Hailing from Seattle, Washington, mezzo-soprano Heidi Vanderford is the first Lake Washington Singers scholarship winner. Since winning the top award in 1993, Heidi has enjoyed successful careers in both the business world and in vocal performance. She is currently executive assistant at Kingman Winslow LLC.
Heidi's career in vocal performance shows theatrical highlights in many arenas. Starting with her degrees in music and vocal performance at Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, Washington, and at Indiana University Bloomington, her roles have included soloist with Skagit Opera, International Opera Theater, New York City Opera, Seattle Symphony, and Seattle Opera, to name but a few. In addition to singing a wide range of roles in these debuts she has also been fortunate to cover all of the five Valkyries at Seattle Opera in their 2005 production of Der Ring Des Niebilungen. She has participated in Washington National Opera, Chicago Opera Theater, Opera Theater of St. Louis, and Fundacio de Gran Teatre del Liceu.
Tempered with her operatic successes she has found great fulfillment in singing concert repertoire including Spanish works such as El Amor Brujo and various chamber works for voice and classical guitar. In the 2006-2007 season Ms. Vanderford attended "The Interpretation of Spanish Song" workshop in Granada, Spain. She was one of five singers chosen to sing in masterclasses with the world famous mezzo-soprano Teresa Berganza. She also has a particular interest in oratorio works and has performed Handel's Messiah, Verdi Requiem and the alto solo in the Rachmaninov Vespers to great acclaim.
Through the years Heidi has contributed to the music industry through voice and piano instruction in both private practice and public schools.
