Canadian pianist and conductor Erika Gundesen is a distinguished graduate of the University of British Columbia and the Guildhall School of Music & Drama, where she was awarded a Masters in Piano Performance and an Artist Diploma in Opera Studies. She was also awarded an Assistant Conductor fellowship at the Guildhall in 2017.
Erika was a National Opera Studio Young Artist from 2017- 2018, a Britten Pears Young Artist in 2019, and a Scottish Opera Emerging Artist from 2018-2019.
Erika works as a freelance répétiteur and musical director for opera and theatre productions, with a particular passion for contemporary repertoire and workshopping new commissions. She has recently been involved in productions for the Royal Opera House, National Theatre, English Touring Opera, Longborough Festival, New Sussex Opera, Buxton Festival, Charing Cross Theatre, Southwark Playhouse, Virtually Opera, Scottish Opera, Waterperry Festival, Tête-à-Tête Festival, and many more.
Erika is currently Assistant Musical Director for the Olivier-award-winning West End musical Operation Mincemeat.