School of Music - Karen J. Wicklund
Karen J. Wicklund (1997)
Voice
B.A. St. Olaf
M.M. Michigan
M.H.S. Governors State
D.M. Northwestern
Dr. Karen Wicklund is an associate professor of voice at Western Michigan University and Clinic Supervisor at the Van Riper Clinic where she is a speech-language pathologist. Dr. Wicklund received a Doctor of Music degree in voice performance from Northwestern University, Master of Music degree in voice performance from the University of Michigan, Bachelor of Arts degree in voice and horn from St. Olaf College, and most recently a second master's degree in speech-language pathology from Governors State University in Chicago. She is also director of the Chicago Center for Professional Voice, which provides a wellness Web site (www.singershealth.com), vocal technique, therapy, wellness instruction, singing voice rehabilitation and referrals for medical services for singers and other professional voice users. Dr. Wicklund has previously taught at Roosevelt University, University of Nebraska at Omaha, Washington State University and Northwestern University.
Dr. Wicklund has appeared in operatic performances in over 60 American cities in leading roles with the San Francisco, Santa Fe, Omaha, Lake George, Chicago Light Opera Works, and other American companies, and concerts including the orchestra halls of Chicago and Minneapolis, and in St. Petersburg, Russia. She is also the recipient of numerous awards including First Place Winner in the San Francisco Opera Center Auditions, Metropolitan Opera Regional Semi-Finalist, National Finalist in the American Opera Auditions, and National Finalist in the 1981 National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) Artist Awards.
A nationally known vocal pedagogue, singer's wellness specialist and speech pathologist, Dr. Wicklund has published articles in the NATS Journal of Singing, The American Organist, and Medical Problems of Performing Artists. Her textbook, Singing Voice Rehabilitation: The Voice Teacher's Guide, will be available from DelMar-Cengage Health Publishing in the summer of 2009. She has made many presentations at NATS workshops, conventions, and at the International Physiology and Acoustics of Singing Conference, Richard Miller's workshop in New Zealand, and regular workshops on vocal health and musical theater vocal techniques for Vandercook College of Music in Chicago. Her recent workshop, "Healthy Musical Theater Singing Techniques," was attended by 32 vocal music teachers from high schools nationwide. She also recently returned from giving vocal master classes at Southwestern University in Texas. Dr. Wicklund's presentation, "Current Methods in Singing Voice Rehabilitation," was a featured topic at the June 2008 National NATS Convention in Nashville.
Email: karen.wicklund@wmich.edu