Dr. Andrew Binder is a bassist and composer from St. Louis, Missouri currently teaching at Jefferson College in Hillsboro, MO, and the Community Music School at Webster University.
Andrew holds a D.M.A. from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in Jazz Performance with a cognate in Music Composition. He also holds a M.M. in Music Composition from the University of Miami Frost School of Music, and B.M. degrees in Composition, Jazz Studies and Double Bass Performance from Bowling Green State University.
For bass, Andrew has studied jazz with Willem Von Hombracht, Jeff Halsey, Don Coffman and Larry Gray; Classical bass under Robert Rohwer and Dr. Brian Powell.
For composition, Andrew has studied with composers Stephen Taylor, Christopher Dietz, Mikel Kuehn, Marilyn Shrude, Dorothy Hindman and Lansing McLoskey. He has also received multiple lessons through residency from prestigious composers including Augusta Read Thomas, Martin Bresnick and Christopher Theofanidis.
Additionally, Andrew has studied jazz composition and arranging with Scott Lavender (arranger for Johnny Mathis) and Gary Lindsay (author of the book "Jazz Arranging Techniques: From Quartet to Big Band").
In 2023, Andrew was awarded an Urbana Arts Grant for his original group “Conspiracy Deliracy”, featuring all original compositions and artwork based on different conspiracy theories, and self-released as an album on October 13th, 2023. Andrew is also currently a participant in the BMI Jazz Composers Workshop under the direction of Alan Ferber and Andy Farber.
Some of his other accomplishments include winner of the 2018 Ensemble Ibis Competition Graduate division for his piece Brux, winner of the 26th Annual Craig's Keyboards/UT Young Composer's Competition. Andrew has had works performed by new music groups Dal Niente, Ritual Action, and Ensemble Ibis; works read by the Toledo Symphony Orchestra and members of the Cleveland Symphony Orchestra; Finalist in the 2014 Douglas Wayland Chamber Competition Graduate Division; Arrangements recorded and/or performed by University of Studio Jazz Band, Miami Vocal Jazz Ensemble, University of Illinois' Concert Jazz Band and Repertory Jazz Orchestra. Andrew has also participated in the Charlotte New Music Festival and the Dal Niente + DePaul Summer Residency for New Music.
Andrew has performed in a wide variety of groups with high caliber musicians. Some notable musicians he’s performed with include Steve Davis, Chip McNeill, Joel Spencer, Tito Carrillo, Larry Gray, Chip Stephens, Mark Tonelli, Jose Gobbo, Dave Stone, Edu Riberio and Tammy McCann.
A few formal groups include Sinfonia da Camera, Millikin-Decatur Symphony Orchestra, Perrysburg Symphony Orchestra, Ibis New Music Ensemble, and Bowling Green New Music Ensemble. Andrew has also worked as a bassist for Arrow Rock Lyceum Theatre, Little Theatre on the Square, and the Adirondack Performing Arts Fellowship. Additionally, he's an in-demand bassist with jazz groups and R&B/popular music groups.
Press
Interview about “Conspiracy Deliracy” by Derrick Philips of Smile Politely
“Conspiracy Deliracy, Andrew Binder’s experimental jazz album, is a treasure trove of musical ingenuity, each track a foray into the unexplored territories where music and myth intertwine. On the topic of his album’s themes, Binder shares, “half of them are about classical conspiracies, and then the other half are based on conspiracies about musicians.” In this intriguing crossover, Binder takes snippets from renowned artists’ works and distorts them to fit the conspiracy narrative. It’s an artistic choice that reflects the essence of conspiracy theories themselves – taking pieces of truth and bending them into something new and often unrecognizable.”
https://www.smilepolitely.com/music/andrew-binder-bends-the-rules-with-conspiracy-deliracy/
Interview about “Conspiracy Deliracy” with Joe Dimino of Neon Jazz Kansas City
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bvBBmDZHSM8&ab_channel=NeonJazz
Interview with CanvasRebel
https://canvasrebel.com/meet-andrew-binder-2/