Chandra McKern: Leading Lady
celebrating ten years of vision and voice
An Interview with Chandra McKern, General Director of Pensacola Opera
2010 – Education Director, Chandra McKern Introduces Performers at the Little Women Opera Hors D’oeuvres at Barnes & Noble
Tell us about your history with Pensacola Opera prior to being named Executive Director
Our previous Artistic Director, Kyle Marrero, hired me in 2010 to be the Director of Education & Community Outreach at Pensacola Opera. My husband, Corey, had performed with Pensacola Opera and had a relationship with the company prior, so he already knew the area well. At the time, we were living in NYC and I was becoming more interested in arts administration rather than singing, so I decided to make the career change.
In 2013 I was offered the Director of Education position at Nashville Opera and accepted that position. I worked there a little over 2.5 years before I got the call from Pensacola Opera that the Executive Director position was opening up and they wanted me to interview and apply. At the time, I did not feel like I was ready to run an opera company; they brought me in as Managing Director for three years under Jerome Shannon’s leadership. I transitioned to Executive Director in 2018 and General Director in 2022.
What brought you back to Pensacola?
Pensacola’s thriving arts scene and community was a major draw and, of course, the most beautiful beaches in the world. The friendly and welcoming atmosphere makes it easy to feel at home. After leaving Pensacola the first time, Corey and I both really missed it because Pensacola Opera has always felt like our extended family. After multiple moves around the country and career opportunities creating long distance relationship stretches, we were thrilled to raise our family and build the next stage of our careers in Pensacola.
2010 – Education Director, Chandra McKern works with Overture campers performing Pagliacci
Tell us about your own opera career
I was working towards my Masters degree in voice at Indiana University, where I met Corey. During that time, I was hired as a Studio Artist with Central City Opera and Chicago Opera Theatre. After graduating we decided to move to New York City (as most singers do) and made that our home for almost 8 years where I enjoyed working with Tulsa Opera, Nevada Opera, Opera Birmingham, Little Orchestra Society of NY, and more. Eventually, the auditions and daily grind of being an opera singer started to take a toll on me, especially while working a separate full time job at Goldman Sachs. At the end of the day, my anxiety and nerves got the best of me as a performer. I slowly started to realize that I could do more to advance this art form in arts administration than an opera singer. I still love to sing but don’t do it very often with our crazy schedules. I am incredibly fortunate to still be doing what I love and trained for, just on the other side of the table.
2001 – Chandra McKern performs in The Marriage of Figaro at Indiana University with Corey McKern and Sheila Dunn
I'm incredibly fortunate to still be doing what I love and trained for, just on the other side of the table.
What are some of the biggest areas of growth at Pensacola Opera you’ve seen over the past 10 years?
In the past 10 years, I would say the Jan Miller Studio Artist Program has seen some of the biggest growth within our organization. The level of artistry we bring in every season continually gets better. Cody has truly crafted a competitive and reputable young artists training program that brings back many of our alumni to be featured in the mainstage productions.
Our audiences continue to be captivated by the extraordinary performances and exceptional production quality on our mainstage. We continue to operate with responsible fiscal management that is balanced with our artistic vision. The more we have embraced innovation and creating unique events for new audiences, the more solid our financial position has become.
I would be remiss if I did not mention my incredibly talented staff. We have grown so much as an organization both financially and artistically, but I truly believe that we have the perfect “dream team” to accomplish anything. We all continually work together to address and identify stakeholders and develop new strategies to maximize visibility, fundraising, and revenue opportunities.
What do you love most about your job?
The people! I am beyond grateful for the leadership of our Board of Directors, an incredibly talented staff, amazing artists, and supportive arts community. I love meeting the new group of Jan Miller Studio Artists every season and watching them grow as artists over the course of the year. It is an amazing feeling to advance something you believe in with a talented group of people who are equally committed to connecting with our community.
Live opera is one of the most spectacular experiences anyone can have. The great singing, the great music, the great stories all working together to make great LIVE performances. There is nothing like it.
What has been a big highlight moment for you?
Our 40th Anniversary celebration was a big highlight for me personally. Leading the company through a successful 40th Anniversary Campaign, the Forty Forward Concert featuring some of our company’s most celebrated guest artists alongside the Symphony and Children’s Chorus, the renaming our Young Artists Program to the Jan Miller Studio Artists Program, and my husband Corey’s first season as Artistic Director and Director of La Bohème was a pretty memorable season.
2022 – Chandra & Corey McKern with Pensacola Opera singers for the 40th Anniversary Gala Concert
What are some accomplishments you’ve made with the company that you’re especially proud of?
I am so proud of the way we sustained the company, as well as the art form, during the global pandemic. Pensacola Opera came out fiscally stronger as an organization thanks to government support and the very generous donations from individual supporters. The opera world saw artists innovate and evolve in new and exciting ways, keeping the art form alive and vibrant at a time when we needed music more than ever. Pensacola Opera was one of the first companies to pay out their artists fees when the world shut down.
Some other accomplishments I am proud of are receiving an Impact 100 Grant: In Perfect Harmony during Covid and receiving a Sunday’s Child Grant to produce Laura Kaminsky’s opera As One.
2022 – Chandra & Corey McKern at the 40th Anniversary Gala Concert Reception
Get To Know Chandra
What’s something people don’t know about you?
I grew up in the cornfields of Iowa and I played the Violin for 12 years. I have two adorable long haired miniature dachshunds, Dolly and Daisy. I am 100% an introvert but have to be an extrovert in my line of work. I have watched every season, yes every season of The Bachelor since 2002. It is truly my guilty pleasure and I am not ashamed to admit it.
Where are some of your favorite places in Pensacola?
George Bistro & Bar, Pearl and Horn, Pensacola Beach, Saenger Theatre, exploring Palafox street on the weekends, and the numerous historic sites scattered throughout Pensacola.
What are you doing when not working? Hobbies, activities, etc?
I absolutely LOVE being outdoors. When I am not working I love spending time with my husband and two children, traveling, running, gardening, shopping, going to the beach, watching reality TV, and dining out at our fabulous local restaurants.
What is your vision for Pensacola Opera for the next ten years?
I am committed to remaining a sustainable institution of service to Pensacola, first and foremost.
In the next ten years, my vision for Pensacola Opera is to be operating and performing in a brand new building with a state of the art performance venue on what is now our current parking lot we purchased last summer. I envision this new performance venue to be a bustling hub for all the local arts organizations, while creating a “community-centric” performance center and event space. This new home will expand Pensacola Opera’s mission in exciting ways, allowing us to engage our community year-round with a broader range of programming while also addressing a critical need for affordable performance and rehearsal space in our thriving city.
Artistically, I would love to add one more opera to our mainstage season at the Saenger Theatre, with the addition of performing new works and recitals in our own venue. We plan to continue producing innovative events that bring in new audiences with the continuation of Pensacola Opera’s long standing artistic excellence. I believe we have the right creative team not only to maintain our high artistic standards, but also to successfully attract new audiences to our beloved musical form.
Ultimately, I want to make sure that our staff is proud of our work, our board is excited about what we’re producing, we are meeting the needs of the community, the artists feel appreciated and safe in a creative environment, and our audiences can feel it. I look forward to moving into the next phase for Pensacola Opera with my husband by my side as the Artistic Director. I am deeply grateful for the support of the Pensacola Opera community and look forward to seeing the company thrive in the years to come. I believe that our best moments are yet to come.
