Biography

Heather Antonissen has performed throughout the United States in a variety of mainstage productions and venues including opera, jazz, rock and recital. Heather has performed with Chautauqua Opera, Opera San Jose, North Bay Opera, Longwood Opera, Bay Shore Lyric Opera, Livermore Opera, Masterworks Chorale and the San Francisco Choral Society. Her operatic roles include Giulietta in Les Contes d’Hoffman, Carmen in Carmen, Flora in La Traviata, Tisbe in Cenerentola and the Mother in both Amahl and the Night Visitors and Hansel and Gretel.

In recital and oratorio, Heather has performed as soloist in Mozart’s Requiem, Haydn’s Paukenmesse, Handel’s Messiah and Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony. She has performed in concert with the San Francisco Choral Society, San Francisco Performance Showcase and with Masterworks Chorale.

Her competition honors include regional finalist in the Pacific Region Met Competition, finalist in the East Bay Opera League Competition, and winner in the National Association of Teachers of Singing regional competition. She has also participated in the Chautauqua Opera Young Artist Program and the Jarvis Zarzuela Program. Heather is now with the band Internal Affairs and performs at Max's Opera House Cafe in Burlingame each week.

A native of Anchorage, Alaska, Heather initially attended college on a basketball scholarship and went on to graduate summa cum laude from Oregon State University with a degree in voice, conducting and theater. She then received a graduate degree magna cum laude from the New England Conservatory. Currently a resident of San Francisco, CA, Heather performs in a variety of venues including jazz, rock and classical music and is currently working producing her original pieces.

Q&A with Heather Antonissen

Q. When did you first start singing?
A. I think I was born singing. My mom used to call me her little canary and my classmates were always asking the teacher to make me quit humming while I did my work. However, my primary interests in high school were basketball and volleyball so I didn't begin any serious musical training till I got to college.
Q. Did you always know that you would be a singer?
A. It took me awhile to figure out that's what I wanted to do with my life, but once I did, I've pursued a career in music ever since.
Q. You are involved in quite a wide range of music genres. How did that come about?
A. In my junior and senior years of high school, I started writing songs but had no idea how to notate them so that musicians could read the music. I decided I would study music in college, find some band members and go out and be a rockstar. When I got to college, I ended up going to an opera as part of my degree requirements and fell in love with it. Many years later, I realized that I still had a passion for jazz, and song-writing in particular, so have brought those back into my life in conjunction with classical singing.
Q. What is your music writing process like?
A. Usually it starts with a tune playing through my head that I find myself humming. Depending on where I am, I'll either record it so I don't forget it and develop it later, or I'll start adding words and see where it ends up. Each song is like it's own little adventure in that I don't know where I'm headed or where I'll end up, but it usually ends up being a great ride.
Q. Is that the way it is with your poetry and essays?
A. With the poems, definitely. A little phrase will come to mind or a picture and I'll just start playing with it until the poetry flows out. The essays do have a theme when I begin, but the way the ideas unfold and the order in which they appear often surprise me. It's really wonderful to be part of the "experience" of creating these pieces.
Q. Do you have special rituals to help your creative process or do you just let inspiration come to you?
A. Well, I'd say my special rituals are doing anything that's creative or that promotes a relaxed state of mind. I went through The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron a couple of years ago and became aware of how any sort of creative acts helps all creative acts. So I write daily, do a lot of hiking, dancing and yoga, and am now getting into some cooking and baking. I also began painting, started learning how to play jazz piano and I sight-read classical piano when I can. The "discipline" is to do something; the "creative/inspired" part determines exactly what that activity will be. Then, when I'm not paying attention, a lyric, melody or poem will come to mind and bloom from all the planting and tending I've done in these other areas.
Q. What does the future hold for you?
A. A life full of abundance--love, joy, creativity and beauty. All of these will flow through me to those who hear my words and music, filling us all and creating this wonderful connection to make one big party!