Justin John Moniz

Dr. Justin John Moniz is an internationally recognized authority in vocal pedagogy and performance whose work as a performer, educator, and arts leader has garnered numerous honors. He serves as Associate Director of Vocal Performance and Coordinator of Vocal Pedagogy at New York University's Steinhardt School, where he is a Music Associate Professor. A three-time winner of The American Prize in Vocal Performance, Dr. Moniz was named the 2026 Winner of The American Prize in Conducting for his work on Titanic with the NYU Broadway Orchestra. He is the only individual in the history of The American Prize to have won in both the Vocal Performance and Conducting divisions. Dr. Moniz was also named the 2025 Ellen Faull Master Teacher by the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS).

At NYU, Dr. Moniz leads the graduate vocal pedagogy program, overseeing curriculum, training, and mentorship within one of the nation’s most comprehensive vocal pedagogy ecosystems. His teaching portfolio includes pedagogic theory and practice, applied voice, audition skills, and research methods, and he directs the DownBeat Award-winning NYU Pop/Rock Ensemble. His recent conducting credits include Sweeney Todd and workshops of Legally Blonde and Little Women with the NYU Broadway Orchestra. This season, he returns to the podium for Carrie: The Musical. Dr. Moniz is also the recipient of the 2024–25 Steinhardt Teaching Excellence Award.

Dr. Moniz’s influence is reflected in the success of his students, whose professional credits span opera, musical theatre, and commercial venues. His students have recently appeared with major opera companies including Central City Opera, Sarasota Opera, and Opera Philadelphia, and in Broadway and touring companies of The Book of Mormon, Hell’s Kitchen, Jersey Boys, The Sound of Music, MJ: The Musical, A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical, and Legally Blonde. Additional professional credits include serving as production vocal coaches for the national tours of Dear Evan Hansen and TINA: The Tina Turner Musical. His graduate students have contributed more than 40 publications to peer-reviewed journals, and alumni of the program now serve on the faculties of leading institutions nationwide.

As a researcher and author, Dr. Moniz served as an Associate Editor of the Journal of Singing from 2023–2026, where he re-envisioned and authored “The Versatile Voice” column, expanding its focus on evidence-based practice, vocal sustainability, and greater representation across global singing traditions. His scholarship has been published in the Journal of Singing, The Opera Journal, VOICEPrints, and the Yamaha Educator Suite, and presented internationally in Athens, Barcelona, Istanbul, Paris, and Tokyo.

Dr. Moniz is also the founder and director of the NYU Vocal Pedagogy Outreach Program (VPOP), an initiative that has served over 2,000 students in underserved communities across more than 30 regions. Under his leadership, the program is now expanding internationally through strategic partnerships, including a new collaboration in Bangalore, India, advancing a model of global engagement, cross-cultural exchange, and equitable access in arts education.

Dr. Moniz's previous appointments include Chair of Vocal Studies at Millikin University, Instructor of Opera Theater at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, and faculty at Manhattan School of Music, where he designed and taught the institution’s first course in vocal wellness and physiology. Across his current and previous academic appointments, his work sits at the intersection of curriculum innovation, faculty development, and strategic program growth within higher education.

A leading expert on vocal health and performance sustainability, Dr. Moniz is a frequent guest clinician and consultant for organizations including NATS, the National Opera Association (NOA), The Royal Conservatory of Music, New England Conservatory, Boston University, and Boston Conservatory at Berklee. He is Immediate Past President of the NATS-New York City Chapter and a full member of the Pan American Vocology Association.

As a singing actor, Dr. Moniz has been praised for his “superb high tenor” (South Florida Classical Review) and “commanding stage presence” (TalkinBroadway.com). He has appeared with companies including Florida Grand Opera, Sarasota Opera, Opera Grand Rapids, and Utah Festival Opera & Musical Theatre, as well as orchestras such as the Panama City Symphony and Terre Haute Symphony. His versatility spans opera, concert, and musical theatre repertoire, with over 100 roles performed. He is a member of the American Guild of Musical Artists and the Actors' Equity Association, and his debut solo album, Along the Way, is available on all streaming platforms.

In addition to his academic and artistic work, Dr. Moniz serves as Executive Director of Hawaii Performing Arts Festival  (HPAF), where he has led significant organizational growth, including securing over $2.5 million in grant funding, increasing the operating budget by nearly 40%, and achieving record enrollment. His leadership has earned the organization international recognition and multiple awards. He was recently named one of Hawaii's Most Admired Leaders by Pacific Business News. Dr. Moniz also serves as Artistic Director of the ArtsBridge Summer Contemporary Vocal Performance Program, where he oversees a national pre-college training pipeline that cultivates emerging talent and connects high school singers with faculty from leading collegiate programs across the country.

Dr. Moniz holds degrees from Florida State University, the University of Miami, and SUNY Potsdam, along with certifications from Harvard Business School, Duke University, and the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM). His interdisciplinary work bridges voice science, exercise physiology, and endurance training, with a particular focus on vocal load, efficiency, and sustainability. Additional honors include designation as a Yamaha Corporation 40 Under 40 Music Educator, recognition as a Musical America Top Professional of the Year, and distinguished alumni awards from Florida State University, the University of Miami, and SUNY Potsdam.