Claudia Benack

Claudia Benack is a Teaching Professor of Voice at Carnegie Mellon University's School of Drama, where she has served as a full-time faculty member since 1997. She teaches private singing lessons to Music Theater majors and co-teaches the Musical Theatre Literature and Repertoire/Music Theatre History course while coordinating the Acting/Musical Theatre option for the Drama School's six-week summer PreCollege program.

Her educational background includes:

• Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Voice Performance from Carnegie Mellon University’s School of Music
• Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Voice Performance from Carnegie Mellon University’s School of Music

Professor Benack's expertise centers on Voice Performance and Musical Theatre, informed by her international career performing with major symphonies and opera companies. Her teaching emphasizes vocal technique, stage presence, and artistic interpretation, drawing from comprehensive training in vocal pedagogy to prepare students for professional careers. She integrates performance experience into curriculum design for both academic-year courses and summer intensives.

She has mentored numerous students who now perform on Broadway, off-Broadway, national tours, and regional theaters across the United States. Her advising extends beyond Carnegie Mellon through collaborations with the Southwestern Summer Theatre Institute, College Audition Pros, and Broadway Artists Intensive, where she provides specialized vocal coaching.

Professor Benack maintains an active role in the School of Drama's production ecosystem, having music-directed shows across all Purnell Center for the Arts venues. Her teaching methodology bridges academic rigor with professional industry standards through her thriving private vocal studio and summer program leadership.