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The American mezzo-soprano, Kendra Wieneke, obtained her Bachelor of Music degree in Music Education (2008-2011) and her Master of Music degree in Vocal Performance and Literature (2012-2014) from the Eastman School of Music, University of Rochester, New York, where she studied under the tutelage of Carol Webber and Jan Opalach. While at Eastman, she performed frequently with Eastman Opera Theater, notably singing the title role in George Frideric Handel's Serse under the direction of renowned early music specialist Paul O'Dette and Steven Daigle. She also obtained her Master of Arts degree in Arts Administration from Florida State University (2017-2019).
Kendra Wieneke has enjoyed a diverse career as a classical singer, music educator, church musician, and nonprofit administrator. Favorite roles include Bianca in Benjamin Britten's The Rape of Lucretia and Anne in the collegiate premiere of Jake Heggie's To Hell and Back and Martha in Simon/Norman's The Secret Garden. Scenes performances include Rosina in Il barbiere di Siviglia, Cherubino in W.A. Mozart's Le nozze di Figaro, Dinah in Leonard Bernstein's Trouble in Tahiti, Dorabella in W.A. Mozart's Così fan tutte, and Alisa in Lucia di Lammermoor. She has been a young artist with the OperaWorks! Advanced Artist Program, Le Chiavi di Bel Canto (“The Keys to Bel Canto”) at the Texas Music Festival, the Vancouver International Song Institute, and Elgin Opera. She has recently appeared with the Tallahassee Symphony Orchestra and the Tallahassee Bach Parley and continues to perform throughout the Northwest Florida region.
Kendra Wieneke made her North American orchestral debut in December 2013, singing the alto solos in J.S. Bach's Magnificat in D major BWV 243 with the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra. A dedicated recitalist and chamber musician, she has been featured in Haydn’s Harmoniemesse (Eastman School of Music), W.A. Mozart's Coronation Mass in C (Voices), G.F. Handel's Messiah (Tallahassee Symphony Orchestra), and J.S. Bach's Cantata Christ lag in Todes Banden BWV 4 (Tallahassee Bach Parley). She appeared with the Peoria Bach Festival Chorus in 2025, served as Alto section leader for the Church of the Holy Trinity in New York City from 2023-2024, and has appeared frequently as a soloist and choir member with Baroque Artists of Champaign-Urbana since 2019.
Kendra Wieneke has been teaching voice and piano privately since 2009, when she designed and implemented her own 10-week beginning piano curriculum for recent graduates of a noted early childhood music program. Since then, she has been on faculty at Aria’s School of Music and Art, Strike It Up! Artistic Center, and Eastman Community Music School in Rochester, New York, serving over 100 students, ages 5-75. She has also worked in the public schools as a student teacher and served as a full-time accompanist for a high school choral program. From 2009-2014, she served as Minister of Music at East Rochester First Presbyterian Church, New York, overseeing and performing all music for services and church events. She is currently an independent teaching partner for Music Lessons Express, Mason’s School of Music, and TakeLessons.com in Tallahassee, Florida, and maintains an active home studio. She is also the founder and artistic director of Patchwork Project, an independent concert project dedication to the research and curation of the American Song Recital.
Outside of music, Kendra Wieneke is a dedicated yoga teacher and doting dog mom to her pup, Johann Sebastian Chewbacca - known to friends as Chewie. |
