Lynn Helding

The National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) Board of Directors is pleased to announce the appointment of Lynn Helding as the next Editor in Chief of Journal of Singing.

“As chair of the search committee, we had a tall order — find the right person to succeed Dick Sjoerdsma,” said NATS President Diana Allan. “While we had several wonderful candidates, I am happy to report Lynn Helding will be serving as the new Editor in Chief starting in May. Lynn’s nearly 10 years of experience on the JOS Editorial Board, coupled with her own writing, research, and scholarship, equip her well to tackle the challenges of editing one of the premier journals in our field. NATS is extremely fortunate to have selected Lynn, with her years of valuable experience, as Editor in Chief. Welcome aboard!”

As part of a transition process, Helding will hold the title Editor in Chief Elect, work with current Editor in Chief Richard “Dick” Sjoerdsma for the 2022/23 publication cycle, and then assume full responsibilities in May 2023.

“I’ve had the privilege of working with Lynn over a number of years as a member of the Journal of Singing Editorial Board, the panel charged with peer review and advice on editorial concerns,” Sjoerdsma said. “Lynn is eminently qualified to assume the editorship of our respected periodical after what will be my 22-year tenure in the position. I am looking forward to serving as Editor Emeritus, and I am honored to help mentor Lynn as she prepares to fully take over the reins for the 2023/24 cycle.”

Helding teaches vocology, voice pedagogy, and studio voice lessons at the University of Southern California Thornton School of Music. Many also may know her writing, including her column “Mindful Voice” that ran from 2009 to 2017 in Journal of Singing. Helding is the author of “The Musician’s Mind: Teaching, Learning, and Performance in the Age of Brain Science” and has served on the Journal of Singing editorial board for several years.

“I am honored to accept this position and follow in the footsteps of our current editor-in-chief, Richard Sjoerdsma, who transformed the journal from what it was when he assumed the editorship (described in his own words in a recent NATS interview as “essentially a magazine”), to the respected scholarly journal that it is today," Helding said. "I am also beyond excited to meet new challenges, specifically the necessary lift into the digital age and the dynamic academic publishing parameters of the 21st century."

About the Journal of Singing
The Journal of Singing is the official journal of National Association of Teachers of Singing, providing current information regarding the teaching of singing as well as results of recent research in the field. A refereed journal, it serves as an historical record and is a venue for teachers of singing and other scholars to share the results of their work in areas such as history, diction, voice science, medicine, and especially voice pedagogy. The Journal of Singing is published 5 times annually (Sept/Oct, Nov/Dec, Jan/Feb, March/April, May/June).

About Lynn Helding
Lynn Helding is professor of practice in vocal arts and opera, and coordinator of vocology and voice pedagogy at the University of Southern California Thornton School of Music. She is the author of “The Musician’s Mind: Teaching, Learning & Performance in the Age of Brain Science,” the chapter “Brain” in Scott McCoy's book “Your Voice: An Inside View” and has served as an associate editor of the Journal of Singing. A devoted teacher, her clients sing with Los Angeles Opera, the Los Angeles Master Chorale, and her students have been accepted with fellowships to the Aspen and Tanglewood Music festivals, among others. Pedagogy honors include the 2005 Van Lawrence Voice Fellowship, service as master teacher in the 2019 NATS Intern Program, and recognition as “a legendary figure in the field of voice pedagogy” by the Contemporary Commercial Music (CCM) Vocal Pedagogy Institute at Shenandoah University, receiving the 2020 Lifetime Achievement Award.