 Former directors are Kathryn Harries, Donald Maxwell, Richard van Allen, and Michael Langdon, and its Head of Music is Mark Shanahan.It is responsible for the training of approximately twelve singers each academic year, as well as four piano répétiteurs.Its funding comes in part from the six main UK opera companies Royal Opera House, English National Opera, Welsh National Opera, Scottish Opera, Opera North and the Glyndebourne Festival Opera, and it is an Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation (2018–2022).