Magnus Dorholt Kjeldal
About
My name is Magnus. I am an opera singer, voice builder and teacher, biomechanics teacher and meditation teacher. I am the founder and CEO of Freedom Voice Lab, were we work with singers, speakers and voice users to build a free, powerful and flexible voice through old school operatic traditions and modern biomechanical methods. I have been teaching and building voices for more than 15 years.
I am super passionate about helping people find their true, full and free voice!
Teaching Style
I have a holistic approach to voice building. I work with the voice directly, the body mechanically and the mind to build a resilient mindset for a healthy long career.
My philosphy is that the responsability lies with the teaching, meaning that the student should always feel safe and free to explore their own voice with fear of doing it "wrong". I have experienced so many teachers where i felt guilty for not understanding, and that is contrary to any healthy learning process.
In my lessons we work together to map out the voice and body and work methodically to build the voice from the ground up, supported by biomechanical principles to access a total breath and natural support through concrete techniques that make it clear what to do in any given situation.
I want me students to know what they are doing, not just relying on good days.
Curriculum
I teach based on the teachings I received from my teachers: Jeremy Silver for voice and Tina Margareta Nilssen, founder of TIMANI for bodywork.
As for reccommended texts, I urge my students to read "Unleashing The Potential Of The Musician’s Body" a complete breakdown of the musician's body and it's optimal function in music making.
Credentials & Affiliations
I am a dramatic baritone opera singer and voice pedagogue based in Oslo, Norway. My formal music education began at the Barratt Due Institute of Music in Oslo, where I completed my Bachelor of Music in Classical Singing in 2011. I subsequently earned a Master’s Degree in Opera from the Academy of Opera at the Oslo National Academy of the Arts (KHiO) in 2014, following a Post-Graduate Diploma in Opera in 2012. Beyond traditional vocal training under distinguished coaches such as Jeremy Silver, Audun Iversen, and Paul Farrington, I have completed extensive certifications in body mechanics and mindfulness to support holistic performance. I am a certified Level 3 Timani Teacher through the Musician's Health and Movement Institute (having completed over 250 hours of specialized training in anatomical coordination for musicians) and a certified Meditation Teacher in Ascension Meditation through The Bright Path. My artistic work and vocal research have been recognized with numerous honors, including the Anders Vangen Talent Award (2017), the Torhild Staahlen Grant (2016), and multiple project and study grants from the Arts Council Norway (Kulturrådet), FFUK, and the Tom Wilhelmsen Foundation.
Over the past decade, I have performed extensively on major operatic and concert stages across Norway and internationally. My mainstage engagements include featured soloist roles at the Norwegian National Opera & Ballet (Den Norske Opera & Ballett) in Oslo, performing roles such as Marullo in Verdi's Rigoletto (2015, 2019), Feri in Kálmán's Czardasfyrstinnen (2024), Matros in Skouen's Fram (2023), and Fiorello in Rossini's Il barbiere di Siviglia (2012). Roles in regional opera houses and festivals include Escamillo in Bizet's Carmen (Opera Nordfjord, 2026; Opera i Telemark, 2022), Marcello in Puccini's La Bohème (Arktisk Filharmoni & Opera Kysten, 2022), Falke in Strauss's Die Fledermaus (Ringsakeroperaen, 2023), Phileas Fogg in Kverndokk's Around the World in 80 Days (Opera Nordfjord, 2021), and Father in Ho's Nara at the Borealis Festival (2025). On the concert stage, I have performed as a baritone soloist in sacred and symphonic masterworks, including Brahms's Ein deutsches Requiem with the University Symphony Orchestra in the Oslo University Aula (2013), Fauré's Requiem (2022), Carmina Burana (2022), and Mahler's Des Knaben Wunderhorn with the Norwegian Armed Forces Staff Band (2021).
