Toccoa Falls College | Academics | Our Faculty | Kelly Birgfeld, M.M.

Kelly Birgfeld, M.M.

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Kelly Birgfeld, M.M.
Assistant Professor of Voice kbirgfeld@tfc.edu
Education
  • BM- Grove City College (music education with vocal/choral concentration)
  • MM- Rutgers University (voice performance)
  • Professional Graduate Certificate- Lamar University (vocology/voice habilitation)
Courses
  • Applied Voice (Classical and CCM)
  • Diction for Singers
  • Vocal Pedagogy
Publications & Research Interests
  • Voice Science and Habilitation of vocal injuries.
  • Research specialized in Muscle Tension Dysphonia, Vocal Fold Paresis/Paralysis, Posture and Alignment and the Aging Singing Voice
  • Fascia relationships to movement and body tension
  • Healthy non-classically based vocal techniques for the singer
  • Somatic Based movement for vocal health (Alexander and Feldenkrais)
Professional Associations
  • National Association of Teachers of Singing
  • New York Singing Teachers Association (NYSTA)
  • Pan American Vocology Association (Voting Member)
  • Voice and Speech Trainers Association (VASTA)
  • The Voice Foundation Member
  • Permanent Certification Teacher of Music with the State of NJ
  • Kappa Delta Pi (National Honor Society for Educators)
Hobbies & Fun Facts

I love Dogs and Goats and I will always be a “Jersey Girl” at heart who doesn’t like pumping her own gas one little bit…

My former students have performed on American Idol and have been in numerous national TV and cable network shows. I also have students performing all over in professional regional theaters and in various types of bands as lead and back-up vocalists.

I did my first “vocal solo” in church at 5 years old and have never stopped singing since then.

I have premiered contemporary opera roles and done numerous recitals for companies in NYC.

I studied voice with Jerome Hines for a number of years at the beginning of my singing career. He loved the Lord and was a really, really BIG deal in the classical singing world (students, look Him up!). He wrote a book called “Famous Singers on Famous Singing” that interviewed the major classical singers in his day that HE sang with on stages all over the world.  I actually own of his original operas he wrote and was performed about Christ called “I Am the Way”.

When I was a teen, I was in a touring worship choir that performed around NJ and NY. Then ironically as an adult, I started my own contemporary worship choir called “Glorious Ensemble”. The ensemble performed all over the NY tri-state area and the group was even highlighted singing on the News 12 NJ and TV-35 television channels. We also had a management company and did professional Christmas Caroling (in costume) and were often asked to do the national anthem at many sporting events around the NY tri-state area.

Favorite Verse/Quote

Psalm 121:1-2

“I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.”

Proverbs 3:5-6

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”

Why TFC

After many years in a higher education environment, it is so refreshing to find a school that is unapologetic in following the Lord and His Word. I am excited to help mentor the next generation of music educators, vocal performers and worship vocalists to impact their world for Christ in the callings He has set on their lives!