1 november 2020. One week ago, you sang in the final of the Wagner-competition in Gothenburg and won the first prize!Congratulations, dearest Rebecca!I’m so proud of you! What a journey it has been, and you’ve made incredible progress.

You really deserved to win first prize in the Wagner-competition in Gothenburg, the only Wagner-competition in Sweden this year. I would’ve loved to have been there!I really wish that the start of your career would been in a time without covid-19!

We both know that everything would have been different then.We have worked together for eight years now and it really has been a privilege and such joy to teach such a gifted singer as yourself. During our first lesson you sang Tornami a vagheggiar and similar repertoire, and you said:”-It feels like I have a larger voice than this.” You were right!

Now, after many years of practice you’ve built an instrument that suits perfectly for the repertoire that you love the most.Many years ago, you represented MOMDH at a ceremony when our honorary doctor Birgitta Svendén was present, and you told her about your dream to sing Wagner. She gave you the wise advice to be patient and wait a while!We’ve had numerous voice lessons at The Academy of Music and Opera at Mälardalen University. You’ve studied at our bachelor’s program, our opera program and currently at our part-time voice program. And you decided to study in Västerås although you had other choices, for example New York.

When I think of what you have accomplished throughout the years, I am assured that you are so well prepared for the life of a professional opera singer. During these years you’ve had vocal coachings with two of Sweden’s most distinguished pianists, Bengt-Åke Lundin and Magnus Svensson, they are priceless! As well as ensemble singing with Bengt-Åke and art song seminars with Magnus! You’ve been part of the world premiere of the chamber opera Riddartornet, with music written for you, by Carl Unander-Scharin, directed by Nils Spangenberg and conducted by Joachim Gustafsson. On many occasions you’ve sung with orchestra, for example Elsa’s Traum and Pace, Pace, mio Dio with Västmanland’s Symphony Orchestra conducted by Olivier Godin, Abscheulicher from Fidelio with Mälardalen’s Orchestra Academy conducted by Simon Crawford-Phillips, scenes from Idomeneo, Der Rosenkavalier, Die Fledermaus with B. Tommy Andersson’s conducting students and Västerås Sinfonietta, Mozart’s Requiem conducted by Johan Hammarstöm in The Cathedral of Västerås. You’ve preformed chamber music such as Schubert’s Auf dem Strom with french horn and piano, Chausson’s Chanson Perpétuelle with piano quintet, and numerous art songs.

There’s been acting training, audition training, fencing, languages, dance, and of course opera scenes and opera roles. In addition to all of this, master classes with wonderful musicians like Olivier Godin, Liz Upchurch, Birgitta Svendén, Alexander Nicklasson, Richard Turp, Turid Karlsen In’t Groen, François Le Roux, Audrey Hyland and many more!Culture is needed more than ever, and I contribute through my vocal teaching and as the artistic director of MOMDH. On a daily basis I provide positive energy and support, especially now in these strange and sad times, to give strength to our belief in the future and joy to the day to day practice with such a limited chance to perform in front of an audience.Believe in the future and never give up, to you Rebecca and to all singers out there! Both professionals, students, and singers who are at the start of their professional careers!You are fantastic Rebecca and I wish you a bright future as a singer!

Om Lena Helltröm-Färnlöf, en av Sveriges främsta sångpedagoger:

Utbildad vid Operahögskolan i Stockholm och Musikhögskolan i Göteborg. Sjungit allt ifrån tidig medeltidsmusik till ultramodern nyskriven i små och stora konstellationer, opera, barnopera, kammarmusik, solist med orkestrar, solist i sakrala verk både i Sverige och utomlands.

Efter många år i branschen, först som student, sedan ute på fältet som konsert- och operasångerska ägnar sig Lena nu sig exklusivt åt sångundervisning.

Professor  och excellent teacher, undervisar professionella sångare och studenter i alla röstfack, ger regelbundet masterclasses nationellt och internationellt.

Agerar ofta sakkunnig i jurys och är artistisk rådgivare i agenturen Good Company.

Lena  är en uppskattad konferenciär i konsert och operasammanhang.