Voice
*Instructor available in summer (in addition to fall & spring)
Northwestern Student Instructors
Graduate Instructors
Faculty Instructors
Nathan Bird
Nathan Bird holds degrees in voice performance from Northwestern College and Denver University. Since the completion of his Master’s he has performed with the professional male vocal ensemble Cantus, performed in Guthrie Theater’s nationally broadcast H.M.S. Pinafore, and participated in several productions with Minnesota Opera. Northwestern College Theater credits include Pharoah in Joseph, Tevye in Fiddler, and Father in Children of Eden. Nathan is passionate about communicating the elements of good vocal technique in a way that makes sense to each student. He currently lives in Northeast Minneapolis with his wife and two daughters. Besides performing and teaching, Nathan loves collaborating with fellow musicians, producing concert programs and other new works.
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Robin Helgen*
Ms. Robin Helgen has been an active vocal performer, teacher, and conductor in the Twin Cities for many years. She sang with the Minnesota Opera Chorus for eleven years and currently performs with the VocalEssence Ensemble Singers, under the direction of Philip Brunelle. She also co-leads the alto section at The House Of Hope Presbyterian Church in St. Paul, MN. In addition, this past summer Ms. Helgen traveled to Eugene, Oregon to sing with the chorus of The Oregon Bach Festival, conducted by Helmuth Rilling.
Ms. Helgen received her B.A. in Music Education from Bethel University in St. Paul, MN. She also has studies towards a M. Mus. in Vocal Performance from The New England Conservatory in Boston, MA. Ms. Helgen has studied vocal performance with Rita Patene of Milan, Italy, Mary Kay Schmidt of Blaine, MN, and Mary Fall of St. Paul, MN.
As a voice teacher, Ms. Helgen holds a studio in her home and teaches at Southwest High School. She has served as a member of the vocal performance faculty at Northwestern College and Gustavus Adolphus College. Ms. Helgen is a member of Minnesota National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) with two high school division students advancing to win their category and a collegiate level student competing as a finalist.
Ms. Helgen shares her home in Southwest Minneapolis with her husband, John Helgen, and their kitty, Minnie.
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Hannah Lindahl*
Hannah Lindahl is a senior Vocal Music Education Major at Northwestern College. She has been studying voice for seven years and has played piano since she was eight. She is currently studying with Cathy Larsen in voice and Richard Lange in piano. This is her first year teaching voice privately, but she is discovering it is a major passion in her life. Hannah believes everyone has the potential to sing in a healthy, balanced manner. Hannah wants to build good technique into her students as well as provide them with opportunities to sing beautiful, fun and engaging repertoire. Hannah hopes to someday be a high school choir director and loves working with young people. Hannah desires that her students not only learn to sing well but also develop other lifelong skills such as confidence and self-discipline.
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Jennifer Wallis
Jennifer Wallis is a 2006 graduate of Northwestern College in St. Paul, MN. She was a vocal music performance major and received her vocal instruction from Carol Eikum, Northwestern’s Coordinator of Vocal Studies. Jennifer was a member of the Northwestern College Choir as a soprano section leader and was also involved in the college’s opera program, appearing several times on stage during her time there. When teaching, her primary genre of instruction is classical music, but she also enjoys singing and teaching musical theater and some popular music. She firmly believes that a strong vocal foundation can be found in classical instruction. Jennifer is currently researching and applying to graduate schools as she is planning on pursuing a Masters Degree in Vocal Pedagogy in the very near future.
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