Gustavus Adolphus College

Professor
Music

Michael Jorgensen’s future performances include baritone soloist in the world premiere of The Passion of Jesus of Nazareth by British composer Francis Grier. The work, co-commissioned by the BBC Singers and VocalEssence, will be performed at St. Olaf Catholic Church, Minneapolis in March, 2006. In April of 2006 Jorgensen will be a soloist in Handel’s Israel in Egypt with the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra at the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts in St. Paul.

In the 2005 St. Paul Summer Song Festival Michael presented a recital of songs by Minnesota composer Celius Dougherty (including two world premieres) with Maria Jette, soprano, and Esther Wang, piano, at the Landmark Center in St. Paul. Jorgensen was the baritone soloist in the world premiere of Steve Heitzeg’s Nobel Symphony in Christ Chapel at Gustavus Adolphus College, a performance he reprised at Orchestra Hall in Minneapolis. Jorgensen also recently joined the Choral Arts Ensemble of Rochester as baritone soloist in two performances of Haydn’s Missa in tempore belli, and soloed in Orff’s Carmina Burana with the Minnesota State University(Mankato) Concert Choir and Concert Wind Ensemble.

Jorgensen is a member of the VocalEssence Ensemble Singers under the direction of Philip Brunelle. The group frequently tours internationally, annually appears on Garrison Keillor’s Prairie Home Companion radio show (where Jorgensen sang Schubert’s An die Musik in February, 2005), and has sung twice at the World Choral Symposium. Jorgensen created several roles in the world premiere of a VocalEssence-commissioned opera (Barnum’s Birds) by Minnesota composer Libby Larsen. The premiere was performed at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. and broadcast over National Public Radio. Jorgensen also sang the baritone solo in Durufle’s Requiem at a VocalEssence concert in Orchestra Hall, Minneapolis, under the direction of Sir John Rutter.

Jorgensen holds Vocal Performance degrees from Indiana University and Northwestern University and a Doctor of Arts degree from Ball State University. He currently serves as an Associate Professor of Music at Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, where he teaches voice.

Michael Jorgensen's Schedule

Browse Michael Jorgensen's schedule.