Andrés Cladera who first sang at age 7 at the Montevideo Opera in Uruguay, where he was born, is the first to admit that he wears an unusual amount of hats in the world of music. When he lists them — pianist, conductor, tenor, founder of The Microscopic Opera Company of Pittsburgh, artistic director, arranger of complete operas reduced to a chamber ensemble rather than a full orchestra — Andrés adds, “and don’t forget to include rock climbing.”
Andrés left Uruguay at age 18, when he received a full scholarship for piano and voice at the College of Charleston in South Carolina. He then went on to gain a master’s degree in music from Carnegie Mellon University.
It was at this point that Andrés realized that he would have to figure out how he was going to support himself while doing what he loves.
Andrés points out that, “I do have an entrepreneurial mindset. I started Microscopic Opera Company and other projects out of graduate school. I realized that, in order to advance my career and to conduct contemporary music/opera, I needed to produce it myself. These days, many companies are cautious to produce contemporary works. That being said, I don't believe in ‘fallback’ careers. I do believe in schools and colleges incorporating feedback from graduates and incorporating managerial and financial components into their degrees. These elements are absolutely needed these days to have a successful career,”
From Denver
The Multi-Tasking Andrés Cladera
By Edith Lynn Beer