Lesley Andrew

 

Lesley Andrew has made soloist appearances with many of Canada’s finest orchestras and choirs, including the Vancouver, Windsor, Kitchener-Waterloo, Kingston, Hamilton, Guelph symphony orchestras, Weston Silver Band, Toronto Concert Band, Kitchener-Waterloo Chamber Orchestra, Brott Summer Music Festival, Stratford Summer Music, and the Shenandoah Bach Festival (VA, USA).  Ms. Andrew’s recordings have often been heard on CBC Radio.  Known for her extraordinary vocal range and versatility in many genres of music, Ms. Andrew often “switches hats,” performing as the soprano soloist for one engagement and as the alto soloist for the next – from opera to show tunes, oratorio to jazz.

Immediately following the completion of her undergraduate degree, Ms. Andrew began an extended tenure with the Stratford Festival, performing in productions including The Mikado, The Pirates of Penzance, Twelfth Night, Cyrano De Bergerac, Alice Through the Looking Glass, The Music Man and Patience.  Other theatrical performances include Menotti’s The Telephone and Hopkin’s Three’s Company at the Guelph Spring Festival (featuring and directed by Ms. Andrew). Most recently, Ms. Andrew directed La Boheme (Southern Ontario Lyric Opera), receiving rave reviews as “SOLO’s best production yet!” for her creative direction and use of space.

Ms. Andrew has completed a number of major concert and recital tours, including Argentina (2005), England/Austria/Germany (1989/1990 – Canadian Concert & Jazz Band), the 1999 World Tour aboard the QE II, two USA tours (2002/2003-California/Arizona/Florida/Texas) and a Canadian tour with The Lesley Andrew Trio (2004-Vancouver/Manitoba/Ontario).

A recipient of many awards, including a Canadian Opera Company Scholarship, and the Maureen Forrester Guthrie Award (The Stratford Festival), Ms. Andrew now adjudicates and conducts masterclasses at festivals, universities and schools of music and drama around the world (voice – classical, Broadway and pop, choral music and speech arts classes.)  While living in Stratford, Ms. Andrew was twice nominated as Stratford’s  “Citizen of the Year.”  Ms. Andrew now runs her thriving voice and drama studios – Dream in Progress Productions – in both London, Ontario and Windsor, Ontario.   As a director, Ms. Andrew is much in demand in the genres of musical theatre and opera.  Ms. Andrew’s intensive theatre and music program for youth, Summer Glee, is now in it’s twenty-fifth year. More programs are now being offered each summer in communities across Ontario in order to accommodate growing enrollment.  Ms. Andrew is thrilled to be the Head of Vocal Music for George Brown College, School for Media & Performing Arts, Toronto, Ontario.

Ms. Andrew has made special guest television appearances on The Tonight Show, Oprah Winfrey, To Tell the Truth, Donny & Marie, The Comedy Network, YTV, Regis & Kathy Lee and many more.  A popular motivational speaker, Ms. Andrew is engaged across Canada by Educators, Universities, Corporations, Service Clubs and Student Organizations.

Ms. Andrew’s professional activities have included teaching and stage directing appointments at Wilfrid Laurier University (Opera), as well as the Universities of Windsor (Vocal Pedagogy, Studio Voice; Faculty of Music, and The Creative Process; School of Dramatic Arts) and Western Ontario (Studio Voice, Opera – director, Shakespearean drama).  As a pedagogue, Ms. Andrew is very involved with the W Ross Macdonald School for the Visually Impaired in Brantford, Ontario, where she helps create and run arts programs for exceptional children.  While maintaining a full teaching schedule in her private studios (London and Windsor) Ms. Andrew continues to work as a soloist, collaborative recital artist, stage director, adjudicator, and motivational speaker.  Most recently (2018), Ms Andrew performed the role of “Marcellina” in Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro, “Alice” in A … My Name Is Alice, the mother in Menotti’s Amahl and the Night Visitors (Abridged Opera) and Mrs. McLean in Floyd’s Susannah (Pek Productions).

Lesley Andrew – Education & References

Honours B.A. Music, Second Study Fine Art, Opera Diploma
Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, ON Canada
University of Waterloo (Fine Art), Waterloo, ON, Canada

Education

2007 – Masters of Music, Performance & Literature, University of Western, Ontario
1991 – 1993 Opera Diploma (Dr. Leslie De’Ath)
1987 – 1991 Honours Bachelor of Arts, Music, Voice Performance (Dr. David Falk)
1987 – 1993 Second Study Fine Arts
1989 – 1991 Baroque Studies (Michael Purves-Smith)
1988 – 1991 Classical & Contemporary Theatre (Kevin Orr, Dr. Leslie O’Dell)
1989 – 1991 Acting for Singers (Dr. Leslie O’Dell)
1989 – 1991 Directing (Dr. Leslie O’Dell)
1993 – 1995 Private Coaching in Acting (Michael Mawson & Bernard Hopkins, The Stratford Festival)
1985 – 1987 Private Voice Training (Eleanor Calbes)

References available upon request

Adjudicating

30 years adjudicating experience in Speech Arts, Drama, Junior / Senior Voice, Pop Music and Choral Music. Masterclasses often included.

Directing Experience