Soprano Jennifer Swanson grew up singing along with the record in her parent’s living room in northern Minnesota. In fact, the first major professional role she was hired to sing, Monica in Menotti’s The Medium, was a role she had memorized and acted out numerous times as a 10 year old. Her younger brother starred as Toby, Monica’s mute friend. Her love for the expressive power of music heard through the human voice drew her to a career in vocal performance and teaching. Dr. Swanson completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Illinois and holds graduate degrees in vocal performance from New England Conservatory of Music in Boston and the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities where she was a recipient of the Schuessler Vocal Fellowship. Currently an Assistant Professor of Voice at the University of Windsor, Dr. Swanson’s performance credentials include solo recital, opera, chamber music, and oratorio in the United States and Canada. Recent solo appearances and recitals include SOCA Presents, Windsor Classic Chorale, Bemidji Symphony Orchestra (Minnesota), and Metropolitan Chorale (Iowa). Later this fall, she will collaborate with colleagues from the University of Windsor in the SOCA Faculty Collage Concert. Previous teaching appointments were at Loras College in Dubuque (Iowa) and at Bemidji State University (Minnesota) where she built a successful vocal studio and served as Chair of the Music Department. Dr. Swanson loves teaching singers with a wide array of backgrounds and goals, and members of her private studio in Windsor range in age from 17 to 70+. Her studio at the University of Windsor includes students from both SOCA and the School of Drama. Former students have gone on to successful careers in performance, education, law, business, and other fields.
