Andrea Pinder is a third year DMA student studying Vocal Performance in the studio of Dr. Carol Wilson. Her operatic credits include Lysia in Lysistrata, Suor Angelica in Suor Angelica, Donna Anna in Don Giovanni, Magda in La Rondine, Rose Segal in Later the Same Evening, Olga in The Merry Widow, and Venus in Orpheus in the Underworld. Andrea joined Pittsburg Festival Opera during the summer of 2021 as a Hans and Leslie Fleischner Young Artist. This season with UNT Opera, Andrea will perform the role of Female Chorus Member in The Rape of Lucretia. This past fall, Andrea was a featured recitalist as a part of Lewisville Lake Symphony’s Chamber Recital Series. Andrea currently holds the honor of a teaching fellowship through UNT’s Division of Vocal Studies and also served as an Adjunct Professor of Voice at Richland College in Dallas, TX. She is a native of Milwaukee and began her educational pursuits at Luther College in Decorah, IA before moving to Texas to attend the University of North Texas for a masters degree. Andrea is married to tenor Myles Pinder, who is also in the DMA program at UNT.
Jenny James Alto Soloist
Jenny Overgaard James, mezzo-soprano, is originally from a small sheep farm in rural northeast Iowa. From there she caught the attention of renowned director and founder of Des Moines Metro Opera's Robert L. Larsen. She received a bachelor’s degree in music at Simpson College and went on to receive a master’s of music degree from the University of North Texas. Jenny has sung numerous and diverse roles highlighting her vocal range and acting prowess including Carmen in Carmen, Mrs. Lovett in Sweeney Todd, Baba in The Medium, Badessa in Suor Angelica, Lady Billows in Albert Herring, Dame Quickly in Falstaff, and Dorabella in Cosi fan tutte. Along with Simpson College Opera and UNT Opera Theater, she has performed with Des Moines Metro Opera, Opera Iowa, and at the Festival Galuppi in Venice, Italy. Jenny has premiered new works including The Tale of Peter Rabbit with Opera Iowa, Dorian Grey with UNT Opera Theatre, and was the mezzo soprano soloist in the recording of Lee Johnson’s oratorio Every Matter Under Heaven with the Russian National Orchestra.Most recently she was the alto soloist in Handel’s Messiah with the Plano Civic Chorus and Orchestra.
Myles Pinder Tenor Soloist
Myles Pinder, tenor, is an Indiana native and has been hailed for a voice that is “deep and warm.” Myles was engaged this summer as a Hans and Leslie Fleischner Young Artist with Pittsburgh Festival Opera where he sang the role of Nico in Lysistrata. This season with UNT Opera, Myles sang the role of Jenik in The Bartered Bride. This past December, he sang Handel’s Messiah with the Irving Symphony. Myles’s previous roles include Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni, Leo Hubbard in Regina, Sam in Susannah, Martin in The Tender Land, and Alfred in Die Fledermaus. In addition to operatic roles, he has been the tenor soloist in Handel’s Messiah, Mozart’s Requiem, Puccini’s Messa di Gloria, and Haydn’s Theresienmesse. Myles holds an MM from Southern Methodist University and a BA from Butler University. Currently a doctoral candidate and Teaching Fellow at UNT, he enjoys being an active educator and singer. Myles is married to Andrea Pinder, also a doctoral candidate in Voice Performance at the University of North Texas.
Jeff Snider Bass Soloist Jeffrey Snider is a native of Buffalo, New York, and received both bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Indiana University. He received the doctor of musical arts degree from the University of North Texas in 1996 and in 1998 he returned to UNT as an associate professor in the College of Music. Operatic roles include Iago in Verdi’s Otello and Ping in Puccini’s Turandot in concert performances at the University of North Texas, the title role in Verdi’s Falstaff with Diversità Opera in Dallas, Scarpia in Puccini’s Tosca with the Utah Festival Opera, “Number 8” in Conrad Susa’s Transformations with Voices of Change, and the Count di Luna in Verdi’s Il trovatore in El Paso. Dr. Snider’s recent concert appearances include the bass solos in Handel’s Messiah with the Abilene Opera Association, the title role in Mendelssohn’s Elijah at UNT and at University Christian Church in Fort Worth, and the world premiere of Christus by S. Andrew Lloyd. He is the baritone soloist on the Klavier recording of Orff’s CarminaBurana with the University of North Texas Wind Symphony and Grand Chorus under the direction of Eugene Migliaro Corporon. Of this performance J. F. Weber of Fanfare magazine writes, "this is one of the finest…male soloists I have ever heard in this work." Dr. Snider last appeared with the Plano Civic Chorus in Ralph Vaughan William’s Dona Nobis Pacem.
