Biography

 Andrew Beach is a music specialist at Claxton Elementary School in Greensboro, NC. He earned his bachelors degree is K-12 Instrumental Music Education from University of North Carolina at Greensboro with a minor in Philosophy (Fall 2018). He received the Thomas Stone Award for "Most Outstanding Music Education Performer in the Graduating Class."

He studied double bass under Prof. Craig Brown. Andrew started playing bass in his sophomore year of high school. He played electric bass first with the Capital Christian Home-school band, but saved up his money to afford the monthly payments and got an upright. He played upright bass with the Capital Christian Home-school jazz band, concert band, and wind ensemble. In his junior year of high school, he received the principal bass position for the North Carolina Christian School Association honors band. Andrew went on to audition for the Triangle Youth Symphony and received the assistant principal position his first year and the principal position his second. His involvement with the Triangle Philharmonic Association also included playing for the Triangle Youth Sinfonia and the Triangle Youth Jazz Ensemble. He also played double bass with the Triangle Youth Folk Ensemble.

     In the summer of 2012, Andrew founded the Odyssey Academy Music Studio to share the joy and knowledge he had gained from music. This would spark his passion for teaching and influence his ultimate decision to become a professional music teacher. He offers private lessons for guitar, bass, drums, piano and violin out of his home and occasionally will drive to student’s homes if their parents do not have any modes of transportation. In addition to private lessons, he leads a guitar ensemble.

    At the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Andrew has served as the principal bassist of the University Symphony Orchestra, principal of the UNCG Opera, Greensboro Opera, Casella Sinfonietta, Gate City Camerata, Bel Canto, Present-Continuous and the UNCG Wind Ensemble. He has also held the acting principal bassist position in the Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra for the 2017-18 season. 
    Andrew primarily studies with Craig Brown (prof. UNCG, NC Symphony), but he has also studied with Leonid Finkelshteyn (prof. ECU, Principal of NC Symphony), Eric Dyke (NC Symphony), Wolfgang Harrier (prof. University of Music Saarland, substitute for the Vienna Philharmonic), and Kevin Casseday (Jacksonville Symphony, prof. University of Florida). 

    His conducting experience has included conducting the UNCG Wind Ensemble for his Conducting II class and the UNCG Symphonic Band for the Fall, 2017 orchestration class reading session (both under the direction of Mark Norman). He has also conducted the Northwest High School Advanced Honors Orchestra for their 2017 winter concert.

​    In addition to music, Andrew’s other interests include reading, writing, poetry, philosophy, theology, foreign languages and hiking.