Nicole Asel

Biography

Mezzo-soprano, Nicole Asel, serves as an associate professor of Voice at Colorado State University where she teaches Applied Voice, Vocal Pedagogy, and Freshman Voice Studio. She has performed internationally throughout the United States in operatic, concert, and recital repertoire.

Recent performances include mezzo-soprano soloist in Mahler’s Third Symphony with the Colorado State University Symphony Orchestra, alto soloist in Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony with the Fort Collins Symphony, mezzo-soprano soloist in Händel’s Messiah with Pro Musica Chamber Ensemble and Larimer Chorale, Berlioz’s Les nuits d'été with the Sam Houston State University Symphony Orchestra, and Rufus Wainwright’s Songs for Lulu in Vancouver, BC. She is also working on an innovative new film, The Baby Book Project, featuring Lauren Spavelko’s song cycle Baby Book with Art Song Colorado, more can be found on Art Song Colorado’s website.

A finalist in the 2010 Rocky Mountain Regional Metropolitan Opera Council Auditions, she is a devoted operatic performer and recitalist. Dr. Asel has a passion for new American opera and art song and has been active in creating and promoting new works. She has collaborated with some of today’s most accomplished living composers including Mark Adamo, Kirke Meachem, Robert Livingston Aldridge, Hershel Garfein, Daniel Kellogg, and Robert Spillman. Her world premiere recording of Robert Livingston Aldridge’s LoveSongs with Robert Spillman at the piano was released under the Centaur label and can be found on all streaming platforms and widely for purchase.

Dr. Asel’s students have won district and regional NATS auditions in both classical and musical theatre categories as well as having been accepted to prestigious graduate and summer programs. Her students have competed and placed at regional Opera competitions as well as national NATS student auditions. An advocate of body wellness in the voice studio, Dr. Asel’s teaching is based on vocal pedagogy research and scholarship, Alexander technique, and yogic philosophy.

She holds a D.M.A. in Voice Performance and Pedagogy from The University of Colorado at Boulder, an M.M. from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, and a B.M. from Ithaca College. Previously, she was on faculty at Sam Houston State University and The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley where she taught voice, diction, and opera.