(Photo: Madeline Castrey)
Professional operatic mezzo-soprano, jazz and theatre singer Madeline Castrey has had a very varied career to date and, at the age of 22, has already performed on some of London's biggest stages and worked for some of the biggest names in the music industry.
She is currently undertaking her PhD alongside taking on a lecturing role at The London College of Music, where, after sitting her GCSEs and A-levels between the ages of 10 and 14, she was the first ever 16-year-old admitted onto a bachelor's degree course.
After becoming seriously ill at the age of 14, Madeline used the time after her recovery to become an avid fundraiser for children's charities. After founding a vocal group who initially held performances locally to raise funds, her fundraising has gone from strength to strength, and she has now raised over £60,000 for various causes. In recognition of this, she received a Princess Diana Award.
Although she comes from a non-musical family, Madeline is passionate about music being accessible for all, and has started many community organisations to help improve access to music tuition for both children and adults.
Her latest project is a choir involving a local branch of Parkinson's UK, a condition for which singing therapy is vitally important. Madeline has composed an original Christmas single, This Christmas Time, which the choir released on all major platforms on 22 November. All proceeds will be going to Parkinson's UK: you can support her by purchasing the single on iTunes / Apple Music / Spotify / Amazon Music and YouTube Video.
