perform publicly and even the chance to showcase skills in front of agents and industry professionals. She nurtures young talent with her passion for what she does and outstanding knowledge of the craft. She brings together a community of determined, creative and kind people that become a second family through their love of theatre. Samantha is so much more than just a teacher, she really enhances young people's lives."
"Samantha has a wonderful way of bringing out the very best in every child. She is kind, nurturing and endlessly supportive, while also encouraging them to work hard and reach their full potential. She creates an environment where every child feels valued, grows in confidence and genuinely loves performing."
"The energy, commitment and sheer professionalism on that stage were astonishing. These young actors didn't just sing beautifully; they acted every lyric, bringing each musical number to life with the kind of storytelling you'd expect to see in the West End! Huge congratulations to the phenomenal director, Samantha Cooper. It takes a truly special director to inspire young performers to deliver work of this calibre. The joy radiating from those kids was a testament to their remarkable talent!"
"Samantha has been teaching me for the last five years and I am so grateful to be taught by her. I was taught how to adapt my singing as my voice was breaking, expand my range, acting through song, warming up, how to take care of my voice, understanding characters' motivations and emotions within songs etc. But I haven't only been taught techniques, the opportunities given to me have truly been unmatched — from getting an agent to performing in front of industry professionals and getting their feedback. As well as being able to sing songs and play parts I never thought possible for me. I am also beyond grateful for the friendships I've made with everyone at Curtain Up, it truly feels like the most supportive, loving and incredibly talented family where everyone wants every person to succeed. I am so inspired by my friends at Curtain Up every time they sing and am so happy to be able to go on stage and perform with all of them."
"Samantha has been teaching me for the last five years, and I am incredibly grateful to have had her as my singing teacher throughout such an important part of my development as a performer. She has helped me grow not only as a singer, but as a musical theatre performer and as a person. With Samantha's guidance, I have learnt how to act through song, understand characters and their emotions, make stronger dramatic choices and tell a story through my performances. She has also given me a much greater knowledge and appreciation of musical theatre, while helping me build confidence in auditions and performances. The opportunities Samantha has given me have been incredible, from performing in front of West End performers and industry professionals to gaining insight into the professional industry and the process of getting an agent. Some of my favourite experiences have been playing roles including Lumière in Beauty and the Beast, Thénardier in Les Misérables and performing in Curtain Up 2026. Above all, I am incredibly grateful for the community Samantha has created. The friendships I have made through shows, showcases and performances feel like being part of a supportive and talented family, and I feel incredibly lucky to be part of it."
"Samantha Cooper is more than just a vocal coach. Over the four years that I have been working with her, I have experienced a community like no other and received opportunities that I couldn't have found elsewhere. When I first started lessons with Samantha, I had little knowledge of vocal technique, and suffered poor breath control. Samantha helped me to develop my singing voice, emphasised the importance of maintaining vocal health, and worked not only on the vocal technique but also acting through song, which is just as important. Samantha has both encouraged and trained me to perform in a wide variety of concerts and shows, including school musicals such as Les Misérables, Curtain Up concerts, a charity concert at the Union Theatre and West End Calling. Through Samantha, I have also made contacts in the West End industry including Hugh Maynard, Engers Portelli agents and Danny Becker. When I've doubted myself, Samantha has pushed me to keep performing and take opportunities, and I am so grateful for the training that I have had with her."
"The talent on the stage was incredible - it's hard to believe they are all school children and not stage children! It was a total joy to watch - and I know that however talented they are, a huge amount is down to Samantha."
"No words - other than unbelievable, outstanding, such talent, extravaganza! You have done an amazing thing with these kids."
"Having Bella be part of this incredible production has been nothing short of amazing. She has loved every single minute of it - the rehearsals, directors, teamwork across all the year groups, the music, the magic - and being involved in something of this calibre has truly been transformative for her."
"Taking singing lessons with Samantha has been one of my favourite parts of Immanuel. She has helped me improve my singing so much, but even more than that, she has given me so much confidence. She always makes me feel calm and prepared for my exams, which has really helped me to do my best. Through singing, I've also become part of such an amazing group of students at Immanuel who all support each other, and it's opened up a whole new side of school for me. I'm really proud of what I've achieved so far and excited to keep improving. I'm so grateful to Samantha for all her encouragement and to Immanuel for giving us the opportunity to do this at school."
"I started singing with Samantha in Year 9 and before then I had never performed in front of anyone. From the beginning, she made me feel comfortable and helped me build my confidence, both as a singer and in myself. When Samantha suggested that I take my Grade 5 exam, I was really nervous. The idea of singing in front of someone who would be assessing me felt very intimidating. With her encouragement and support, I pushed myself to do it, and it's something I'm incredibly proud of. Through singing at school, my lessons with Samantha and taking my first exam, I've learnt a lot. More than anything, I've learnt to challenge myself, believe in my abilities and have the confidence to do what I love."
"For me, my singing exam was a really nice experience as it gave me more creative freedom and it was just something to look forward to. It also gave me a broader perspective of musical theatre and really how it's all portrayed."
"Singing is always so fun and opens you up to such a fun side of school. Doing the exam boosted my confidence so much, knowing that I can put everything I've learnt into action."