BIOGRAPHY
Tenor Christopher MacRae has been praised for his musicality and dramatic portrayals, and for possessing “a beautiful and sonorous tenor voice!” He made his professional debut with Calgary Opera, performing the role of Dr. Blind in Die Fledermaus, and has since appeared across Canada and the US with companies like Opera on the Avalon, Toronto Summer Music Festival,and The Banff Centre among others. As a proponent of contemporary works, selected highlights of his stage credits include Sir Philip in Owen Wingrave, the Male Chorus in The Rape of Lucretia, McAlpine in Filumena (Estacio), The Governor & Vanderdendur in Candide, Pirelli in Sweeney Todd, The Tenor in Six Characters in Search of an Author (Weisgall), Sheldon in Later the Same Evening (Musto), and created the roles of Seth as a Man in John Beckwith’s historical opera Taptoo!, and The Doctor in Lorena Orozco’s English adaptation of The Waiting Room. In concert he has appeared as the title characters in Lohengrin with Toronto’s Opera By Request, and Werther with Calgary Concert Opera Company.
He has been frequently engaged as a concert soloist in works such as Orff’s Carmina Burana, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 and Choral Fantasy, Mozart’s Requiem and Mass in C Minor, Verdi’s Requiem, Handel’s Messiah and Theodora, MacMillian’s Celtic Mass of the Sea, Britten’s St. Nicola Cantata, Elgar’s The Kingdom, Bach’s Magnificat and Christmas Oratorio, and Rachmaninoff’s Vespers.
Dr. MacRae is a member of the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) and is a past president of the Arkansas Chapter. He has presented at the Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences Congress in Calgary, the International Symposium on Singing and Song in St. John’s Newfoundland, and the NATS Southern Region Conference and Student Auditions. He has been a master class clinician or guest lecturer at John Brown University, Delta State College, and Mount Royal College, and has adjudicated music festivals across Western Canada including the Calgary Performing Arts Festival, Battlefords Kiwanis Music Festival, Winnipeg Music Festival, Brandon Festival of the Arts, Brandon, Lloydminster Music Festival, Weyburn Music Festival, and the Canada West Classes at the Saskatchewan Provincial Music Festival.
He received a Doctor of Musical Arts in Vocal Performance from Boston University, and holds additional degrees in music from McGill University and the University of Calgary. He formerly was a Lecturer in Voice at the University of Regina, and was a Teaching Assistant Professor, Vocal Area Coordinator and Director of Graduate Studies at the University of Arkansas, where he received the ‘Outstanding Mentor Award’ three times. He has worked with a wide variety of students who have gone on to win numerous auditions and competitions, and are pursuing a variety of careers in music.
Inspiring Excellence
Upcoming and Past Engagements
Nabucco by Verdi
Ismaele (Cover)
7:00pm September 19th, 2024
Lutheran Church of the Cross
7:00pm September 21st, 2024
Polaris Centre Theatre
ChoirWorkshop
May 27th, 2024
"The Portrayal of Canadian National Identity in Srul Irving Glick's Song Cycle - South of North, Images of Canada"
April 16th, 2024
Shu-Box Theater
What People are saying
“In 2017, it had been 22 years since I auditioned for a musical, and Dr. MacRae agreed to give me private lessons. All I can say is that I will always be grateful for the guidance that he gave me. Obviously, I was vocally out of shape. In our first lesson, he pinpointed my issues and quickly chartered our path. I have never been so seen by a vocal teacher. I found my voice again! Honestly, it was better than it had ever been.”
“I studied under Dr. MacRae for a year and a half. In that time he helped me advance my vocals greatly. He worked with me on musical theater pieces, opera arias, and art songs. In each of these genres he showed an incredible amount of knowledge on technique. I was challenged and learned my abilities were greater than I previously had thought. I gained confidence in my technical skills and that translated to my performance. He truly wants to see all his students succeed and reach their full potential.”
“Chris is a fantastic teacher. When I first started with him, I made more progress in the first few weeks than I had made in months with previous voice teachers. He doesn’t just tell you what to do and give you exercises, but he also uses himself as an example, and explains to you why you are doing the exercises and how they help you. He isn’t a taskmaster, but he does push his students where are are weak, as a good teacher should. Chris is also just a fun person to be around and talk with about singing, or music, or just life in general.”
I have worked with Chris for two years, during which I was able to drastically increase my range, strengthen my technique, and improve my breath support.
“It is blatantly obvious that Dr. MacRae cares about his students and wants for them to succeed in music as well as in life in general”
“We met Dr. Chris MacRae 4 years ago when he came highly recommended as a voice teacher for our then 14-year-old daughter. She went to the top college prep high school in the state, but they did not have a music program. We needed a voice teacher who could help our musically talented child to be challenged to grow and learn how to use her gift. Chris has done that and more. He has been an exemplary teacher, bringing out the best in our daughter’s developing voice and fuelling her passion for music by sharing his own. He is intentional and thoughtful in his interactions with her and she has grown tremendously. He challenges her to be the best she can be, as a musician, as a student and as a person. We cannot recommend him highly enough! Dr. MacRae is a wonderful teacher, mentor and friend.”
“Dr. MacRae’s approach to lessons is very inclusive and he has an incredible understanding of each singer’s abilities that he works with. During my time with Dr. MacRae I learned how to improve my technique, posture, and stage presence while singing pieces that challenged me in a healthy and accessible way. I would recommend any level of singer to work with Dr. MacRae. I truly believe whether you are beginner or a trained professional that you would gain something by studying with him.”
“I really learned a lot and felt like I made a lot of progress… A lot of things really began to click and I’m understanding the “process” for making things happen. Thank you for helping me find my voice. And continuing to help me.”
“I had my best year in voice so far studying under Chris MacRae. He was able to help me expand my range. I made every audition I tried out for and nailed my end-of-semester jury. Mr. MacRae’s knowledge of voice mechanics were invaluable, and I also appreciated his positive, nurturing approach to me as a vocal student.”
“I feel like my technical skills have improved tremendously since beginning to work with him… He explains concepts in ways that are easy to understand, and when it’s apparent that it’s not very clear, he finds a different way to approach it.”
“There is no one that I consider a greater asset to my vocal and musical success than Dr. Chris MacRae. He knows the art of singing, and has a passion to help the next generation of performers, music educators, conductors, and church musicians to grow in their own craft. If you have the opportunity to study with Dr. MacRae, I hope and pray you would take that chance. He is a gem of a teacher and a blessing of a person.”
“Dr. MacRae pulled beautiful music out of my son. With a kind and encouraging approach, he built my son’s confidence in singing and helped him have very successful solo performances with an orchestra. I would recommend Dr. MacRae to anyone wanting to grow as a singer.”
“Dr. MacRae has an incredible way of connecting with his students and teaching them what they want to learn. He always makes you feel important and will help you find out who you really want to be. I would heartily recommend him to anyone!”
“He brings out the best in every student and urges each student to succeed in their own way… I could not of imagined a better mentor and hero. I look up to him every day.”
“I have taken voice lessons from several teachers prior to Chris, and the best part about that is using all of their lessons to synthesize into a cohesive technique. Not only did Chris teach me new things, he also helped me learn how to use what I had been previously already taught in a new way. It was really great having someone who understood what I was having troubles with.”
“Dr. MacRae is the most exemplary voice teacher I’ve ever had the privilege to work with. It is due to his astounding instruction that I placed 1st in NATS (National Association for Teachers of Singing) competition which, in turn, propelled me to compete in Las Vegas on the National Level. I had one of the most immaculate vocal experiences of my life thanks to his impeccable training. It goes without saying that I would not be where I am in my career today without his guidance!”
“I have had the privilege of learning and developing my musical skills under his direction. I attended vocal lessons and masterclasses over the years, both in-person and virtually, and Dr. MacRae worked tirelessly in both to create exciting and inclusive environments that promoted learning and success for all of his students. He met me where I was at and pushed me to be a better musician, and person, every week. I would highly recommend him to any level vocalist who is looking to improve their musicianship and technique.”
“Working with Dr. MacRae has greatly expanded my vocal ability and enriched my tone, enabling me to sing in a wide variety of musical styles. He has abundant experience with vocal performance and coaching, and he always makes lessons so enjoyable. He gives specific and easy-to-follow critiques that improve your technique tenfold. I learned so much about singing and had a great time doing it! I have so much confidence in my voice because of everything I learned from him!”
“I am truly blessed to have you as my vocal tutor (teacher)… you ensure that your students UNDERSTAND what techniques they need to apply to their instrument to make their presentations very good.”
“You push me to be not just a better singer but a better artist. To not just sing notes but to do something with those notes, to actually say something when I sing”
Experience the Artistry of Chris MacRae
Private Lessons with Chris MacRae
Unlock Your Vocal Potential
At Chris MacRae Voice Studio, we offer personalized voice lessons tailored to your unique needs and goals. Chris’s teaching approach combines classical techniques with modern insights to help you achieve your best sound. Our curriculum covers a range of topics, including breath control, vocal health, and performance skills. Enroll today to start your journey towards vocal excellence.
Get in Touch with Chris MacRae Voice Studio
A Glimpse into Our World
Chris MacRae Performance and Teaching Gallery
