Born and raised in New York, Andrew began his musical journey at age 11, when he received a brand new electric guitar for his birthday.  Inspired by iconic groups such as Green Day, Nirvana and Metallica, he formed his own rock bands throughout junior high and high school, performing regularly at local shows.

After graduating high school, Andrew moved to Montreal, Canada.  He made a living playing for 9-10 hours a day in the subway station and attended classes at Concordia University.  He then moved back to New York where he obtained his degree in Music Theory and Composition.  Studying music at his university opened up a world he had never known as a rock musician.  He participated in choirs, studied renown composers such as Brahms, and learned to compose different styles of music for a variety of instruments.  He had original works performed by string quintets and choirs.  Andrew received the Douglas Malcolm Hastings award for excellence, a notable scholarship awarded to one student at the university.  During this time he began to teach privately for a local music school in New York.

After graduating, Andrew moved to Visalia, California in 2012.  He soon realized that Visalia was full of musical talent and potential, but was in need of additional educational and performance opportunities.  He opened Grace Note Music Studio in the Spring of 2014 with the intention of facilitating professional music instruction in a welcoming environment.  Since then, Grace Note has grown to employ over 25 music educators and serve hundreds of students weekly.  He opened a second location in the Fall of 2022 as the number of aspiring musicians continues to grow.  Grace Note is actively involved with community events and provides performance opportunities to students and professional musicians of all ages and backgrounds.

Andrew has organized charity concerts such as Band Together at the Fox Theatre, provides music opportunities to both children and adults at events like Taste the Arts, and books live music for local bars and venues.  He founded the Visalia Piano Project, a project that provides, decorates and maintains acoustic pianos for the public to play.  He has also worked with the Art Consortium’s MyVoiceMedia Center, a program developed to provide community members with professional recording access who might otherwise not have the opportunity.  Andrew also created and runs the largest and most successful free, all ages Open Mic night in the Central Valley.

Andrew is an active performing musician who is well-versed in many styles of playing.  He is the lead singer and guitarist for rock and jazz band, Big Foot and the Moon.  They play weekly at various venues, bars and events, both public and private.  He also plays a wide variety of music in a violin/guitar duo with violinist, Sarai Johnson.  They play regularly for weddings, private parties and at local venues.  Andrew serves as a sit-in guitarist for the Sequoia Symphony Orchestra and performs in bands and orchestras for musicals across the Central Valley.  He also performs as a solo act and is available for weddings, private parties and events.  Repertoire includes rock, jazz, blues, folk and country.  Andrew has been awarded the Central Valley’s Artist of the Year by the Arts Consortium.

Andrew has been a music educator for 15 years.  He taught for studios in New York as well as charter schools here in California, and is an instructor for College of the Sequoias’ Applied Lessons program.  At Grace Note, he has taught hundreds of musicians of all ages, backgrounds, and experience levels.  He tailors his curriculum to meet his students’ needs and personal goals.  Musicians who study with him tend to grow quickly and develop a strong sense of musicality and have a firm grasp on music theory.  He is known to push his students, often elevating them to becoming active, paid performers. Whether you are a beginning student, or a musician wanting to strengthen your skills, Andrew is a gifted and well-rounded instructor who is committed to your success. 

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