Dr. Christopher Meerdink
Professor of Voice
Office: Sybil B. Harrington Fine Arts Complex, Room 213
Email: cmeerdink@wtamu.edu
Phone: 806-651-2831
Professional Profile
Dr. Christopher Meerdink has performed extensively in recital, concert, and on the opera stage. Some of his roles include: Tamino in The Magic Flute, Nanki-Poo in The Mikado, Dr. Caius in Falstaff, Marco in The Gondoliers, the tenor roles in Handel’s Messiah, Schubert’s Mass in G, Mozart’s Regina Coeli, and Haydn’s Mass in Time of War. He is recorded on the NAXOS label on two CD collections, Jewish Operas, v. 1, and Schonfield: Viola Concerto, Four Motets, The Merchant and the Pauper. Dr. Meerdink co-chaired the Committee on Youth Opera for the National Opera Association. In his commitment to youth music opportunities, he has taken part in Bowling Green State University Opera for Youth, Toledo Opera Education and Outreach Program, Young People’s Theater of Ann Arbor, and Evanston Light Opera Works in Evanston, Illinois. Currently, Dr. Meerdink is Assistant Professor of Music, Voice at West Texas A&M University. Previously, Dr. Meerdink has served on faculty at Delta State University, the University of Texas at El Paso, and at Taylor University. Dr. Meerdink earned his B.Mus. from Houghton College in Houghton, New York, his M.M. degree from Bowling Green State University in Bowling Green, Ohio, and his D.M.A. degree from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. He has studied under George Shirley, Andreas Poulimenos, Spiro Malas, Martin Katz, and Betty Giles. Dr. Meerdink is a licensed massage therapist (#121366) and a licensed massage therapy instructor (#3204) in the state of Texas.
Teaching and Related Service
Dr. Meerdink is the founder and director of the Song Collaborators Consortia. Most recently, Dr. Meerdink co-presented at the Hawaii International Conference on Arts and Humanities a poster session entitled, On Becoming a Voice Teacher: Applying Carl Rogers’ Person Centered Therapy to the University Voice Studio. He also made presentations at the National Opera Association Convention in Santa Barbara, California entitled, Massage for Singers, and Challenging Gender Norms in Opera: Performance of Operatic Repertoire that features Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual or Transgendered Characters.
Research and Creative Activity
In addition to teaching and performing music, Dr. Meerdink is a licensed massage therapist and a graduate student in the M.A. mental health counseling program.