Teacher Profile: Andy Zadrozny
About Andy Zadrozny
Andy Zadrozny began his musical journey at age five with piano lessons, followed by theory and ear training from ages seven to nine. He studied trumpet in his school band from nine to eleven, picked up guitar during his teenage years, and focused on bass from age seventeen into his mid-thirties.
From 1976 to 1980, Andy studied at the University of Utah, where he pursued jazz under Henry Wolking, electronic music with Vladimir Ussachevsky, played in the classical orchestra conducted by Christian Tiemeyer, and explored Middle Eastern music with Lloyd Miller.
After college, he continued extensive private study, including conducting with Roupen Shakarian; the Alexander Technique with Gary Barton and Marge Barstow; and bass with renowned teachers such as Ron Simon, Artie Smith, Gary Karr, Joe Santiago, Dave Holland, Charlie Haden, and John Deak. He also studied voice with Thomas Eckert, Andy Shaw, and Deviji Prasad.
As a professional bassist—both acoustic and electric—Andy has worked across a wide range of genres. His orchestral experience includes roles as principal bassist with the Federal Way Symphony, Whatcom Symphony, and Philharmonia Northwest; co-principal with the Bellevue Philharmonic; and section bass with the Tacoma Symphony, Seattle Film Orchestra, and Seattle Symphony Pops. In the salsa world, he has performed with Orquesta Nueva Era, Buena Vibra Sextet, and the Albuquerque Latin All Stars. His work in Arabic music includes House of Tarab, and in jazz, he has performed with Jack Brownlow, Bert Wilson, John Rangel, Buddy Catlett, Doug Lawrence, Bobby Shew, Lou Rivera, Rick Mandyck, and others. As a bandleader, Andy has led the Mainstream Sextet and other groups under his own name.
His teaching career includes serving as a bass clinician for Seattle Public Schools’ Imperials program, adjunct professorships at North Seattle Community College and the Santa Fe University of Art and Design, and private instruction in bass and ear training. He has developed an innovative curriculum for ear training and music theory that focuses on cultivating perfect and relative pitch, improvisation skills, and musical understanding.
In 2012, Andy founded Resonant Body LLC, a company dedicated to designing, building, and marketing vibroacoustic technology for music education, performance, and sound healing.