Kristen Murdaugh (she/they), mezzo-soprano, is a voice pedagogue, voice scientist, singer, and advocate.

An active voice pedagogue for nearly a decade, Kristen is an evidence-based, identity-affirming, student-centered voice teacher who believes in helping her students find their most authentic voices through the intersection of cutting edge voice science and tried-and-true voice pedagogy. She currently teaches students from around the globe online and teaches in-person in Charlotte, NC. She has completed The Voice Lab’s Gender-Affirming Voice and Speech course and feels grateful to have a gender-diverse studio where she can help her students break out of prescribed expectations and journey alongside them to discover a voice that aligns with their own individual goals and interests. In recognition of her teaching, Kristen was honored as a recipient of the NATS Emerging Leader Award in 2022.

As a voice scientist, Kristen has been published in the Journal of Voice and has presented her research at the International Physiology and Acoustics of Singing Conference, Voice Foundation Annual Symposium, and the Pan-American Vocology Symposium. Her notable publications, lectures, and presentations include: Correlating Perceptual and Spectral Aspects of Chiaroscuro in Singing (lead author; ongoing PhD research); Global Inventory and Similarity Rating of Singing Voice Assessment Terms Used at English Speaking Academic Institutions (co-author); In-Person or Virtual: Assessing the Impact of COVID-19 on the Teaching Habits of Voice Pedagogues (lead author); That’s What He Said: Gender Bias in the Fundamental Models of Sound Perception (lead author); and in 2017, she presented a TEDx Talk titled, Talking about Talking: The Science of the Voice. She has a particular research interest in the intersectionality of gender studies and singing voice science. Through her work, she hopes to help bridge the gap between voice pedagogy and voice science to foster a more equitable, transparent, and diverse world of singing.

With a passion for contemporary repertoire, her performances include the role of Estelle in John Musto’s opera Later the Same Evening, conducted by Robert Tweten, as well as the contralto solos in the world premiere of Christopher LaRosa’s oratorio Joshua. Other opera credits include Zita in Puccini's Gianni Schicchi, La Zia Principessa in Puccini's Suor Angelica, Madame Flora in Menotti’s The Medium as well as roles in works by Bizet, Britten, Mozart, Rossini, and Gilbert & Sullivan. 

With a passion for contemporary repertoire, her performances include the role of Estelle in Musto’s opera Later the Same Evening, conducted by Robert Tweten, as well as the contralto solos in the world premiere of LaRosa’s oratorio Joshua. Other opera credits include Zita in Puccini's Gianni Schicchi, La Zia Principessa in Puccini's Suor Angelica, Madame Flora in Menotti’s The Medium as well as roles in works by Bizet, Britten, Mozart, Rossini, and Gilbert & Sullivan. 

An avid performer of sacred repertoire, Kristen has been a featured soloist with ensembles such as the South Carolina Bach Choir, North Carolina Baroque Orchestra, and Boston’s Analog Choral, and has performed works such as Britten’s Rejoice in the Lamb, Monteverdi’s Vespers of 1610, Honegger’s King David, and most recently Bach’s Mass in b-Minor as part of the inaugural South Carolina Baroque Music Festival. She has participated in masterclasses and workshops led by Betsy Bishop, Kathryn Cowdrick, and Arlene Shrut among others while in the United States, and in classes led by Angelika Kirchschlager and Luigi Marzola while studying and performing in Europe.

In addition to her solo singing, she is an active choral singer, having performed in small and large ensembles for more than 10 years in venues such as Carnegie Hall, Washington National Cathedral, the Cathedral Basilica of St. John the Baptist, and Duke Chapel. Ensemble singing holds a special place in her heart, and she is honored to be a member of the service-oriented vocal ensemble Servire, the flagship ensemble of Chamber Voices for Change. Other notable choral experience includes participating in the Chorworks Early Music program under the direction of Philip Cave.

She has a passion for diverse styles of music and whenever possible, enjoys singing jazz, contemporary styles such as folk, indie, and pop, and improvising with musician friends. She has also performed and directed in the musical theater world, participating in productions such as: Into the Woods, Les Miserables, Brigadoon, The King and I, Grease, Hello Dolly!, and Cabaret.

Kristen is a doctoral researcher and PhD candidate in voice science at the Universität für Musik und darstellende Kunst Wien (mdw) in Vienna, Austria, and continues to sing whenever possible and teach voice privately. She previously worked for the Universität Mozarteum Salzburg in the vocal studies department and guest lectures often at universities in the United States and abroad. She holds a Master of Music degree in vocal pedagogy from the New England Conservatory of Music and a Bachelor of Music degree in vocal performance and German studies from Furman University, and graduated summa cum laude from both institutions. Her teachers include Dr. Ian Howell, Lisa Saffer, Lisa Barksdale, Jill Feldman, and Trudy Fuller.

She is an active member of the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS), Pan American Vocology Association (PAVA), and Voice Foundation, and recently concluded a 5-year tenure on the NATS Boston Board of Directors as Vice President, previously as the Director of Communications. She is particularly grateful to be part of a community advocating for inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility in the field of singing.

A native of South Carolina , Kristen firmly believes in serving the community which raised her to be the person she is today. As an alum of the South Carolina Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities, she has returned as a summer program staff member several times and serves on the SCGSAH Alumni Advisory Council as well. She has also been on the staff of ALA Palmetto Girls State for 13 years and currently serves as the Education and Government Assistant Director. As a musician and advocate, she has seen first-hand how music can open hearts, minds, and cultivate empathy and growth in communities. Through her work with Servire, community organizations, and her own research and teaching, she aims to facilitate constructive dialogue and work alongside her community to foster social change.

Outside of music, Kristen enjoys spending time with those she loves, listening to copious amounts of podcasts, drinking coffee, and playing with her cats Rascal and Millie.