About Andy Wasserman

Pianist and native New Yorker Andy Wasserman draws on an astonishingly diverse range of experiences in the music industry.

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His original compositions, arrangements and instrumental performances on many recordings and soundtracks for TV, Radio and Film productions have appeared on the NBC, CBS and ABC networks, as well as Cable TV stations that include A & E, The Lifetime Network, The History Channel, The Travel Channel, TBS, Nickelodeon, The Turner Network, QVC and The Learning Channel.

Internationally, his work has been heard on TV, film and radio produced around the world in countries that include Japan, Argentina, Canada, Hong Kong, Italy, Finland, the Netherlands, Norway, Ireland, Australia, Brazil, Australia, Belgium, Czech Republic, Mexico, South Africa, Spain, United Kingdom and France.

PIANIST AND EDUCATOR

The piano is Andy Wasserman’s main instrument and the heart of his life’s work in music. It is a perfect vehicle for the totality of his creative artistic expression.

His solo piano style fuses spontaneity, expressive nuance and subtlety, harmonic intimacy, rhythmic intricacy, and an eloquent spectrum of polished dynamic gradation.

Andy Wasserman began exploring piano at age 3, and started lessons at 7 in the innovative Robert Pace multi-key method. He studied Jazz at the Metropolitan Music School (18 W. 74 St., Manhattan) with Anne Bacon Dodge from elementary through high school, moving on to develop a life-changing 30-year relationship with Jazz piano virtuoso Dwike Mitchell. Mitchell discusses mentoring Andy in the “New York” chapter of his biography written by William Zinsser entitled “Mitchell and Ruff.”

Andy earned his degree from New England Conservatory as a protege of Jazz composer George Russell, and received classical piano training under Ms. Jeannette Giguere.

Wasserman developed his signature sound, combining an expressive piano touch with an impressive technique. His performances merge his original compositions along with original arrangements and unique interpretations of the Jazz, Hollywood and Broadway “American Songbook” legacy. He is well versed in modern and traditional Chicago & Kansas City Blues and Boogie Woogie piano styles, ‘new age’, traditional standards and pop repertoires. His rhythmic invention and elegant harmonies stand as a living tribute to the tradition of fine music, past and present. Wasserman is a highly respected and experienced performing musician, popular throughout the United States since 1982.

In addition to his experience in a wide variety of ensemble settings, he has established himself as one of New York City’s premier solo piano and electronic keyboard stylists. Wasserman was under contract with the American Federation of Musicians Local 802 from 1987 through 1996 for an uninterrupted nine-year solo piano engagement, performing every weekend on the Steinway grand in the Ambassador Room of the United Nations Plaza Hotel across from the United Nations in New York City. He has been a regular pianist at other fine New York City establishments that include the Grand Hyatt Hotel at Grand Central Station, The River Cafe at the Brooklyn Bridge, Dish of Salt at Rockefeller Center and Manhattan’s Hotel Intercontinental, among many others. As of 2017, Andy Wasserman continues to perform in club and concert settings, at festivals, special events and private parties.

He is also a highly experienced and in-demand instructor of piano for beginners, intermediate and advanced students in all styles. His latest project is here at this PIANO LESSON CITY website where he develops content and media, providing unique, customized, personalized private music lessons online to students around the world.

PRODUCER

Wasserman’s production studio and Indie record label TransMedia Sound & Music is his main vehicle for production assignments, from in-house scores and digital editing & mastering to multimedia content development. Corporate clients since 1987 have included AT&T, IBM, Panasonic, Mastercard, Sanofi-Winthrop Pharmaceuticals, Atlantic Mutual Insurance, Prentice-Hall, The Mayo Clinic, Castrol Motor Oil, Altered Image, Time-Life Music, Digital Cable Radio, New York Communications and Prime Productions. He is co-creator of the world music Beat of the Blue Planet interactive CD-ROM, a ground-breaking 1995 disc produced for the music software company Opcode Interactive, and has been working with the therapeutic and healing modalities of music in private and public forums since 1974.

RECORDING ARTIST

Andy Wasserman has had nine CDs of his compositions, arrangements and performances released in the USA over the last 10 years on different labels. Titles include KINDRED SPIRITS (High Harmony Records), BEFORE WE ASK (Z-Pen Records), COOL JAZZ, UNIVERSAL BEAT (Alternate Mode Records), PEACEFUL PIANO CHRISTMAS, and BEAD SONGS (TransMedia Sound & Music).

His latest release “OVER TONES” features his new jazz ensemble THE 3C TRIO. Excerpt from a review published in The Alternative Press:  “The 3C Trio’s ‘Over Tones’ is a superb CD that meets an extraordinarily high standard. The repertoire is exceptional; the interplay between pianist Andy Wasserman, bassist Lisle Atkinson, and percussionist Joe Licinski sensitive, complex, and sublime. Highly recommended for anyone who appreciates thoughtful, intelligent musicianship!”

Additionally, his unique and sophisticated thematic solo piano work has been produced on special edition TV/Film Music Library CDs as composer, arranger and instrumentalist, distributed around the world by both the Pyramid Music Library (SOLO PIANO, Vol. 1) and the TWI North American Library (SOLO PIANO, Vol. 2) through licensing deals with Premier Radio Network.

Listen to tracks from all these recordings AT THIS LINK.

COMPOSER

Wasserman’s publishing company Andrew Roy Music has a current catalog of 35 of his original compositions that have been recorded and released for worldwide distribution. BMI maintains a catalog of 73 published works with Wasserman as songwriter & composer. Wasserman entered into Digital Distribution beginning in June 2007 with licensing to Apple iTunes, E-Music, Amazon.com, Spotify, BeatsMusic, GreatIndieMusic, PayPlay, CD Baby, Tradebit, BuyMusic, and SNOCAP.

WORLD MUSIC SPECIALIST

Wasserman began performing regularly at age 11 as a Hammond B3 organ player for religious services, a New York City Boy Scout Troop marching band snare drummer, a drummer in a Middle School rock band and an orchestral percussionist in High School. He has appeared primarily as a pianist in concerts and clubs since 1971. His original World Music multi-cultural productions have been presented as concert performances and teaching workshops in thousands of festivals, schools, colleges and universities, museums and various public and private institutions since 1979. His arts-in-education management and representation has included the premier national agencies of Young Audiences (Connecticut and Massachusettes state chapters), Festival of Music, Hospitals Audiences, Jumpstart, BOCES and Morris Arts.

He has taught master classes as a visiting guest artist at Berklee College of Music, North Texas State University, Delmar College – Corpus Cristi, TX, New England Conservatory of Music, University of Georgia, Jersey City State College, and at the Percussive Arts Society International annual conferences in Nashville (1996) and Los Angeles (1997).

Wasserman has spent decades in collaboration with a many different dancers and dance companies, acting as composer and accompanist. He was musical director and/or taught the course from his Book/CD “Music For Dancers” at dance festivals around the US such as The Rhythm Explosion (Boseman, Montana), The New York City “Tap City”  and the St. Louis Tap Festival.

EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND SUMMARY

  • Bachelor of Music degree from New England Conservatory of Music, Boston.
  • Studied abroad at University and L’Academie des Musique in Sion, Switzerland.
  • Graduate studies in Music Therapy at New York University.
  • Attended The High School of Music and Art and The Metropolitan Music School in Manhattan.
  • Mentored through intensive, long-term private study by:
    • Dwike Mitchell – piano
    • George Russell – composition, Lydian Chromatic Concept of Tonal Organization (music theory)
    • Papa Ladji Camara – jembe (West African drumming)
    • Jeannette Giguere – classical piano
    • Anne Dodge – classical and jazz piano

TEACHING BACKGROUND SUMMARY

  • Private music teacher and mentor for 35 years; 2016 roster of 20 – 30 students per week in person and online private lessons via video chat.
  • Visiting artist giving master classes at Universities, Colleges and Festivals throughout the United States.
  • Certified Instructor of George Russell’s Lydian Chromatic Concept of Tonal Organization; providing lessons and seminars since 1982.
  • Creator of PIANO LESSON CITY, an online private lesson music school specializing in customized and personalized instruction for all ages, all levels and all styles
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