Ken Anderson has been involved in music since he started taking piano lessons from Sister St Claire in the convent attached to his school at age 6. He continued studying piano into his teens with Nancy Stessin on the upper west side of Manhattan. Nancy, an accomplished pianist and instructor, was the wife of acclaimed Juilliard instructor Herbert Stessin. They had 2 Baldwin grand pianos right next to each other in their living room that Baldwin maintained and upgraded for them. Studying piano in their home was quite an experience!
When he was 9 years old, Sister Claire suggested he contact Mildred Hohner, the Children's Chorus Director at both The Metropolitan Opera and City Opera. Ken auditioned at The Met and started his young singing career, performing in numerous operas over 5 years including Tosca, Die Frau Ohne Schatten, Billy Budd, La Gioconda, and many others. The pinnacle of his young singing career came in 1978 as one of the 8 pages in Tannhäuser, singing 8 part harmony for all of 9 syllables! His name on the main playbill of a Met opera is a cherished accomplishment.
Unfortunately, boys age out of children's choruses when their voices start changing; this career was over at 14 years old.
Ken went on to join the choir at the church he grew up in – Our Lady Queen of Martyrs in Forest Hills, Queens. There he met the music director Richard Pretzer; they became fast friends. Richard was the director of choral activities at St John's University (among many others), and Ken helped Richard and the tenors of St John's by singing with them in their concerts, including a performance on Ellis Island and numerous concerts at St Patrick's Cathedral.
Ken has continued to sing in church choirs as he moved around the tri-state area, finally settling with his wife Lora and 2 boys Matthew and Daniel in Sleepy Hollow NY, where he sings every Sunday at Christ Church San Marcos in Tarrytown. Singing, especially sacred music, will continue to be in Ken's life as long as he is able.
