Andrea Moore Joins Duke University Music Faculty

The Duke Department of Music is thrilled to announce the addition of Andrea Moore to its faculty. A lifelong musician and dedicated scholar, Andrea brings both passion and expertise to her new role. Her journey through music has been shaped by formative early influences, a deep commitment to voice study, and a career devoted to sharing the transformative power of music. We are excited for the talent, energy, and vision she will contribute to our community. Read below to learn more about Andrea's journey!

For Andrea Moore, music has been a constant presence since her earliest days.

“I can't remember a time in my life when I wasn't singing,” she says. That passion was shaped by a remarkable influence in childhood: “I had a truly wonderful Elementary Public School music teacher named Gloria Davis, whom I still credit and thank for initiating my leap into formal voice study. She was kind enough to take time for a special meeting with my mother to talk about my vocal talents, and she even gave me my first solo in a school chorus concert. This all led to voice lessons, and I suppose they say, ‘The rest is history!’”

Early Roots and Formal Training

Moore’s earliest training reflected her love of musical theater alongside classical study. “As my voice matured, I found a passion for classical music, namely opera and art song. I was so fortunate that here in North Carolina, there was a place for high schoolers to formalize their study early on, and I went to the University of North Carolina School of the Arts as a High School junior and senior.”

Her path then led to the conservatory world. “Following UNCSA, I pursued the conservatory path at the Peabody Conservatory of Music and Yale School of Music, where I was rooted in operatic training and competition. It was at Peabody where the seeds were planted for a passion for working with living composers. My teacher there, Phyllis Bryn-Julson, had an illustrious career in creating new music. This inspiration wound up taking shape over the most recent part of my career when I commissioned composers to write dramatic song cycles and monodramas for me, fusing my loves of opera, chamber music, new music, and literature.”

Today, she embraces a broad spectrum of singing. “Now, I have gone back to my roots in Musical Theater and consider myself an omnivorous singer, including MT, Jazz, and contemporary music all in the same stride as my classical and operatic background, and love not denying exploring and performing any part of those musical streams.”

Moore also points to the recordings of the 1990s as a major influence. “During the 90s, singers like Renee Fleming, Dawn Upshaw, Kathleen Battle, Susan Graham, and many, many more were really putting out amazing work… I had a huge surge of inspiration from those albums, and they continue to be a gift to me and to my students when I share them with new ears.” Although the recording industry has changed immensely, she still finds making albums a worthy and wonderful process. She has recorded several, including Grammy-nominated Family Secrets: Kith & Kin, an important work she spearheaded by former Duke Composition Post-Doctoral Fellow and fellow native of North Carolina, Daniel Thomas Davis, DMA.  

A Teacher’s Guiding Principles

Moore’s teaching philosophy is both practical and joyful. “I often say, ‘There is too much music to sing something you are not enjoying.’ This guiding principle shapes the repertoire I select for students.”

She sees her role as helping students balance technique with discovery. “As both an educator and artist, my goal is not only to help students gain technical proficiency but also to deepen their musicianship as they cultivate a personal connection to the music they perform. I strive to nurture versatile, inventive students who are as curious about the art of singing as they are committed to vocal health and longevity in their pursuit of a range of musical career paths.”

She hopes that students leave with confidence and authenticity. “I hope my students can begin to discover who they are as artists while expanding their capabilities. I hope to help them grow as performers and connect with their music while expressing their personal stories through song.”

When setbacks come, Moore leans on her own experience to guide students forward. “Breakthroughs are so exciting! But plateaus and walls, while inevitable, can be so challenging and disheartening. I’ve been there. I often encourage students to remember that there are ways of climbing over the wall and looking to the other side, and remember that you can be inventive about how you approach getting there. The wall doesn’t have to define the journey.”

A Homecoming to Duke

For Moore, joining the Duke faculty feels like a return. “I moved to Durham nine years ago when my husband opened a business downtown. At that time, I was on the faculty at UNC–Chapel Hill (no boos, please!) before stepping back from academia to focus on my family. Over the years, I’ve performed with many of Duke’s outstanding faculty, collaborated with Duke composers, and built meaningful connections across departments. I even recorded my second solo album in Baldwin Auditorium—a truly extraordinary space.”

Her ties to Duke run deep. “With such deep personal ties to Duke—I was right here born at Duke Hospital; my father, Dr. Joseph Moore, is professor emeritus of Oncology; both of my sisters are Duke alumnae… and my son attended his first Duke basketball game at just nine days old—this opportunity truly feels like coming home. Go Blue Devils!”

What excites her most now is reconnecting with students. “One’s years at university are such a powerful time of growth and discovery, and that growth is reflected directly in the blossoming of the voice. I’ve missed being part of a vibrant campus community and look forward not only to sharing my expertise but also to learning from my students.”

Offstage: Wit, Tap Shoes, and Timeless Music

When asked which figure she’d most like to share a meal with, Moore’s choice is characteristically witty: “I think I would have really enjoyed meeting Tom Lehrer, and I’m certain dinner with him would be full of dry wit.” She recently sang his song Poisoning Pigeons in the Park as a farewell gift for a friend moving to Paris: “It was received mirthfully, as intended.”

Her most treasured piece of music is Henryk Górecki’s Symphony No. 3. “Especially the recording with Dawn Upshaw conducted by David Zinman and the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra.”

And her hidden talents? “I suppose it’s musically adjacent, but I can do ventriloquism and am a somewhat decent tap dancer (when I practice)!” she says. That talent paid off when she joined childhood friend Michelle Dorrance for Dancing with the Carolina Stars in 2023—and won. “That was fun!”

Looking Ahead

Moore jokes that she’s most looking forward to “Duke winning the NCAA title!” But her artistic calendar is also full. “This October I will be singing works by Caroline Shaw and Respighi with the Balourdet String Quartet in the COT’s UpClose Series. Following that, I’ll sing a new live score to the German Expressionist silent film, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, at the Carolina Theater just in time for Halloween with Mallarmé Music.”

Further ahead, she is collaborating on a new commission with composer Clarice Assad and film scholar Marsha Gordon, centered on the forgotten Jazz Age writer Ursula Parrott. “We’re bringing the life and words of the prolific but largely unknown jazz age screenwriter and novelist… to new light in a newly created chamber work celebrating the 100th anniversary of her 1929 groundbreaking novel Ex-Wife.”

With her blend of artistry and deep ties to the university, Andrea Moore’s arrival at Duke feels both like a homecoming and a bold new chapter.