Dr. Malgorzata Kellis

​Instructor of Music, Ankeny and Urban Campuses

​Malgorzata Kellis, a native of Poland, is an accomplished musician with broad experience in vocal music, performance, and education. She earned all her degrees in Poland: a master’s degree (six-year program) at the Krakow Academy of Music (1997), Doctor of Musical Arts in Vocal Performance at the Stanislaw Moniuszko Music Academy in Gdansk (2013), and Habilitation (post-doctoral) at the Grażyna and Kiejstut Bacewicz Music Academy in Lodz (2018). A faculty member since 2019, she teaches Applied Voice and Piano, Music Appreciation, and Music Fundamentals.

Kellis has performed in concert, opera, oratorio, musical theater, and chamber music throughout Germany, France, Switzerland, Austria, Russia, Siberia, China, Hong Kong, Poland, and the US. She has performed at Carnegie Hall in New York City, the Warsaw Philharmonic, the Munich Philharmonic (Gasteig), the Krakow Opera, the Silesian Opera, the Warsaw Musical Theater, Accademia di Santa Cecilia in Rome, Tsuen Wan Town Hall in Hong Kong, Lanzhou Concert Hall in China, and many others.

Kellis brings her wide musical exposure to the classroom. “Performing all around the world, I have seen and experienced numerous musical and artistic events. That influenced me to become more flexible as a caring teacher. I am always happy to tell my students about other cultures and to connect them with music,” she said.

As a singer, educator, and musical arranger, Kellis has successfully produced various concerts and events. Since 2016, she has been on the voice faculty of the annual “New York Big Apple Music Festival,” hosted by Queens College in New York City. She has taught vocal masterclasses in Poland, China, and Hong Kong has been adjudicator for many international vocal competitions. Kellis has also been the Director of the Sembrich International Competition as well as adjudicator for many international vocal competitions.

As a translator, her 16 translations of musical reviews from the Metropolitan Opera were published in Twoja Muza and Ruch Muzyczny in Poland. Most recently she reviewed the book, Professional Challenges of Vocal Pedagogy in the 21st Century, for the International Conference of the European Association of Professional Voice Teachers in Wroclaw, Poland.

Kellis also wrote the first transliteration of the Polish vocal language which was also part of her Anthology of 12 Polish Art Songs.

“My philosophy of teaching is to inspire, laugh, and uncover hidden talents, or possibilities,” Kellis said. “I  go out of my way to help students understand the subject. Some of them will fall in love with Classical music, and some might even begin to recognize their potential talent for a vocal career.

“With my experience of almost 30 years being involved in music and performing throughout the world, I have a unique gift to offer.”

Contact Malgorzata Kellis at mvkellis@dmacc.edu or 515-964-6619

» Music Program Website

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