The Teachers
Sandra Andersen, Director
Sandra Andersen is the director and primary teacher of Andersen Vocal Arts. She has a Bachelor of Music in Voice Performance from Western Michigan University as well as a Master of Music in Voice Performance and Pedagogy from Arizona State University. She has taught private voice lessons for 15 years and has directed and produced many theatrical productions. Sandra has performed opera, musical theatre and jazz across the country professionally. She has been a featured soloist with such orchestras as the Honolulu Symphony, Phoenix Symphony and the Chicago Philharmonia as well as local ensembles such as the Dubuque Symphony Orchestra. She has been a member of the National Association of Teachers of Singing for 14 years and currently is an adjunct professor at Loras College teaching voice lessons, Voice Diction, Voice Pedagogy and directing the Opera Workshop.
Erin Horst, Associate Teacher,
Erin Horst is a senior at Loras College in the process of earning her Bachelor of Music degree in Voice Performance. In the course of her college studies, Erin fulfilled course requirements in Pedagogy and began teaching private voice in 2007, which she has continued for the past two years. She has performed in the Opera Workshop several times as well as the Loras players both behind and in front of the scenes, and has an extensive background in acting and musical theatre. Some of the roles she has performed at Loras include Ophelia in Shakespeare's Hamlet, Jo March in Little Women, Philia in Stephen Sondheim's A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum and Susan in Company, also by Sondheim. Erin is an accomplished director, directing the musical The World goes 'Round by Kander and Ebb, Symmetry, and Picnic on the Battlefield. Erin has used her 15 years of extensive training in jazz, tap and ballet to choreograph The World goes 'Round, Little Women and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, just to name a few. Outside of Loras, Erin has performed in many musicals including Rizzo in Grease, Glinda in the Wizard of Oz, Sarah in Guys and Dolls and Mary in The Secret Garden at the Palace Theatre. Having grown up in Vinto, Iowa, Erin performed many musicals in her hometown such as Kiss me Kate, Annie, Oliver, Bye Bye Birdie, The Velveteen Rabbit, I'll be home for Christmas, Charlotte's Web, You're a Good Man Charlie Brown and many more.