Laura Joy Godwin is a local freelance musician, born and raised in Bournville, Birmingham, and is a graduate of Birmingham Conservatoire where she gained a BMus in Vocal and Operatic Studies.

Laura has the pleasure of being the director of St. Francis Church Children's Choir in Bournville, Wychall Primary School Choir in Kings Norton and is the Director of St. Francis Primary School Choir in Bournville.  Laura also directs two choirs at Smiths Wood Community Primary School which opened in 2009 and is also the founder and director of ‘Bournville-Vocal-Ease’ ladies choir.

Two days a week Laura runs a private singing practice in Birmingham teaching students of all ages and abilities for both their enjoyment and for entrance to ABRSM exams.

Laura also work as the Resident Vocal Coach for the ‘Education Outreach Programme’ of Southern Sinfonia Orchestra.  In this role she leads weekly singing workshops for classes of children in numerous schools in Berkshire and is involved in a number of large projects in the area.

Laura is the founding director of 'Children’s Singing Course, Bournville' which run fun packed weeks of activity for children aged 6-14 in Birmingham during the Summer and Half Term Holidays. During the week children work towards an exciting musical production which they perform at the end of the week to friends and family. The week incorporates art, drama, music, singing, and dance. It is challenging….but very rewarding!  Laura also runs one day singing workshops during each half term which are enjoyed by many local children.

Laura prides herself in taking time to raise money for charity and local causes through music.  Each year she organises and directs at least two concerts to raise money for various charities or projects. In Summer 2010 Laura held a fundraising concert/fete for the ‘Malachi Trust’ which are a family councelling service who work with a number of schools in the Midlands.  The event was held at Wychall Primary School and performers  included- St. Francis Church Children's Choir, St. Francis School Choir, Wychall Primary School Choir, Bournville-Vocal-Ease Ladies Choir, Wychall Primary School Dance Group, Wychall Steel Pan Band.  The event raised over £650 for the Trusts work.  Also in 2010 Laura conducted over 50 singers and harp singing Britten’s ‘A Ceremony of Carols’ which raised a further £700 for the Action Aid charity with whom she sponsors two children.  In 2009 Laura organised and directed a concert with over 90 performers who were all pupils from private tuition or choirs.  The concert raised over £1000 for St. Francis Church’s roof appeal.

Regarding her work as a soloist a few memorable performances include the role of La Badessa in extracts from Puccini’s Suor Angelica.  Performing solo roles in Vivaldi’s Gloria in London, and Haydn’s Creation in Rugby.  Appearing as guest soloist for the 'Icknield Male Voice Choir' at the Adrian Bolt Hall, Birmingham and for 'Canoldir Male Voice Choir' at their joint Christmas Concert with Birmingham based opera company 'Operamus'.

Performing recitals of Wolf, Brahms, Mahler, Duparc and Coward at Birmingham Cathedral and the Friends Meeting House in Bournville and successfully competing in the Lieder Prize and ‘Stravinsky and Elgar Liederabent’ held at Birmingham Conservatoire.  Soloing in Handel’s Messiah in England and Italy, performing Oratorio on a number of occasions at Walsall Town Hall, and performing in operas such as A Fairy Queen by Purcell, The Marriage of Figaro, Mozart, and Dee by Robin Grant at the Crescent Theatre in Birmingham.

Laura has also appeared as a soloist at other venues both in the United Kingdom and abroad such as Birmingham Symphony Hall, Birmingham Council House at the Lord Mayors Banquet, the Royal College of Music in London and Cathedrals in Birmingham, Coventry, Salisbury, Ghent, Bruges, Brussels, Hamburg and Rome and at numerous Churches across the UK.  Laura also performs regularly at local charity events, weddings and funerals.