Chanda VanderHart

Biography

I am a pianist, musicologist and creative specialized in recontextualizing classical music performance in fun and interdisciplinary ways. I co-founded the Mosaique concert series (http://www.mosaique.eu.com/) as well as Talespin, Musical Tales for Big and Small (https://talespin.info/) and am currently in three different departments at the mdw-University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna (https://iwk.mdw.ac.at/chanda-vanderhart/) where I play, coach singers, lecture, research and design events to bring learning out into the world (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xAk9pZtB4a4). During the pandemic, I created a podcast on gender and art song pianists called "Too Many Frocks" ( https://soundcloud.com/chanda-vanderhart).

As music director and pianist for Opera Moderne, Vien.Noir and the Hot Box Girls Vienna chapters and a core perform as a pianist and aerialist with The Freestyle Orchestra (https://www.instagram.com/freestyleorchestra/?hl=en), I had the opportunity to perform throughout the world. This experience with productions and tours of various sizes offered insight and experience both from production team and performer perspectives.

In terms of education, four performance degrees: in solo piano performance, vocal accompaniment, chamber music and opera coaching from New York, Vienna & Graz are rounded out by a PhD (summa cum laude) in historical musicology focued on art song in in 19th century Vienna.