ANDREW BEER
violin
Violinist and APO Concertmaster Andrew Beer has
been described as a “virtuoso soloist” by the San
Francisco Classical Voice, as possessing a “glorious
string tone” by Strad Magazine, and as a “musical gift”
by the New York Times. He has performed extensively
throughout North America, Europe, Asia and
Australasia, including live broadcasts on NHK Japan,
CBC Radio-Canada, WQXR New York, RNZ Concert and ABC Classic.
As a soloist, he has performed with leading orchestras in Vancouver, Montreal,
New York, Boston, Catania, Auckland and Hamilton with conductors including
Gil Rose, Joseph Silverstein, Victor Feldbrill, Eckehard Stier, Giordano Bellincampi
and Tecwyn Evans. As chamber musician, he has performed at the Banff, Orford,
Domaine Forget, Tanglewood, Aspen, Music@Menlo, Prussia Cove and Akaroa
festivals, and with Grammy-winners Midori, Emerson and Parker String Quartets,
and Tui-winners NZ Trio. Contemporary music has played a large role in Andrew’s
musical life, having worked closely with leading composers of our time including
Pierre Boulez, Mario Davidovsky, György Kurtág and Steve Reich.
Outside his busy performing schedule, Andrew teaches both privately and at
the University of Auckland, and has been a guest teacher at Harvard and McGill
Universities. He frequently serves as a panellist for competitions and scholarship
funds throughout New Zealand, including the prestigious Michael Hill International
Violin Competition. Humanitarian and outreach concerts have played an important
role in his musical output, and through such endeavours he was awarded a US
Congressional Commendation in 2006.
Born in Vancouver in 1982, Andrew’s principal teachers were Lawrie Hill, Gwen
Thompson, Gerald Stanick, Ani Kavafian and Donald Weilerstein. He holds a BA
magna cum laude from Stony Brook University, an MM and GD from the New
England Conservatory of Music and a Fellowship at Carnegie Hall and the Juilliard
School, and from 2008-2013 held the position of assistant principal 2nd violin with
the Montreal Symphony Orchestra. Andrew has proudly been Concertmaster of
the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra since 2014, and has performed as guest
concertmaster with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Melbourne
Symphony Orchestra and Vancouver Symphony Orchestra.
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