Faculty

Kyle Nielsen

Assistant Professor of Music; Director of Choral Activities

Professor Kyle Nielsen

“Being a great choral artist has every bit as much to do with who we are as what we do. As such, we leave no stone unturned in the Southern Virginia choral program: we seek excellence as we improve our technique, examine each text we sing with boldness, and share what we stand for with vulnerability and boldness.”

Education

  • D.M.A. in Choral Conducting, Frost School of Music, University of Miami, 2017
  • M.M. in Choral Conducting, Vocal Performance and Pedagogy, East Carolina University, 2014
  • B.A. in Music and Theatre, Barrus Scholar, Southern Virginia University, 2012

Courses

  • Music Major: Advanced Conducting, Choral Literature, Choral Conducting Internship, Applied Music – Conducting, Applied Music – Voice
  • Conductor of Chamber Singers, Men’s Chorus, and Choral Union

Teaching Positions & Professional Experience

  • Joined the Southern Virginia University faculty in 2017
  • Senior Teaching Assistant in Choral Studies at the Frost School of Music, University of Miami. Led the Men’s Chorus Maelstrom; taught in the experiential music curriculum; directed marketing and recording services for the Choral Studies area; served as assistant conductor for the internationally acclaimed Frost Chorale, 2014–17
  • Teaching Assistant, East Carolina University. Maintained an active applied voice studio; taught group voice instruction courses for majors and non-majors; conductor of Collegiate Choir and Assistant Conductor of Women’s Chorus and Chamber Singers, 2012–14
  • Artistic Administrator of the Santa Fe Desert Chorale; works directly with Artistic Director Joshua Habermann in coordinating all artistic contracting and operations; supervises the artistic wing of the community outreach program, 2015–19

Scholarships & Creative Work

  • Professional tenor with some of the region’s leading vocal ensembles
  • Conducting fellow with Grammy-nominated professional choir Seraphic Fire, 2016–17 season
  • In-demand choral clinician, adjudicator, and conference presenter throughout the United States with organizations such as the American Choral Directors Association and Utah Music Educator’s Association

Awards, Leadership & Service

  • Professor of the Semester, Southern Virginia University, Spring 2019
  • Missionary, Illinois Peoria Mission, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 2007–09

Memberships

  • American Choral Directors Association
  • National Association for Music Education
  • National Collegiate Choral Organization
  • Chorus America
  • National Association of Teachers of Singing
  • Pi Kappa Lambda Music Honor Society