Dr. Caroline Helton

Biography

Caroline Helton is a pedagogue, performer, and researcher who teaches Voice in the Department of Musical Theatre at the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance. For over a decade, she has performed and recorded a classic song repertoire of composers whose art was suppressed, advocating for the integration of the canon of American vocal music to represent true diversity. Helton has focused on bringing to light newly rediscovered repertoire by Jewish composers whose lives were affected by World War II. Along with pianist Dr. Kathryn Goodson, she has recorded compact discs featuring rare song repertoire from Italian Jewish composers of the mid-twentieth century. Their series, titled Songs Lost World Italian Jewish Composers, has been highly praised for its efforts to bring historically significant music into public consciousness. In addition to her performance work, Dr. Helton's pedagogical interests include researching the healing power of song. She has collaborated with Dr. Emery Stephens on the project “Singing Barriers,” which uses art songs in spiritual settings by African American composers to facilitate difficult conversations among diverse groups of voice students. Furthermore, she published a book on this topic, aimed at empowering 21st-century voice teachers to present a more complete canon of vocal concert music. As a core faculty member in the Singing Barriers Institute, Dr. Helton also participates in various research efforts to highlight the contributions of African American creators and performers in music.

Research Interests