Drawing on decades of experience as a professional singer and teacher of singing, Jerry Elsbernd brings a wealth of experience and knowledge (as well as a healthy dose of humor) to the studio to help his voice students thrive. His students are frequent finalists and winners in NATS and other vocal competitions at the state, regional, and national levels. Elsbernd has served as the Treasurer of MN NATS for the past several years, and has served on several committees for the NATS National Student Auditions, from the chapter level to national, including the National Student Audition Advisory Panel.
Elsbernd's current and former students can frequently be heard at the top venues in the Twin Cities, and dozens of the young graduates of his Shorewood, MN independent studio, Elsbernd Voice Studio (EVS) have gained acceptance into the top schools in the country for classical, musical theatre, and contemporary music programs. His students have gone on to lead very successful and lucrative careers both on and off Broadway, in National Tours, as gold and platinum Top-40 recording artists, and in film & television.
Elsbernd's professional performance experience includes being a member and frequently featured soloist with The Dale Warland Singers, a co-executive producer and member of the national touring tight harmony vocal quartet Three Hits and a Miss, and a featured soloist in numerous regional oratorio, operetta and concert productions of a variety of styles from classical to Broadway and jazz.
In addition to his three very successful decades of independent studio teaching, Elsbernd has served as an adjunct professor of voice at Concordia University St. Paul and the University of Northwestern, St. Paul, and as the choral director at Mt. Olivet Lutheran Church West in Victoria, MN.
Elsbernd holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Vocal Music Education from North Dakota State University. Trained in the classical technique by Robert W. Olson (student of renowned voice pedagogue Oren Brown), Mary Kay Schmidt of the Twin Cities, and Rita Patané of Milan, Italy, Elsbernd is honored and grateful to carry on the tradition of Western Classical “bel canto” singing as well as contemporary commercial vocal techniques and stylings with his students, including a large number of very successful singing actors and singer/songwriters.