Christopher Arneson

Christopher Arneson serves as Professor and Director of Voice Pedagogy at Westminster Choir College of Rider University, teaching Voice Pedagogy, Literature, and Speech for the Actor. He holds concurrent faculty appointments at Princeton University (since 2016) and Rutgers University's Mason Gross School of the Arts. His primary academic affiliation is with Rider's Department of Performance Studies.

His educational credentials include:

• Bachelor of Music in Opera from Binghamton University
• Master of Music in Opera from Binghamton University
• Post-graduate studies at Cornell University
• Doctor of Music from Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University

Dr. Arneson's research centers on voice pedagogy, vocology, and scientific approaches to vocal instruction. His work integrates performance practice with clinical voice science, emphasizing developmental strategies for singers across genres. Key focus areas include vocal health maintenance, repertoire selection methodology, and genre-specific techniques for classical and music theater performance. He actively bridges academic research with practical studio application through publications and professional development programs.

His publication trajectory from 2013-2024 reveals a systematic evolution from foundational singing principles to specialized genre applications. Early works established pedagogical frameworks for vocal development, while recent publications address nuanced challenges in music theater voice production. The 2024 Oxford Handbook contribution represents culmination of his evidence-based approach to voice teaching across diverse vocal styles and student populations.

Professional recognition includes:

• Designation as Master Teacher for the NATS Teaching Intern Program
• 2021 Faculty Research Fellowship for music theater voice pedagogy scholarship

Dr. Arneson has cultivated a distinguished mentoring legacy with students advancing to top-tier graduate programs (Cincinnati, Eastman, Yale) and young artist programs (Santa Fe Opera, Metropolitan Opera). His administrative leadership encompasses chairing the 2014 NATS National Conference, serving on the Fulbright U.S. Student Program Screening Committee for Voice, and editorial board service for the NATS Journal of Singing. He has secured research funding including the 2021 faculty fellowship supporting his music theater voice pedagogy book.

He co-directed the CoOPERAtive Program (Westminster's young artist initiative) and the Actors Studio MFA Voice and Speech department. His clinical collaborations include vocology internships at Mt. Sinai's Grabscheid Voice Center and St. Luke's-Roosevelt's Vox Humana Laboratory, where he partners with medical professionals on voice disorder remediation and vocal health protocols.