Music Staff

Dr. Minji Kim

Dr. Minji Kim became the NCS Music Director beginning with the 2023-2024 music season.

Citing her belief that “community singing is the core of choral arts,” Dr. Kim has a vision for the long-term growth of the organization. “I have a deep passion for bringing infectious joy of music-making to the community. I envision NCS bridging people together within and beyond the community through thoughtful performances and collaborations with local artists.”

Dr. Kim holds a Doctorate of Musical Arts (DMA) in Choral Conducting from the University of Maryland, a Master of Music (MM) in Choral Conducting from The Ohio State University, and a Bachelor of Music (BM) in Composition from Yeungnam University in South Korea. She is Assistant Professor of Music and Director of Choirs at Gordon College in Wenham, MA. She has held conducting master classes and has participated in conducting competitions in the United States and around the world.

Dr. Kirsten Helgeland, Accompanist

Since 2005, Dr. Kirsten Helgeland has served as accompanist to the Newburyport Choral Society and as Music Director and Organist at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Beverly, Massachusetts. Dr. Helgeland has also performed recitals in Ohio, Vermont, Massachusetts, and Illinois, in addition to appearing as a guest artist on WGBH-Radio’s Chamberworks. She has presented lecture-recitals to the American Musicological Society and the Society for American Music. She has also worked as Organist and Choirmaster in Cincinnati and as a public school music teacher in Massachusetts.

Dr. Helgeland holds degrees in piano performance from the Eastman School of Music and the College-Conservatory of Music of the University of Cincinnati. She also holds a Ph.D. in musicology from the University of Cincinnati. During her seven-year tenure at Gordon College, she was an active faculty member, instructing a lecture course in music history, a course in music theory, teaching piano, coaching instrumentalists and vocalists, and serving as accompanist for Gordon’s Children’s Choir and Symphonic Chorale. After leaving Gordon, she opened Studio K, a private teaching studio in her home in Danvers.