Nicholle Andrews
Professor, Choral Studies, Director, Feast of Lights
Conservatory of Music
About
Originally from Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, Nicholle Andrews is director of Choral Studies at the University of Redlands and artistic director of the Phoenix Chamber Choir in Vancouver, British Columbia. She is in high demand across North America as a conductor, adjudicator, and clinician.
Professor Andrews has worked with composers including William Bolcom, Joan Tower, Libby Larsen, Gunther Schuller, Imant Raminsh, R. Murray Schafer, Alcides Lanza, and Krzysztof Penderecki, as well as eminent conductors Bramwell Tovey, Sir David Willcocks, Bobby McFerrin, Tõnu Kaljuste, and Georg Tintner. Under her direction, University of Redlands choirs have been invited to perform at festivals and conferences such as Canada’s national choral conference Podium on the Edge, the National Collegiate Choral Organization Convention, the California Music Educators Association Convention, the California All-State Music Educators Conference, and Festival 500: Sharing the Voices. Her choirs have also performed with The Who, Sarah Brightman, and Josh Groban.
Andrews is a licensed body mapping educator. Her research interests include performance anxiety in musicians, pitch perception, and bodily awareness through conducting. Her publications appear in journals such as the Journal of Research in Music Education and the Journal of Band Research, and she currently serves as collegiate research and repertoire coordinator for the Western Division of the American Choral Directors Association.
At University of Redlands, Andrews specializes in choral conducting, body mapping, and ear training. She also offers graduate seminars in performance anxiety, score study, and rehearsal technique; an undergraduate course on contemporary music titled Ear Cleaning; and a first-year music seminar. Andrews has received recognition for outstanding teaching, including Advisor of the Year, Professor of the Year, and the Faculty Outstanding Service Award.
Andrews completed both her doctorate and master’s degrees in choral conducting at McGill University, where she also taught musicianship, instrumental conducting, and choral conducting. She earned dual bachelor’s degrees in oboe performance and music education at Memorial University of Newfoundland, where she studied conducting with Dr. Douglas Dunsmore.
Andrews has also taught music (kindergarten through grade 12) in public schools throughout Canada and England.
Education
- B.Mus., B.Mus.Ed., Memorial University of Newfoundland
- M.Mus., D.Mus., McGill University
Professional Background
Performances
- Conductor, SATB Honor Choir, Southern California Vocal Association, November 2022
- Conductor, Canadian National Physicians Choir performances, 2020–present
- Guest conductor, Western American Choral Directors Association, Salt Lake City; Murray High School breakout choir, April 2019
- Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity Choral Arts Residency, February 2020
- Worked with Pro Coro Canada and conductors Michael Zaugg, Lone Larsen, Sven Helbig, Brian Mummert, Thomas Burton, Mona Holton, Miro Hanauer, and Katy Harmer, as well as composers Marie-Claire Saindon, Netta Shahar, Henrik Dahlgren, Dominik Dieterle, and Hope Littwin
- Directed the creation and production of the First Children’s Feast, now part of the Feast of Lights tradition, University of Redlands, December 2019
- Artistic director, Phoenix Chamber Choir, Vancouver, British Columbia, June 2019–present
- Guest conductor, Phoenix Chamber Choir, Vancouver, British Columbia, March 2019
- Podium on the Edge, St. John’s, Newfoundland, July 2018
- Conducted the University of Redlands Chapel Singers, the only American choir invited by audition to perform at Choral Canada’s national convention
- Guest conductor, Clark County School District High School Honor Choir, Henderson, Nevada, October 2017
- Choral conductor, Chapel Singers, Greek Theatre, Los Angeles, September 2017. Prepared Chapel Singers to sing backup for The Who’s performance of Quadrophenia
- International Trombone Festival, Redlands, California, July 2017. Prepared and conducted the men’s choir for a performance of Beethoven’s Funeral Music
- California All-State Music Education Conference, San Jose, California, February 2016. Conducted the University of Redlands Chapel Singers, selected through an audition process
- Choral conductor, Chapel Singers and Youth Choir, University of Redlands, January 2016
- Performance with Richard Sherman
- Loewe Medal for American Music, University of Redlands, November 2015
- Prepared Chapel Singers to perform Libby Larsen’s A Lover’s Journey
- National Collegiate Choral Organization Conference, Portland, Oregon, November 2015
- Conducted the University of Redlands Chapel Singers, selected by a national panel
- Choral conductor, Chapel Singers, University of Redlands. Prepared Chapel Singers for a performance for His Holiness the Gyalwang Karmapa, March 2015
- Loewe Medal for American Music, University of Redlands, Fall 2013
- Prepared Chapel Singers to perform Joan Tower’s Descending, West Coast premiere
- Founder and artistic director, University of Redlands Training Chorus and Youth Choir, January 2013–Fall 2019
- Loewe Medal for American Music, University of Redlands, Spring 2012
- Prepared Chapel Singers to perform William Bolcom’s The Mask
- Choral conductor, Chapel Singers, University of Redlands, September 2011–present
- Loewe Medal for American Music, University of Redlands, March 2011
- Prepared Chapel Singers to perform Gunther Schuller’s Te Deum and Magnificat
- Festival 500: Sharing the Voices, Memorial University of Newfoundland, July 2009
- Conducted University of Redlands Madrigal Singers
- Director, Feast of Lights, University of Redlands, December 2008–present
- California Music Educators Association Conference, Sacramento, March 2008
- Conducted University of Redlands Madrigal Singers
- Choral conductor, La Ceilagh Chamber Singers, Festival 500, July 2007
- Opera chorus director, University of Redlands, September 2007–present
- Choral conductor, Mass Choir, Redlands Symphony Orchestra, Fall 2006–present
- Conductor and collaborator, Hope University, Anaheim, California, September 2007 and October 2010
Recordings
- Conductor, artistic director, and producer, Evolve, Phoenix Chamber Choir, July 2022
Feast of Lights DVD. Directed the production of the 72nd Feast of Lights, December 2019 - Guest conductor, Winter Sun, Phoenix Chamber Choir, June 201
- Southern California Soundscape Ensemble, internet recording, February 2011
- Pierrot Project, CD recording, LMP Studios, August 2010
Areas of Expertise
- Body Mapping
- Contemporary choral music
- Director of choral activities
- Performance anxiety
- Vibrato and pitch perception
Publications
- Ryan, C., and Andrews, N. (2021). High school band musicians: Performance anxiety and post-secondary plans. Journal of Band Research, 57(1), 54–73.
- Andrews, N. (2011). Teaching through composition: The choral music of Alcides Lanza. In T. Reynish (Ed.), Sharing the Voices: The Phenomenon of Singing VI (pp. 46–52). St. John’s, NL: Memorial University of Newfoundland.
- Ryan, C., and Andrews, N. (2009). An investigation into the choral singer’s experience of music performance anxiety. Journal of Research in Music Education, 57(2), 108–126.