ARTIST STATEMENT:

As a soprano, educator, stage director, and arts advocate, I am driven by a deep commitment to making vocal music relevant, resonant, and transformative for contemporary audiences. My artistic practice centers on the expressive power of song and opera to illuminate human experience, challenge cultural narratives, and foster empathy across time and place.

My performance career has taken me from the United States to Indonesia, China, Japan, Hawai’i, Lithuania, and Oman, and each engagement has deepened my belief in the power of sharing our lived experiences. I am especially passionate about new works and the collaborative process of bringing fresh stories and sounds to life. Projects like The Giving Voice Project: Ophelia reflect my dedication to reimagining classical repertoire through a modern lens—examining themes relatable to a twenty-first century audience through interdisciplinary performance.

I am proud to of my album Storms & Stars, a collection of art songs by Jodi Goble, and honored to have received recognition from The American Prize in Women in Art Song. I continue to advocate for emerging composers and the evolution of the classical tradition.

As a teacher and leader, I strive to empower the next generation of vocal artists. My students have earned top honors at national competitions, and I actively contribute to the field through conference presentations and service with organizations such as the National Opera Association and the National Association of Teachers of Singing.

Whether on stage, or in the studio, I seek to create spaces where music can speak boldly, connect authentically, and serve as an antidote to isolation and detachment.

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BIO:

Shelby VanNordstrand has appeared as a soprano soloist from the United States to Indonesia, China, Japan, Hawai’i, Lithuania, and Oman. She is especially passionate about new art song and opera and loves to be involved in the creation of new works. You can hear her on the album “Storms & Stars, songs for soprano and piano by Jodi Goble”, available for streaming on all major platforms. She was awarded an honorable mention in The American Prize, Women in Art Song in 2023. As a teacher, her students have been named winners of the National Association of Teachers of Singing Student Auditions at the state, regional, and national levels and winners of the National Opera Association's Collegiate Opera Scenes Competition. As a clinician, she has presented at the National Collegiate Music Society Conference, the National Opera Association Conference, and other state and regional conferences. She currently serves as President-Elect with the National Opera Association and serves in regional leadership with the National Association of Teachers of Singing. Shelby joined the faculty of the Department of Music and Theatre at Iowa State University in the fall of 2024. Previously, she served as Associate Professor of Voice at the University of Nebraska Omaha.