Dr. Jennifer Rodgers

Dr. Jennifer Rodgers is the Assistant Director of Choral Activities and an Assistant Teaching Professor in the voice division at Iowa State University. She directs the Cantamus and Lyrica ensembles and her voice studio encompasses voice majors, performance arts majors, and non-majors. With a bachelor’s and master’s degree in performance, Dr. Rodgers is a voice pedagogue dedicated to work in the choral setting and bridging contemporary and traditional solo voice styles. While completing her DMA in Choral Conducting from the University of Washington, she served as the voice instructor and program coordinator for musical theater majors. Her own performances span from opera and concert work to theater and commercial/contemporary styles.  

Dr. Rodgers’ primary area of research is the definition and training of the choral singing voice and the development of an expanded field of choral pedagogy. She is also an expert in the contemporary language and practice of solo voice pedagogy. Jennifer has presented internationally on the topic of musical self-image and avocational adult singers, and has a growing body of published work and presentation in choral relevance – a movement to examine the field of choral music through a lens of inclusivity and connective dialogue.  

Prior to her appointment at ISU and her doctoral work in Seattle, Dr. Rodgers was a freelance conductor, voice teacher, and performer in the Washington, DC area. She founded a non-profit theater company that forges relationships between educational and community service organizations and has used her love of creative programming and social change to re-envision two large community choruses as their Artistic Director.