Julie Celona-VanGorden is an award-winning lyric coloratura soprano originally from upstate New York. She earned her both the Doctorate of Musical Arts and Master of Music in Vocal Performance at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and completed her undergraduate work at the State University of New York at Fredonia where she earned simultaneous music and biology degrees. Specializing in vocal pedagogy during her doctoral work, she attended the Summer Vocology Institute in Denver, Colorado and is a certified vocologist.  Dr. Celona-VanGorden has also attended the Musical Theatre Pedagogy Institute at Shenandoah University.

An active performer, Dr. Celona-VanGorden has sung opera, oratorio, and is a frequent recitalist.  Additionally, Dr. Celona-VanGorden is a section leader and soloist at the First Presbyterian Church of Greensboro.

Dr. Celona-VanGorden's ability to perform and delight audiences has been recognized in several competitions. In March 2008 she was a finalist in the Long Leaf Opera National Vocal Competition where she won the Audience Favorite Award and "charmed the audience with her bel canto selections and beautiful stage appearance."

Dr. Celona-VanGorden has been on the voice faculty at Elon University for 10 years where she teaches a variety of students including music performance, education and musical theatre majors. Her students have sung lead roles in productions at Elon as well as with national touring musical theatre companies.

Doctorate of Musical Arts - UNC Greensboro; Major: Vocal Performance; Cognate: Vocal Pedagogy

Master of Music -- UNC Greensboro, Major: Vocal Pedagogy, Concentration: Vocal repertoire

Bachelor of Arts - State Univeristy of NY College at Fredonia, Major:: Music

Bachelor of Science-State University of NY College at Fredonia, Major: Biology

Certified Vocologist - Summer Vocology Institute, Denver, CO, through the University of Iowa

Musical Theatre Pedagogy Institute, Shenandoah University, Levels I and II complete.