About

Dr. Christopher Hansen

Dr. Christopher Hansen is an accomplished choral conductor, educator, and researcher with over two decades of experience in music education. He currently serves as Director of Choral Activities at Virginia Commonwealth University’s Department of Music, within the School of the Arts (VCUarts), where he leads the choral program, conducts ensembles, and teaches courses in choral and vocal methods.

Dr. Hansen currently serves as the Four-Year Collegiate R&R Chair for the Virginia Chapter of the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA). He has been elected as the next President-Elect of Virginia ACDA and will begin his term on July 1, 2025. He will assume the role of Chapter President in 2027.

Previously, Dr. Hansen was an Assistant Professor of Music at the South Carolina School of the Arts at Anderson University, where he conducted the Anderson University Choir and taught both graduate and undergraduate courses in music education and performance. He remains active in professional organizations, including the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) and the National Association for Music Education (NAfME). He has held leadership roles as SCMEA Collegiate Membership Chair, served on the Collegiate Choral R&R Committee for the South Carolina ACDA (SC ACDA), and was Choral Activities Chair for the North Carolina Music Educators Association (NCMEA) High School Choral Division.

Under Dr. Hansen’s leadership, choirs have performed at state music conferences as well as regional and national festivals and competitions. Recognized for his engaging and dynamic approach, he is a sought-after choral conductor and clinician. His primary research explores how audiences and adjudicators perceive choral performance quality, and he has presented his findings at state, regional, and national conferences.

Dr. Hansen made his Carnegie Hall debut in May 2022, conducting the New England Symphony Orchestra and a chorus comprised of singers from across the nation. He returned to Carnegie Hall in May 2024 for a special collaboration with his former student and dear friend, Jordan Lee, presenting a collection of American Spirituals alongside the premiere performances of Mr. Lee’s original compositions and arrangements.

Dr. Hansen has over 20 years of experience in conducting and teaching at both the secondary and post-secondary levels. In 2011, while teaching at Cedar Ridge High School in Hillsborough, North Carolina, he was honored as the Orange County District Teacher of the Year. From 2013 to 2017, he served as an Instructor and Graduate Teaching Assistant at The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, teaching courses in choral pedagogy and performance. He remains an active conductor and clinician for honor choirs across the nation and continues to engage in scholarly research, particularly in music teacher education and choral performance perception.

In June 2026, Dr. Hansen will make his international conducting debut in Vienna, Austria, further expanding his influence as a choral artist on the global stage.

Dr. Hansen holds a Doctorate and Master’s degree from The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, where he specialized in music education research and choral conducting. He earned his Bachelor of Music from The University of North Carolina at Pembroke. His mentors included Dr. Welborn (Bill) Young and Dr. Brett Nolker (choral conducting), Dr. Robert Wells (vocal pedagogy), Dr. Scott MacLeod (voice), and the late Dr. Gary Wright (voice). His research studies were guided by esteemed scholars, including Dr. David Teachout, Dr. Constance McKoy, Dr. Rebecca MacLeod, Dr. Jennifer Walter, Dr. Patricia Sink, and Dr. Donald Hodges.

Dr. Hansen believes that music is essential to the human experience, fulfilling our fundamental needs for belonging, love, growth, learning, and purpose. He values all musical genres and traditions, recognizing their unique ability to connect people across cultures and generations. As a culturally responsive teacher and conductor, he embraces inclusive and relevant pedagogy, continually expanding his understanding of himself, his singers, and the music they explore together.