Justin Petersen (he/him)
Justin Petersen, a native of Peculiar, Missouri, has appeared in opera, music theater, and concert performances throughout the United States, and is a voice teacher, coach, and writer on vocal technique, history, and teaching philosophy.
After suffering with voice problems, he began a quest to learn all about the inner workings of the human voice. He also studied the traditions of voice training since its inceptions in the Schola Cantorum of the 13th century. His practical education included coursework in Somatic Voicework™, and study with the Institute for Vocal Advancement. Both experiences were formative in forming his core philosophies and belief that singing should be built upon functional principles to release freedom in the voice. In addition to voice teaching, he is also a coach in opera and musical theater.
Justin is a also the Lead Vocal Coach for My College Audition, helping high school performers prepare for their auditions for Music Theater programs. His students have been accepted at programs such as Pace, Elon, NYU Tisch, Marymount Manhatttan, Penn State, Boston University, Emerson, the Hartt School, and Montclair State.
Justin also writes on vocal pedagogy, voice training, and philosophical musings from the teacher’s bench at www.petersenvoicestudio.com. His interest lies in making connections between the training of the earliest teachers against current scientific findings on the human voice. His private studio includes singers from opera, musical theater, rock, pop, and barbershop, as well as avocational singers and young singers.
As a singer, Justin has been a member of the young artist programs of the Santa Fe Opera, Sarasota Opera Studio Program, Opera North, and Des Moines Metro Opera. He has also appeared as Silas Marner in a reading of Erica Glenn’s musical,“The Weaver of Raveloe” at the New York Music Theater Festival.
Justin received his M.M. in Opera at the University of Kansas and Bachelor of Music degree from Simpson College in Indianola, IA. Among Justin’s accomplishments are participating as finalist in the Opera Azuriales Competition et Concert des Soloistes in Saint-Jean Cap Ferrat, France. He is also a winner of the Kansas City District Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, and the Berta Eisberg Scholarship Award of Mu Phi Epsilon.