Dr. Nelda C. Ormond is a distinguished vocal educator and performer, currently serving as the Vocal Area Coordinator at UDC, with over 50 years of teaching experience. Her research interests include classical vocal music by Black composers, and she has performed at prestigious venues like The Kennedy Center and Washington Opera. She has received numerous accolades, including the University of the District of Columbia’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2024.
Experience
Education
Post Graduate Studies in Vocal Performance, Juilliard School of Music Master of Music in Performance: Classical Voice, Howard University Master of Music in Music Education, Howard University Bachelor of Music in Performance: Classical Voice, Howard University Bachelor of Music inMusic Education, Howard University
Roles
Vocal Area Coordinator, 1969-2025 Kennedy Center Member, 1974-2025 National Association of Negro Musicians, 2018-25 Smithsonian Association of Afro American History, 2016-25 Opera America, 2020-24
Courses Taught
Applied Voice Student Teaching/Vocal Students Italian Diction German Diction French Diction Vocal Lit. German Vocal Lit. French Vocal Lit. Opera Workshop Vocal Pedagogy
Vocal classical music by Black composers; music and the brain; online instruction
Leadership
Vocal Area Coordinator, 1969-2025
Impact
Selected Presentations
Performances
The Kennedy Center Washington Opera National Gallery of Arts The Sorbonne New York University
Selected Grants
National Association of Education. (1981). The study of the operas by Verdi at New York University and the Institute of Tito Gobbi, Italy.
Recognitions
Life Time Achievement Award, UDC, 2024 First Prize, Marian Anderson Vocal Competition Award, 1969 National Association of Education, 1981 Metropolitan Opera House: Young People's Program
Invited Participations
Ormond, N. (n.d.). From the spiritual to the art: Songs by Black composers. Development of Black Composers Vocal Music, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachussetts.
