Peruvian-American tenor Christopher Sierra is a versatile artist with a wide-ranging repertoire, spanning classical, musical theatre, and contemporary commercial music. They’ve performed with prestigious opera companies and orchestras throughout the United States, including the Lyric Opera of Chicago, Opera Philadelphia, Santa Fe Opera, Spoleto Festival USA, etc. Dr. Sierra’s notable performances include playing the title role in the world premiere of scenes from William Grant Still’s Opera, Mota, as well as Catone in Vinci’s Catone in Utica, Macheath in Die DreigroschenOper, Jupiter in Semele, Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni, Beppe in Pagliacci, and Steuermann in Der Fliegende Holländer.
As a recording artist, Dr. Sierra can be heard on The Flower of Beauty (2009) with the Westminster Choir, Landscape: Choral Music of Gerald Custer (2008) with Anam Cara, and Teaching Music Through Performance in Choir, Volume 2 (2007) with the Grammy-Award nominated Westminster Williamson Voices. They have sung under the baton of Pierre Boulez, Leon Botstein, Christoph Eschenbach, Ton Koopman, Lorin Maazel, Kurt Masur, David Robertson, John Rutter, Emmanuel Villaume, John Adams, and Franz Welser-Möst.
An avid recitalist, Dr. Sierra co-founded the Vocalis Consort, exploring song recitals beyond traditional Western European works. They have also excelled in presentations that center songs of the Spanish-speaking diaspora and were invited to perform mélodies by Henri Duparc at the 2018 College Music Society Pacific Northwest Regional Conference.
In addition to their classical endeavors, Dr. Sierra performs and records contemporary commercial music. Notable engagements include performances with acclaimed groups like three-time Grammy Award–nominated troupe Sweet Honey in the Rock. They have also delivered lectures and concerts, exploring the intersection of contemporary commercial music performance practice and classical singing technique at several prestigious institutions throughout the United States.
Dr. Sierra is also sought after for their research in Culturally Responsive Teaching, Teaching Gender Expansive Singers, and Overcoming Performance Anxiety and have frequently been invited to present vocal master classes and choral clinics at institutions worldwide. They have recently presented, “A Culturally Responsive Teaching Lens in the Music Classroom and Applied Studio” at the 2023 College Music Society National and International Conferences.
In addition to being on the faculty at the Longy School of Music, Dr. Sierra teaches voice at the Boston Conservatory at Berklee, Harvard University, and Tufts University. Dr. Sierra received a doctorate of musical arts degree in voice performance from Rutgers University, a master of education degree in music education from Columbia University, a master of music degree in classical voice performance from Manhattan School of Music, and bachelor of music degrees in music education and voice performance from Westminster Choir College.
Teaching Philosophy
“My commitment to assuring the success of all my students across their differences is deeply rooted in a holistic approach that encompasses the body, mind, and spirit. Through a nurturing and inclusive learning environment, I aim to inspire each student to reach their full potential, fostering not only academic growth but also personal development and a profound sense of interconnectedness with the world around them.”