Elizabeth Ann Benson

Style: Pop; Folk; Rock; Musical Theatre

Title: Associate Professor of Music Theatre Voice

Bio: Dr. Elizabeth Ann Benson is recognized as a dynamic scholar, pedagogue, and performer. She is an Associate Professor of Music Theatre Voice at Auburn University, where she teaches applied voice for music theatre majors and class voice in singing fundamentals. She is the founder and owner of Benson Music Studios, offering singing voice rehabilitation, teacher mentoring, and voice lessons in musical theatre, popular, and contemporary styles. She is among only a handful of practitioners who have earned three certifications through Vocal Health Education (U.K.): Voice Rehabilitation Specialist, Vocal Habilitation Professional, and Vocal Health First Aid. She also holds the PAVA-Recognized Vocologist designation. As a master class clinician, she has presented for The New York Singing Teachers’ Association (NYSTA), for Colorado-Wyoming NATS, and for the Singapore Performing Arts Academy in Singapore, among others. She specializes in versatile vocal function, with stylistic applications spanning from opera to musical theatre to rock singing. Her book, Training Contemporary Commercial Singers is hailed as “a remarkable and long-awaited contribution to the world of voice pedagogy” (Journal of Singing). Her current research program examines issues of equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging within the voice studio. In 2023-2024, she co-authored the fat liberationist articles “Anti-Fat Bias in the Singing Voice Studio,” (Journal of Singing) and “Fat Liberation in the Singing Voice Studio” (Voice and Speech Review) with Kate Rosen (Kate Rosen Voice Studio). In 2021, she co-authored the anti-racist article “Practicing Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging in the Singing Voice Studio,” (Voice and Speech Review) with Trineice Robinson-Martin (Princeton University) and Marisa Lee Naismith (Griffith University, Queensland Conservatorium). In 2024, that article was selected by Routledge to be part of a special collections book titled Voice and Identity (edited by Rockford Sansom). She has delivered guest lectures for New York University, Loyola University (Chicago), and Shenandoah University, and has appeared as a guest on the VocalFri Podcast and A Voice and Beyond Podcast. A versatile singer herself, career highlights include opera (Carnegie Hall), musical theatre (Symphony Center), rock (The Hard Rock Cafe Atlanta), and virtual and live cabaret shows. www.elizabethannbenson.com

Voice Type: Not Applicable

Music Styles Taught: Pop; Folk; Rock; Musical Theatre

Availability: I am available as a performer; I am currently accepting private students; I am available as a clinician or presenter; I offer lessons in a group environment; I accept students through a college or university program

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