Christopher Michel
Christopher Michel, MM
Associate Professor of Voice
GPAC, 220A | 936.294.1379 | cmichel@shsu.edu
Division | Voice
Lyric baritone Christopher Michel is an Associate Professor in the School of Music at Sam Houston State University. He is also a member of the voice faculty at the Accademia Vocale Lorenzo Malfatti in Lucca, Italy, and the Houston Grand Opera High School Voice Studio. His method and standard of excellence cultivates exceptional talent. In the last ten years, he has had over 30 finalists in the TEXOMA Regional Competition of the National Association of Teachers of Singing. Two of his students were invited to sing in the 2014 National Opera Association Aria Competition held in New York City. Members of his studio have pursued graduate studies at the prestigious Cincinnati Conservatory of Music, Rice University, Manhattan School of Music, University of Tennessee, University of Houston, University of Alabama and Baylor University. His students’ professional engagements include Houston Grand Opera, Glimmerglass Festival, Sarasota Opera, Opera in the Heights, Lone Star Lyric Opera, Syracuse Opera and Des Moines Metro Opera.
A highly regarded performer in opera, oratorio, orchestral concerts, and art song, Professor Michel covers a broad spectrum of repertoire. He has appeared on operatic and concert stages throughout Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Indiana, Mississippi, Ohio, Texas and Virginia. Recent engagements include Mozart's Requiem with Mercury Baroque Orchestra, as well as a tour of Italy as a soloist for the Cypress Creek Chorale which included an audience with Pope Francis. Other significant performances have included Haydn's The Lord Nelson Mass, The Creation, and Mendelssohn's Elijah. Highlights from his operatic roles include the title role in Il Barbiere di Siviglia, the Count in both Le Nozze di Figaro and The Secret Marriage, Danilo and Count Cascada in The Merry Widow, and Don Alhambra in The Gondoliers.
Additionally, Professor Michel is an active member of the National Association of Teachers of Singing, having served as the Auditions Chair for the TEXOMA Region as well as Vice President of Workshops, Secretary, and President of the Greater Houston Chapter. His students have consistently won NATS competitions at the district and regional levels and he is often a guest clinician and adjudicator for voice competitions. Prior to joining the faculty at Sam Houston State University, Professor Michel held an appointment at the University of Alabama as Director of Opera Theatre. While at University of Alabama, Professor Michel was awarded a generous grant from the Alabama Council on the Arts aiding in the production of The Old Maid and the Thief, The Medium and An Afternoon of Operatic Vignettes. While pursuing a Doctoral Degree in Vocal Performance, Professor Michel was a Graduate Teaching Associate of Voice at Florida State University. During his residency at FSU, he received the 1999-2000 Outstanding Teaching Associate of Award.
Professor Michel has doctoral work at Florida State University, a Master of Music degree in Vocal Performance from Ohio State University and a Bachelor of Music degree in Vocal Performance from Baylor University. Professor Michel has studied with Barbara Clark, Joyce Farwell, Stanford Olsen, Roy Delp, Jack Coldiron, Robin Rice, and Karen Peeler.