Jerry Elsbernd

Style: Pop; Opera; Jazz; Folk; Classical; Musical Theatre

Title: Owner Elsbernd Voice Studio/Visiting Instructor (Voice) at St. Olaf College

Bio:

Located in Shorewood, MN, near beautiful Lake Minnetonka, Elsbernd Voice Studio offers classical and contemporary singing technique and musical instruction to singers age 15 - adult. As an accomplished professional solo vocalist, masterclass instructor, contest adjudicator and choral director, Jerry Elsbernd draws on a wealth of experiences and perspectives to aid his students in the development and growth of their voices. Jerry's in-depth knowledge of the anatomy involved in singing, combined with his innate musicality and interpretive skills as a performer provide a unique holistic approach to the development of his students' own performance skills.

Whether you (or your 15+ yr child) are a beginning singer with little or no previous vocal training or an accomplished vocalist, all students benefit from individual attention to their own unique physiques, techniques and performance styles. This is accomplished in a fun and encouraging private studio environment. Degrees: M.Ed. Vocal Music B.S. Vocal Music Education

Continuing Education and Specialties: Jerry was the winner of the 2009 MN NATS grant for vocal research for his successes in collaborating with a speech therapist on the recovery of injured voices. He and his colleague, Robert Grider, presented their research and shared their ideas with a very receptive crowd at the NATS National Convention in Orlando in July 2012.

Proud member of the SpeakEasy Cooperative since 2018.

Serving NATS as: Treasurer of the Minnesota Chapter for several years; Member of the NATS NSA (National Student Auditions) Advisory Board; Member of the NATS National Strategic Planning Task Force

Students' Successes: Some notable Elsbernd Voice Studio graduates include the lead singer of the multi-platinum record winning band "American Authors," lead actors/singers in Broadway, Off-Broadway, and national touring musical theater productions, a Presidential Scholar in the Arts (Winner of YoungArts in Musical Theater), national "Jimmy" Award winner, gold record selling pop artists, several NATS Student Audition winners and finalists at state, regional and national levels in both classical and music theater divisions (including multiple national finalists, a 2020 finalist in the National Musical Theatre Competition, and the 2015 NATS NSA Winner in the HS Men's Music Theater Division), national finalists in the Classical Singer's High School Vocalist Competition and numerous students who have gone on to careers in singing and music.

Teachers with whom I have trained: Mary Kay Schmidt (1995-present) Signora Rita Patané (Milan, Italy 1997, 1999, 2001), wife of noted opera maestro, Giuseppe Patané and mother of Italian Opera star, Francesca Patané. Robert W. Olson (North Dakota State University 1988-1994), student of noted pedagogue, Oren Brown.

In addition to his home studio, Professor Elsbernd is a Visiting Instructor in Music (Voice) at St. Olaf College in Northfield, MN and previously served as adjunct professor of voice at Concordia University St. Paul and the University of Northwestern, St. Paul, MN.

Voice Type: Tenor

Music Styles Taught: Pop; Opera; Jazz; Folk; Classical; Musical Theatre

Availability: I have a wait-list for private lessons; I am currently accepting private students; I am available as a clinician or presenter; I accept students through a college or university program

Contact Information