A native of Houston, Andrew Schneider is a pianist and vocal coach whose virtuosic technique and interpretative daring has cemented his reputation as a fearless musician. His extensive collaborative activity encompasses early music, standard operatic and art song repertoire, as well as contemporary music. Proficient in Italian, German, French, Latin -- and especially adept in less frequently encountered languages, such as Russian -- Andrew enjoys using his considerable linguistic skill to help make challenging texts accessible to singers both student and professional. Andrew’s wide ranging musical activities also includes harpsichord and organ performance, composition, and conducting.
​
Andrew Schneider is represented by Seven Eight Artists.
Vocal Coach
Whether his services are needed to assist advanced vocalists in understanding and naturally inhabiting roles from the standard operatic repertoire (and beyond), or whether he might be called upon to help relative vocal beginners navigate standard pieces' common pitfalls, Andrew is entirely at ease in assisting singers, with a particular reputation for being at home with difficult orchestral reductions of many sorts, especially those which are rhythmically complex.
Collaborative Keyboardist
Andrew is in his element working with several kinds of instruments and voices. With keyboard repertoire ranging from Baroque continuo sonatas and orchestral music (on harpsichord), to Romantic and modern chamber music, to church choir music (on organ, where he takes delight in supporting ensembles in addition to playing solo repertoire), to several world premieres, there is no challenge in this arena that Andrew will not devote all his effort to tackling, in the quest of creating cohesive interpretations of masterworks both well-known and obscure.
Composing and Arranging
Andrew delights in writing music in a wide variety of forms and for a wide variety of instrumental and vocal combinations. Through his music, his predilection for meticulous craftsmanship, structural coherence, and the aspects of tradition that have stood the test of time is readily discernible, though not without the occasional touch of spontaneous originality. He especially loves writing music which is satisfying for performers to learn and play, in which the learning curve presents principally those difficulties which merit the adjectives "exigent" and "rewarding."
Conducting
Andrew devotes a great deal of his energy and times to honing his skills in communicating to ensembles his interpretations of both repertoire music and his own works, especially in the hopes of helping fellow composer colleagues achieve a wider audience. As said in other places on this website, he enjoys a challenge, and welcomes inquiries in this regard from composers who have recently-written ensemble, choral, or orchestral works.
Translations
As a linguist by hobby, Andrew is intrigued by the potential uses of his skills in the musical world. He specializes in Romance languages and German, but is always keen to expand his horizons in less frequently encountered tongues. Several of his translations of arias and songs can be seen on Lieder.net.
Whispering Fragrance
Andrew can be heard on the newly released album Whispering Fragrance, a collection of chamber music by the composer Stephen Yip. Currently available to purchase and stream, Andrew plays piano on the tracks In Seventh Heaven and Tranquility in Consonance.
EVENTS
Texas New Music Ensemble's Composer's Concert
August 16, 2018, 7:30 PM
Midtown Arts & Theater Center Houston (MATCH)
Houston, Texas
Dvorak Piano Trio No. 4
September 28, 2018, 7:30 PM
Clear Lake United Methodist Church
Clear Lake, Texas
Recital with Bass-Baritone Christopher Besch
January 11, 2019, 7:30 PM
Lone Star College
Cyfair, Texas
Performance with La Speranza
January 26, 2019, 7:30 PM
First Evangelical Lutheran Church
Houston, Texas
A Concert of Texas Composers
February 21, 2019, 6:00 PM
Stephen F. Austin University in Nacogdoches
Nacogdoches, Texas
Performance with the Piping Rock Singers
February 23, 2019, 7:30 PM
The Cathedral of Our Lady of Walsingham
Houston, Texas
​
Performance to include the concert premiere of the motet, "Ego sum panis vivus" composed by Andrew Schneider.
Faculty and Guest Concert of Vocal Selections
February 26, 2019, 7:30 PM
Houston Community College-Stafford
Stafford, Texas
Texas New Music Ensemble Spring Composers Spotlight Concert
March 7, 2019, 7:30 PM
MATCH - Midtown Arts & Theater Center Houston
Houston, Texas
Performance with the Chamber Singers of the University of North Florida
April 6, 2019, 3:00 PM
St. Paul's by the Sea Episcopal Church
Jacksonville, Florida
​
Monteverdi's 1610 Vespers
Andrew Schneider, harpsichord
Faculty Concert
April 8, 2019, 7:00 PM
San Jacinto College-Central Campus
San Jacinto, Texas
​
Performance of "Afro-American Suite" by Undine Smith Moore
SCI Region VI Conference
April 11, 2019, 7:30 PM
Texas A&M University
Commerce, Texas
​
Premiere performance of "Les Exuberants," Op. 11, duo for oboe and clarinet, composed by Andrew Schneider
Selections from the Bruch Eight Pieces
April 22, 2019, 7:15 PM
Southern Methodist University
Dallas, Texas
​
​Featuring Celeste Markey, clarinet, and Hannah Martineau, viola
Performance with Houston Community College Choir
May 2, 2019, 7:30 PM
Christ Church Cathedral
Houston,TX
​
Performance of John Rutter's Requiem
Czech Art Songs and Piano Music
May 11, 2019, 7:00 PM
Houston Czech Cultural Center
Houston, Texas
​
Performance with soprano Elizabeth Gautsche featuring music by Dvorak, Martinu, and Korngold
Performances of Victor Herbert's Madeleine
June 21, 2019, 8:00 PM
June 22, 2019, 8:00 PM
June 23, 2019, 5:00 PM
MATCH - Midtown Arts & Theatre Center Houston
Houston, Texas
Andrew Schneider, Music Director and Accompanist
Texas New Music Ensemble
August 22, 2019, 7:30 PM
​
Program to include "White Water" for Piano by Stephen Lias and "Alabama and American Sketches III" for Piano Four-Hands by Jefferson Todd Frasier
Opera on Tap
September 7, 2019, 9:00 PM
Notsuch
Houston, Texas
Performance with La Speranza
September 28, 2019, 5:00 PM
First Evangelical Lutheran Church
Houston, Texas
​
A Concert of Italian Baroque Trio Sonatas
Texas New Music Ensemble Voice Recital
November 7, 2019, 7:30 PM
MATCH - Midtown Arts & Theatre Center Houston
Houston, Texas
​
With Soprano Julia Fox
Texas New Music Ensemble Voice Recital
November 9, 2019, 1:00 PM
Stephen F. Austin State University, Cole Concert Hall
Nacogdoches, Texas
With Soprano Julia Fox
Performance with the Brazosport Symphony Orchestra
December 14, 2019, 7:30 PM
The Clarion at Brazosport College
Clute, Texas
Opera on Tap: Valentine's Day Show
February 14, 2020, 7:00 PM
Envy Wine Room
Spring, Texas
​
Andrew Schneider plays with Opera on Tap Houston singers in a program of especially schmaltzy opera selections
Mercury Houston
Schubert's Winterreise
February 15, 2020, 8:00 PM
Wortham Center,
Houston, Texas
Orchestrated for strings by Antoine Plante with stage direction by Denis Plante and featuring tenor Nicholas Phan. Andrew Schneider is the rehearsal pianist for this production
Texas New Music Ensemble:
Spring 2020 Composer Spotlight Concert
March 20, 2020, 7:00 PM
MATCH - Midtown Arts & Theatre Center
Houston, Texas
​
Andrew Schneider plays piano on the Peter Lieuwen Rhapsody with Joanna Becker, violin; Peter Lieuwen Bright River with Celeste Markey, clarinet; and Peter Lieuwen Gulfstream with the above players and Ariana Nelson, cello.
​
Postponed Due to the Covid-19 Pandemic
Texas New Music Ensemble
Guest Ensemble at SCI 2020 National Conference
March 27, 2020, 8:00 PM
University of Texas at Arlington
Arlington, Texas
​
Andrew Schneider plays piano with Texas New Music Ensemble in a program of works for piano trio and various mixed ensembles:
Paul Novak: glimmer songs
Kyong Mee Choi: Rippled Pond
Chin Ting Chan: Icebergs
Jonathan Newmark: Secret Atop the Bluff
Emily Joy Sullivan: Dangerous Curves Ahead
Paul Osterfield: Quicksilver
Sam Wu: Monarch
Luke Dahn: The Impeded Stream is the one that Sings
Ben Robichaux: Innocent Machine
​
​Postponed Due to the Covid-19 Pandemic
​
Seven Last Words of Christ by Michael John Trotta
(Live Stream Event)
April 6, 2020, 6:00 PM (CST)
Mary Queen Catholic Church
Friendswood, Texas
Performance of Les Exubérants
April 16, 2020, 7:00 PM
Tarrant County Community College
Fort Worth, Texas
​
An original composition by Andrew Schneider performed by Celeste Markey, clarinet,
and Audrey Yu, oboe.
​
​Postponed Due to the Covid-19 Pandemic
Houston Gilbert and Sullivan Society
The Yeomen of the Guard
June 20 and 27, 2020, 7:00 PM
June 21 and 28, 2020, 2:30 PM
Hobby Center, Zilkha Hall
Houston, Texas
Andrew Schneider is rehearsal accompanist for this production
​
Postponed Due the COVID-19 Pandemic