Christine Menschner 

Director German Vocal Arts Institute,
​German Diction and Voice Teacher, Soprano 

Her passion

Christine is all about music, voice, language, expression and empathy. A person with ideals, with values on an artistic and personal journey through life, German art song, operetta and opera. A journey together with the people around her - students, singers, coaches, directors who shape her and whom she shapes.

Her dedication is the life long process to find and expand her own and her students highest potential, developing voice, personality, and strength; and to draw with the colors of the voice and the emotions of the heart. One can be transformed  by a song by exploring everything in it — every word, phrase, exclamation mark; by feeling and living already the prelude of the song, acknowledging the mood and harmony changes. 

Musical life in Germany
Born in Germany, Christine grew up studying great German poets like Goethe, Schiller, Heine, and Eichendorff; reading the story of Goethe's Werther many times in her teenage years; and writing her own poems. She took her German First State Examination (Master's degree) in German Education, Music and Educational Sciences.  But singing was all she ever wanted to do and what she did even before Kindergarden, combining music and her love for language. Said. Done.
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Christine studied voice at the Dresden University of Music “Carl Maria von Weber“ in Dresden and graduated with a Double Master's degree in Vocal Performance and Vocal Education. At this time she was already teaching her first students. And since then she always combined singing and teaching. A never ending exciting dialogue about music, a journey with treasures along the path everywhere you look. Rewarding. Being voice faculty at music schools in Germany, voice instructor for oratorio choirs, teaching German diction for foreigners and leading her own voice studio expanded her knowledge and fascination for the voice, language, and the people on stage and in the auditorium. 

Her love for European operetta music lead her to produce her own operetta shows together with two other professionals, bringing the classical music out of the theater to a wider audience.

Performing internationally in concerts and in operetta and opera productions (e.g. The Beautiful Helen, Die Fledermaus, La Bohème, Mask in Blue, The Tale of Tsar Saltan, Franziska Linkerhand, Lo frate nn'amorato, The Mikado,  Cosi fan tutte, La Rondine) Christine grew as a singer-actor and gained the experiences and tools which she loves to share with her students.
 
Christine realized how crucial it is to be not only musically, but also mentally ready to perform your best in an audition situation. When she started to prepare students for competitions she implemented everything she had learned about stage fright, mental focus, positive self talk, visualization, and so forth in her lessons. Highlights of her teaching include masterclasses for young singers about stage fright and performance practice at the Semper Opera in Germany, GVAI's summer opera programs 2016 and 2017, German Repertoire Masterclasses for singers at music conservatories in China 2016 and at the CS Music Convention in Chicago 2017.

Living in America
Marrying the love of her life brought Christine to Seattle, Washington where she is located most of her time when she is not in Germany teaching and singing.
 
Christine founded the German Vocal Arts institute (GVAI) in Seattle/USA to provide authentic German diction training for American Opera companies and music festivals. GVAI trains American singers to gain excellence in the German opera and art song repertoire and to prepare them for a professional career in Germany. Authentic German diction and voice coaching, performance, audition and interview training, and classes on career management in person and on skype help the young singers learn everything they need to know to win an audition at German operas, agencies, summer programs and colleges. 
Christine is a member of NATS (National Association of Teachers of Singing.)