Cantus Youth Choirs is proud to present Michelle Marie Pedersen, soprano, as our guest artist at the 2023 Winter Concert, IN THE BLEAK MIDWINTER.
Ms. Pedersen was a featured guest artist for Cantus Youth Choirs at our 2013 Season Finale. She accepted an offer to direct choirs with Cantus and did so from the fall of 2013 to the spring of 2017. Ms. Pedersen graciously accepted the offer to be our guest artist at her final concert in April 2017. Ms. Pedersen left in 2017 to pursue masters and doctorate degrees at the University of Utah. In 2020, Ms. Pedersen was a featured soloist in our virtual choir production, Hope Will Lead Us On.
Her service and involvement with Cantus has spanned the better part of a decade!
Ms. Pedersen has appeared as a soloist throughout the Pacific Northwest, and performed roles on both the operatic and musical theater stages.
Ms. Pedersen’s opera roles include Angelica from Suor Angelica, Gilda from Rigoletto, Musetta and Mimi from La Bohème, Madame Lidoine from Dialogues des Carmélites, Donna Anna from Don Giovanni, Old Lady from Candide, Lucia from Lucia di Lammermoor, and Mother from Amahl and the Night Visitors.
Ms. Pedersen’s musical theater roles include Dolly Levi from Hello, Dolly!, Grand Duchess Anastasia from The Student Prince, Miss Euphrasia from The Mock Marriage, Stepmother from Cinderella, Lucy the Beggar Woman from Sweeney Todd, Rosalie from The Daring of Diane, A Gentlemen of the Jury from Trial by Jury, Babcock Bellamy from The Fantasiks, Bloody Mary from South Pacific, and Vivien Luton from Perchance to Dream.
Ms. Pedersen has also performed extensively as a soloist in concert, competition, and recital works including Verdi Requiem, Mozart Requiem, Considering Mathew Shepherd, and Elijah with the Salt Lake Choral Artists; Premiere of “Snow Sounds” with the Salt Lake Symphony; Carmina Burana with the Paradigm Chamber Orchestra; and Angelina from Circular 14: Apotheosis of Aristides with the Utah Youth Symphonies. Additionally, Ms. Pedersen was the graduate winner of the University of Utah Philharmonia’s 2022 Concerto Competition.
Michelle holds a bachelor of arts in both Vocal Performance and Music Education from Oregon State University and a masters of music in Vocal Performance from the University of Utah. Ms. Pedersen is currently finishing the work on the doctorate of music arts in Vocal Performance. Michelle is a student of Dr. Robert Breault.