Audra has been a Liturgical Musician, primarily on the piano and occasionally as cantor, for over 25 at St. Hedwig Catholic Church. As music opened up after the Covid shutdown, she was offered the position of . She currently oversees music selections for and serves at weekend Masses and special liturgies, assists at St Hedwig School liturgies, schedules Staff Musicians, rehearses with cantors, conducts the Adult Choir, and assists the Bereavement and Wedding Ministries. In the future, she hopes to introduce a new organ to the sanctuary, develop a Youth Ensemble at the 5pm Sunday Mass, re-start a parish-based Children’s Choir, and assist with the music needs of Bible Camp.
A classically-trained pianist and accompanist, Audra graduated with a Bachelor of Music degree in Piano Performance from Chapman University in 1995. While at Chapman, she sang in the University Choir, was a student accompanist for vocalists, instrumentalists, and the Opera program, studied vocal pedagogy and composition, and took organ lessons. Working her way through college, she played for many funerals and weddings at venues around Orange County. Her most notable accompaniment jobs were for a Dutch choir, two high school choirs (one classical, one show), and the “Hour of Power Children’s Choir,” at the then-Crystal Cathedral.
A convert to the Catholic faith, Audra draws inspiration for hymn selection from her love of Scripture, and her rich-heritage in Christian music. She accompanied her church choir throughout high school, directed a Praise and Worship Band in college, and taught music and a Children’s Choir at St. Cornelius Catholic School in Long Beach before having a family of her own. Most recently, she was the Choir Organist for Our Lady of Refuge Church in Long Beach.
In her spare time, Audra performs at Assisted Living facilities and for Alzheimer patients. She enjoys most styles of music, especially the Scripture-rich older hymns because they helped lead her to the Catholic liturgy and her love of our Lord in Communion. She has a heart for teens and helping the next generation of musicians develop for service in the Catholic liturgy.
Audra was married 26 years ago in St. Hedwig Catholic Church, and has participated in ministries centered around Religious Education and music. She has five children, all of whom have attended Religious Education here at St. Hedwig, and who attend schools in Los Alamitos.