SELECTED PERFORMING EXPERIENCE
Andrew Bain is one of the leading performers and educators in Europe. He has performed with Wynton Marsalis, Natalie Cole, Kenny Wheeler, Randy Brecker, Dave Liebman, Bob Mintzer, John Taylor, Mike Gibbs, NDR Big Band in Hamburg, Elliott Sharp, Gavin Bryars, John O’Gallagher, Jason Rebello, George Colligan, Jon Irabagon, Walter Smith III, Iain Ballamy, Hans Koller, Jim Hart, Mark Lockheart, Peter Evans, Houston Pearson, John Parricelli, Stan Sulzmann, and was a member of vocalist Jacqui Dankworth’s band between 2007-8, recording with the late Sir John Dankworth in 2008. He has performed at many prestigious venues in the U.K., Europe and the U.S., including performing and conducting at the BBC Proms.
Receiving his BMus(Hons) from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in 2001, Andrew was resident in New York from 2001-07 gaining his MMus from the Manhattan School of Music in 2003 and performing extensively with Thelonious Monk Competition winner Jon Irabagon as well as with singer/songwriter Jason Liebman, Moppa Elliott’s Mostly Other People Do The Killing, Dave Lalama Jazz Orchestra, Alex Smith and Matt Brewer.
Since relocating to the UK in 2007, Andrew has played in regular projects directed by Michael Janisch (Paradigm Shift and Worlds Collide), Paul Booth (Travel Sketches, Ubuntu 2019), and appears on Andre Canniere’s latest recording, Ghost Days (Whirlwind Recordings 2020), as well as playing with touring artists such as Walter Smith III, Jure Pukl, Tim Armacost, and Patrick Cornelius.
Andrew has a trio of his own projects in action at the moment: Player Piano (2015) with Mike Walker, Gwilym Simcock, Iain Dixon, and Steve Watts; Embodied Hope (Whirlwind Recordings 2017) with George Colligan, Jon Irabagon, and Michael Janisch; and his latest project – (no)boundaries (Whirlwind Recordings 2020) – a free improv exploration featuring Peter Evans, Alex Bonney, and John O’Gallagher released in March 2020.
Andrew is Deputy Head of Jazz at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, Director of Jazz for the National Youth Orchestras of Scotland, and sits on the steering committee for the International Network for Artistic Research in Jazz.
EDUCATION
- Ph.D. (submitted Sept 2021), Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, Birmingham City University
- Post Graduate Certificate in Research Practice, Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, Birmingham City University. Awarded August 2016
- Master of Music from the Manhattan School of Music, New York. Awarded William H. Borden Award for outstanding achievement in Jazz. Graduated May 2003
- Bachelor of Music with First Class Honours from the Guildhall School of Music, London – orchestral percussion & Jazz drums joint principle study. Graduated July 2001
CURRENT EMPLOYMENT & INTERNATIONAL CONNECTIONS
- Deputy Head of Jazz and Senior Lecturer, Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, England (2014 until present)
- Current student and staff exchange with Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogota, Colombia. Artist-in-Residence, April 2019
- Visiting jazz tutor to Conservatorio di Musica Vincenzo Bellini di Palermo, Sicily (2016 & 2017); University of Music and Performing Arts, Graz, Austria (2019); and an upcoming trip as Artist-in-Residence at the University of Stavanger, Norway.
- Director of Jazz for the National Youth Orchestras of Scotland (2006 until present)
- External Post-Graduate examiner for Leeds Conservatoire, England (2016 until present)
- Jazz Tutor for National Youth Jazz Collective (Oct 2008 until present)
- Steering Group for The International Network for Artistic Research in Jazz (April 2019 until present)
- Jazz Tutor for Jazzlines, Birmingham (Oct 2014 until present)
- Jazz Tutor for The Music Place Jazz Summer School, Manchester (Aug 2017 until present)
PREVIOUS TEACHING POSITIONS
- Jazz Professor for Guildhall School of Music & Drama, London (Jan 2009-Jul 2014)
- Jazz Faculty for Kent University, England (Jan 2014-Jul 2014)
- Jazz Tutor for National Youth Jazz Orchestra of Wales (Jul 2009-Aug 2014)
- Jazz Faculty for City University, London (Oct 2010-June 2014)
- Jazz Faculty for Middlesex University, London (Feb 2008-May 2011)
- Jazz Tutor for The City of Edinburgh Music School (May 2007-May 2009)
- Jazz Faculty for Lagond School of Music, New York, U.S.A. (Sept 2006-June 2007)
- Jazz Faculty for the Long Island Conservatory, New York, U.S.A. (Aug 2005-June 2007)
- Jazz Faculty for Pinault School of Music, New York, U.S.A. (Sept 2005-June 2006)
- Outreach Tutor for Manhattan School of Music, New York, U.S.A. (Sept 2001-May 2003)
- Jazz Faculty for Manhattan School of Music Preparatory Division, New York, U.S.A. (Sept 2002-Dec 2003)
- Drum Tutor for Berkshire Young Musicians Trust, England (Sept 2000-June 2001)
WORKSHOPS & OUTREACH
Andrew leads on jazz Community Engagement and Pedagogy at Royal Birmingham Conservatoire teaching working alongside many local partners, notably Jazzlines and The Notebenders. He leads the BMus3 'Art of Pedagogy' module and examines the BMus2 'Pedagogy and Practice' module. He has also performed extensive group workshops for the National Youth Orchestras of Scotland, the Guildhall School of Music & Drama, the BBC Big Band and University of Edinburgh in the U.K. He has also undertaken outreach work in Harlem and The Bronx, New York, U.S.A.
RESEARCH
- Panel member for International Association of Schools of Jazz 2021, Artistic Research Round Table with members from The International Network for Artistic Research in Jazz, 11-12 November 2021. Hosted by Leiden University, The Netherlands
- Panel member for Documenting Jazz 2021, Artistic Research Round Table with members from The International Network for Artistic Research in Jazz, 23 June 2021. Hosted by University of Edinburgh (online)
- Co-Director for The International Network of Artistic Research in Jazz Conference (online), 18-19 January 2021 for Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, Birmingham City University, England
- Delivered paper at Documenting Jazz 2020, Birmingham City University, Jan 2020
- Delivered paper at The International Network of Artistic Research in Jazz inaugural conference, Oct 2019. Vienna, Austria
- Delivered paper at the Rhythm Changes Jazz Research Conference VI, April 2019. Graz, Austria
- Delivered paper at the European Platform for Artistic Research in Music (EPARM), Association of European Conservatoires (AEC), March 2018. Porto, Portugal
- Delivered paper for the Birmingham School of Media, Feb 2018. Birmingham City University, England
- Delivered paper at the Rhythm Changes Jazz Research Conference V, August 2017. Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Co-Director for the Being Thelonious: Perspectives on Monk at 100 international festival, June 2017. Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, England
- Delivered paper at the European Platform for Artistic Research in Music (EPARM), Association of European Conservatoires (AEC), April 2017. Antwerp, Belgium
- Delivered paper at the Rhythm Changes Jazz Research Conference IV, April 2016. Birmingham City University, England
COMPETITIONS, AWARDS & GRANTS
- Scottish Awards for New Music 2019, Innovation in New Jazz Music category (nominated for Embodied Hope, 2017)
- Faculty Research Investment Scheme support from Birmingham City University for (no)boundaries research project, Dec 2017
- Arts Council England support for Embodied Hope Quartet U.K. Tour (2016)
- Faculty Research Investment Scheme support from Birmingham City University for Embodied Hope research project, Oct 2016
- Faculty Research Investment Scheme support from Birmingham City University for Player Piano research project, Oct 2015
- Supported by the Scottish International Education Trust (2001, 2002), the Musician’s Benevolent Fund (2002) and the Countess of Munster Trust (2002) for Masters study at the Manhattan School of Music, New York, U.S.A.
- Awarded BBC Big Band Drummer of the Year 2001
- Finalist in the Yamaha Foundation of Europe Percussion Competition 2001
- Finalist in the Shell/London Symphony Orchestra Percussion Scholarship 2000
- Semi-finalist in the BBC Young Musician of the Year 1998