Andy Smith
Univ. of Texas - El Paso - United States
Overview
Andy Smith has performed in the national spotlight for over two decades. A former resident of Nashville, Tennessee, Andy Smith is completing a Doctor of Music degree at Indiana University's Jacobs School of Music. Andy taught as Adjunct Percussion Instructor at Middle Tennessee State University from 1999-2008. He recorded for producers and in studios and is a regular clinician in a variety of settings for all ages across the country, including PAS Day of Percussion for Kentucky, Georgia, and North Alabama, the Indiana Percussion Association State Day of Percussion, Indiana University, Mars Hill College, and the University of North Alabama.
Andy has studied drum-set and Afro-Cuban Music with many top educators including Lalo Davila, Horacio “El Negro” Hernandez, and Jesus Diaz. He also traveled to Ghana, West Africa where he studied West African drumming and dance. Andy’s orchestral teachers include Jim Ancona, Thom Hannum and others. Andy has been recorded on numerous albums and instructional videos and has performed at Tanglewood, the Hollywood Bowl and Lincoln Center. Other current projects include co-teaching Zimbabwean marimba classes with his wife, Amy Smith, and playing with Steel Panache, a professional group dedicated to the dissemination of “Trini” Panorama musical aesthetic. Andy is Assistant Director to Michael Spiro’s Indiana University Bateria, performing at Carnaval festivals in Bloomington and Indianapolis.
A versatile composer and arranger, Andy is published by Row-Loff Publications. Additionally, Andy self-publishes his works for solo percussion with electronics, percussion chamber ensembles, Latin-Jazz combo, flute trio, and mixed chamber duos (asmithdrum.com). His music is regularly performed all over the country. Andy’s experimental graphic score for percussion trio, Fora da Caixa is written for the international artist group Caixa Percussion Trio. His recent quartet, Brazilian Suite for Tambourines was premiered at Nashville’s Schermerhorn Symphony Center.