University of Lethbridge

About Me

Professor of Music
Conductor of University of Lethbridge Singers
SSHRC grant holder
Graduate Supervisor
Voice Studio
Performer and researcher in Ancient and Modern Music

Biography

Janet Youngdahl is active as a soprano, academic and choral conductor. She has toured with the ensemble for medieval music Sequentia throughout Europe and North America. She appears with Sequentia as a soloist on seven CD's of early music including the complete works of Hildegard von Bingen and several discs of Aquitanian Polyphony on the Deutsche Harmonia Mundi / BMG label. In concert, she has appeared at the Lincoln Center Festival in New York City, the Proms in London, the Melbourne Festival in Australia, and in concerts in Amsterdam, Paris, Florence, Cologne, Stockholm, San Francisco, Boston and Chicago. Recent recordings include several discs of 17th century Italian music by Kapsberger and Castaldi for Toccata Classsics with lutenists Victor Coelho and David Dolata. Recordings with Vivian Montgomery and Cecilia's Circle for Centaur Records features cantatas by 18th century composer Elizabet Jacquet de la Guerre with baroque violin, viola da Gamba and harpsichord. Appearances in Baroque operas include Dido and Aeneas with Christopher Hogwood, Orfeo with Apollo's Fire Baroque Orchestra, Judith with Ex Machina, Acis and Galeatea with Julianne Baird, Venus and Adonis with the Early English Opera Society of London and The Fairy Queen with both the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra and the Calgary Philharmonic. Appearances in standard works as solo soprano include numerous performances of Handel's Messiah, the Brahms' Requiem, Carl Orff's Carmina Burana, the Mozart Requiem, Haydn's Creation and Beethoven's 9th Symphony. 20th Century work includes premiers of many works by William Jordan, and a New York City staged performance and recording on the BIS/Phillips label of Ezequiel Viñao's Arcanum for soprano and chamber orchestra.
She has presented papers and lecture recitals at the annual meetings of the American Musicological Society, the Society for Seventeenth Century Music, the International Medieval Society in Leeds, the Canadian University Musicological Society, the Lyrica Society, the Kalamazoo International Congress on Medieval Studies, the Modern Languages Association and the Gregorian Institute of Canada. She has organized residencies and workshops on early music at numerous institutions including Cincinnati Conservatory, Michigan State University, Brandeis University, Dickinson College, and the Pennsylvania State University System. Dr. Youngdahl holds a Doctorate of Music from Case Western Reserve University, a Master's degree from the University of Michigan, and a 
B. Mus. from the College of Wooster. She is an Associate Professor in the department of music at the University of Lethbridge in Alberta, Canada.

Selected Publications

Discography (Professional CD recordings)
Barbara Strozzi: Peace in her Mouth and War in her Heart, Arias for Soprano and harpsichord with Vivian Montgomery Centaur Records, October, 2019
Complete Works Edition, Hildegard von Bingen, Sequentia Sony Classical/ Deutsch Harmonia Mundi, 2017
Music for Paradise, Sequentia. Deutsche Harmonia Mundi, 2012
Bellerofonte Castaldi, Battaglia d'amore Toccata Classics (London) 2009
Giovanni Girolamo Kapsberger. Libro secondo d'arie. Toccata Classics (London) 2006
Ezequiel Viñao Arcanum. (Hybrid SACD) Soprano and orchestra. Phillips/BIS (Sweden) 2005
Elizabeth Jacquet de la Guerre Thy hand hast done all this. Cecilia's Circle. Centaur Records 2003
Ordo Virtutum Medieval Music Drama by Hildegard von Bingen. BMG 1998
Saints Antiphons and responsories. Deutsche Harmonia Mundi/BMG 1998
O Jerusalem Marian responsories. Deutsche Harmonia Mundi/BMG 1997
Aquitania Aquitanian polyphony. Deutsche Harmonia Mundi/BMG 1997
Shining Light Aquitanian polyphony. Deutsche Harmonia Mundi/BMG 1996
Voice of the Blood. Deutsche Harmonia Mundi/BMG 1995
Canticles of Ecstasy (Ensemble Sequentia) Nominated for a Grammy award;
winner of French Disc d'or award. Deutsche Harmonia Mundi/BMG 1994

Selected Creative Works

Performances as soprano soloist (selected)
• Barbara Strozzi at 400, Recital at the International Women's Work in Music Conference, Bangor, Wales, September 4, 2019
• Sweet Breath Women's Ensemble Concert at SPIRIT WIND, the Royal College of Organists National Convention, Calgary, July 4, 2018.
• Winter Solstice Concert in Southminster Chapel with Sweet Breath Women's Ensemble, December 21, 2017. Repertoire included: Hildegard, Aquitanian polyphony, Buffy St. Marie, Youngdahl arrangements
• Premiered new work titled "Breath" at Banff Centre by Richard Reed Parry. Recorded at Banff; Premiered at Banff mainstage concert "Music for Heart and Breath," September 30, 2016.
• Handel's Messiah with Lethbridge Symphony, December 10 and 11, 2016 & 2019
• Recital at Grande Prairie Regional College January 17-20, 2017
• Concert/Lecture Recital March 12, 2017 with Sweet Breath Women's Ensemble "Singing the Sacred Space" Collaboration with Annie Martin at the Installation: 'Adoration' at the SAAG
• "Selig ist der Mann" with Deanna Oye, piano, Bach Cantata 57, Faculty Artists and Friends Concert, March 20, 2016
• Concert: 'The Parrot' with Rohub Persian ensemble, Jack Singer Concert Hall, Calgary, as an opener to the CPO Scheherazade concert with Measha Brueggergosman, Nov. 14, 2015
• Baroque concert with Chellan Hoffman, organ and Lucie Jones, Flute sponsored by the Calgary Organ Society and the U of C Collegium Musicum, Calgary, November 1, 2015
• "Women's Wit" recital with Vivian Montgomery, historical Keyboard, November 24, 2015
• Hildegard of Bingen, Four Pieces Carleton College, Minnesota, February, 2015
• Layli and Majnun, A Persian Love Story, Rohub Ensemble, Calgary, December, 2014.
• Hildegard's Scivias Chants. American Academy in Rome, San Pietro in Montorio, Rome, Italy, July 2014

Faculty Recital with Carolyn Herrington, Piano, Lethbridge, 2013
Recital at Brandeis University, Boston with Vivian Montgomery, 2011
Recital at Cincinnati Conservatory with Vivian Montgomery, 2012
Soprano soloist at the International Harpsichord Competition, Boston, March 22 and 23, 2012.
La Virtuosissima Cantatrice with Cecilia's Circle. FAF Series, Lethbridge, March 2011
Beethoven's 9th Symphony, with the Lethbridge Symphony, 2010
Ordo Virtutum, Cleveland Institute, 2010
Orff, Carmina Burana,, Kantorei and Calgary Philharmonic, March 2010
Haydn Creation, , Lethbridge Symphony, 2010
Bach B Minor Mass, Lenard Ratzlaff, Conductor, Calgary April 2009
Lamenting Women, AMS/SMT National Conference, Nashville 2008
Handel's Messiah, Lethbridge Symphony Orchestra December 2008
Haydn's The Seasons, Edmonton Symphony Orchestra November 2007
Purcell's King Arthur, Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, 2007
Brahms Requiem, Jack Singer Concert Hall, David Ferguson, conductor March 2007
Medieval music East and West (European and Persian Music) 2007
Mozartiad with Charles Foreman, Mountain View Concert Series, 2005
Carmina Burana, Carl Orff. Soprano soloist. Edmonton and Calgary, 2005

In The Media

https://youtu.be/EzKC7RsSYVI?si=kunFO25JJgjXA7ad

Research Interests

Voice teaching that focusses on wellness and vocal health.
Building connections between ancient and modern song.
Responding to the TRC calls for transforming academic curriculum and practices to engage with Indigenous Ways of Knowing.
Creating a safe and welcoming space for singing and learning about music.

Internet Links