Andy Waggoner

Andy conducting

Andy Waggoner was appointed Artistic Director of the Chorus in August of 2016. Since then, the chorus has doubled its membership to over 200 members. For twelve seasons, he has been the Conductor and Artistic Director for The Collinsville Chorale in the Metro-East St. Louis Area which has an active membership of 80 auditioned voices. Full time, he serves as Director of Worship Arts at Webster Hills United Methodist Church in Webster Groves, Missouri. Previously, he served at Concord Trinity UMC and The Gathering UMC in St. Louis, MO. During his time at Concord Trinity, the music ministry flourished to include an annual concert series hosting internationally acclaimed talent such as Grammy Award Winners Sandi Patty and Christine Brewer and the Grammy Nominated trio, Point of Grace. The series also featured members of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and choirs and instrumental ensembles from Webster University, Missouri Baptist University, University of Missouri-St. Louis, Belmont University, Washington University, Columbia Jazz Collective/Mizzou, Lindenwood University, and Mid-America Nazarene University.

Andy has prepared choruses of all size for touring shows and artists, most recently for Fantasia's 2017 Christmas tour at The Peabody Opera House.

He currently serves the Missouri Choral Director's Association as the State Repertoire and Resource Chair for Music in Worship and Community Choirs. At the 2016 summer convention, his music colleagues in the St. Louis Suburban District voted Andy as “Outstanding District Director” for 2016.

Andy made his conducting debut at Carnegie Hall in the fall of 2011 with a Festival Choir of 250 singers and the 50 member New England Symphony Orchestra. He returned to the podium at Carnegie Hall in June of 2018, conducting new and premiere works by Mark Hayes. The concert featured members from the St. Louis County Community Chorus and other area choirs.  

Under his direction, choirs have performed numerous concerts and appearances at such venues as the Cathedral Basilica, The Sheldon Concert Hall and several local churches and theatres throughout the Mid-west. Andy has prepared over 400 participants in five different residencies at Carnegie Hall in New York City. He has coordinated and prepared festival choirs and concerts in collaboration with notable composers and conductors such as Joseph Martin, Mark Hayes, Dr. Craig Jessop. Dr. Rollo Dilworth, Dr. Eph Ehly, Hal H. Hopson, Mary Lynn Lightfoot, Patti Drennan, Heather Sorenson, Joel Raney, Howard Helvey, Victor C. Johnson, Dr. John Leavitt, Greg Gilpin, Kevin McBeth, and Amy Kaiser. 

As a soloist and pianist, Andy has performed annual concerts at The Sheldon Concert Hall, Jazz at the Bistro and The Kranzberg Arts Center. He was the tenor soloist with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra for the Holiday Pops Concerts in 2003. He has participated in over 60 shows as an actor, director, musical director, producer or conductor. He was nominated twice by Arts for Life, a St. Louis area theatre recognition guild, for his role in Jekyll and Hyde and for musically directing Suessical. Past favorite shows include Annie, Fiddler on the Roof, Cinderella, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Bells Are Ringing, Little Shop of Horrors, City of Angels, Suessical, New Moon, Honk!, Jekyll and Hyde, La Cage Aux Folles, High Society and You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown. In 2009, Andy was the Executive Producer of the Arts for Life Best Performance Awards at The Sheldon Concert Hall, an awards show celebrating community theater in St. Louis.

Andy has studied and taught private piano, voice, and conducting and has also lead community choral festivals. In 2010, he studied conducting with Ms. Amy Kaiser, director of the St. Louis Symphony Chorus. Andy is a member of the American Choral Director's Association, The Conductor’s Associations of Missouri, Illinois and Texas, Music Educator's National Conference, and The Fellowship of United Methodist Worship Arts.

In addition to his musical roles, Andy is proud to serve on the Board of Directors for Epworth Children and Family Services.

Andy is professionally represented by Talent Plus Universal.

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