Mezzo-Soprano Jan Bickel, DMA is Professor/Director of Vocal Studies emerita at Saint Xavier University (SXU) in Chicago, where she taught applied voice, voice class for vocal and instrumental music majors and minors, lyric diction, voice pedagogy, and art song and opera literature; conducted choral ensembles; and directed the opera workshop. Dr. Bickel received the Teaching Excellence, Excellence in Scholarship, Excellence in Research, and the SXU Award for outstanding service during her 32-year tenure with the university. She holds a DMA in Vocal Performance from the American Conservatory of Music, the MM in Vocal Performance from the Chicago Conservatory of Music, and a BA in Vocal Music from Saint Mary's College-Notre Dame. Her performance credits as soloist and/or opera singer include the Chicago Opera Theatre, Chamber Opera Chicago, Des Moines Metro Opera, Chicago Symphony, Chamber Orchestra Chicago, and many others. She is currently a member of the National Association of Teachers of Singing and the Voice Foundation.
Dr. Bickel continues to teach voice and to present workshops, lectures, and master classes for singers from high school through college in addition to her studio voice work. Dr. Bickel is well known for her presentations and interactive workshops, including Resonance Is Power - Make It Work for You! Keep Your Voice Healthy! Practicing 101 for Singers, Writing Effective Program Notes, and Take the Stage!(an interactive workshop on stage presence/personal demeanor, appropriate attire, and acting for the recital stage). In addition to training young singers, she is known in the Chicago area for her rehabilitative work with singers in vocal distress. As a voice teacher, she believes a singer must understand the anatomic and physiologic functions connected with the singing process in order to feel "in control" of that process.
