Faculty Spotlight: Andrew Gross
Meet Andrew Gross! He is a Professional Jazz Saxophonist and educator who has a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Jazz and Contemporary Music and a Master of Music Performance. He has even gotten the opportunity to study with well-known jazz musicians, including, Chris Potter, Rufus Reid, Rich Perry, Tony Malaby, Dewey Redman and Reggie Workman.
Andrew performs regularly with the Phoenix Symphony and works freelance with many local jazz and contemporary music groups and ensembles. He has played on numerous recordings including three of his own. Andrew has been a featured soloist on GCU Faculty Recitals, the GCU Thunder Big Band and Mesa Community College Big Band.
Andrew is a devoted instructor. For the last three years, he was the Saxophone instructor at GCU and taught the Saxophone and Clarinet Woodwind Methods. He also developed and directed the saxophone quartet. This year, Andrew will be the Director of the Big Thunder Jazz Band.
In addition to his academic role at GCU, Andrew is the Music Director for Young Sounds of Arizona, a youth program composed of two big bands and a small combo, dedicated to developing not only excellent musicianship but the social skills needed to be successful.
His students regularly achieve numerous honors and regularly secure scholarships for college. Andrew is regularly requested as the clinician by high schools in the valley and as an instructor of summer camp programs that feature jazz bands. He maintains a large private teaching studio of saxophone and clarinet students in the Phoenix area.
If you want to learn more about Grand Canyon University’s arts program within the College of Fine Arts and Production, check out our website or click the Request More Information button on this page.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Grand Canyon University.