Operations Manager
Andrea Kennard is an arts administrator and horn player from Indian Harbour Beach, Florida. She has three degrees in horn performance from Stetson University (BM ’14) the University of Oregon (MM ’18) and DePaul University (Performance Certificate ’20). Prior to joining CYSO in August of 2021, she held positions with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Grant Park Music Festival, and the Delgani String Quartet.
Andrea was the recipient of a Close Musical Fellowship and was awarded Outstanding Graduate Performer in the Brass studies area upon graduation from the University of Oregon. She played principal horn in the UO Symphony Orchestra and Wind Ensemble, and was a frequent collaborator with the Oregon Composers Forum, premiering many new works for horn and mixed chamber ensembles. As an active freelancer, Andrea performed regularly with the Rogue Valley Symphony Orchestra, Newport Symphony Orchestra, and held the position of third horn with Eugene Ballet’s OrchestraNEXT from 2016-2018. She continued her musical studies at DePaul University where she performed with the Symphony Orchestra, Opera Orchestra, Chamber Wind Ensemble, and 20+ new music ensemble. Her principal teachers were Grace Kang, Lydia van Dreel (Eugene Symphony Orchestra), and Neil Kimel (Lyric Opera Chicago).
Outside of working and performing, Andrea is an avid home baker and loves spending time in her kitchen. She also enjoys roller-skating, swimming, painting, and traveling.
What is your favorite piece to play or conduct?
As a horn player, anything by Mahler! His horn writing is incomparable and the challenge of performing his parts well is exciting and very fulfilling.
What is your favorite musical memory from when you were young?
When I was 15, my high school orchestra was invited to perform at the Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic and while we were in Chicago, we got to see the CSO perform. Coming from a small town, I’d never heard anything like it in my life and I was hooked instantly. It was my dream to study music in Chicago from that point on, and I’m super stoked to be living out that dream in Chicago now.
