2020 has turned into quite the year. A couple updates for those who may stumble upon this blog:

1. Until further notice, private guitar lessons will be done virtually. I have the ability to teach across all major platforms: FaceTime, Skype, Zoom and Google Duo. The transition to virtual lessons has been very positive, as I have worked on having the best possible video and audio quality. The upside to virtual lessons is the ability to have a closer view of the guitar, the ability to immediately share materials with you through share screen and the ability to record the lesson as a practice guide for later. I have also started a weekly, virtual repertoire class where all my students can gather to share, talk, and observe each other's performance progress. I have very much enjoyed the growing guitar community we have created.

2. This fall semester, I will be teaching music history at Florida Southern College. I am very excited for this opportunity and look forward to sharing my wealth of knowledge.

3. 2020 brought many challenges. Not just the loss of gigs due to COVID restrictions but also the loss of my father and step-father. During such trying times, I always turn to the guitar for comfort. I took part in the (guitar) popular #brouwerchallenge along with my own 60 day video challenge. Please checkout my YouTube or Instagram to see my work. If you enjoy what you hear, please subscribe. 

I am excited to be performing at the Hideaway Cafe on Friday, July 12th in St. Pete, FL with my voice and guitar duo, Lady and the Bard.  Our friend, Guitarist/Composer Roger Hudson will be starting the show. Tickets are $10. We hope to see you all there! Click the button below to buy your tickets early.

I shot a majority of the video below on a boating trip on the Withlacoochie River with a close friend of mine. It was a chilly fall day with blue skies that reflected off the clear freshwater. Inspired by the simple beauty of the river, I felt like I had just the right piece to go with the footage.

The piece is “Sligo River Blues” by John Fahey, recorded on his debut album “Blind Joe Death” in 1959.

Fahey’s style is what he himself labeled as “American Primitive Guitar”. To the rest us, we hear a fusion of country blues guitar, and a bit of postmodern minimalism.

Fahey was unorthodox as an artist of the late 1950’s. Instead of going to a record company, he created his own record label to give himself complete artistic freedom, regardless if the release gained any commercial success. His marketing approach was random, as his album was never promoted in any way. Less than 100 copies were pressed and mailed to folklorists and scholars around the country. He would later share that he even planted records in music stores and Goodwill bins to attract prospective listeners.

In 2010, “Blind Joe Death” was added to the United States National Recording Registry as a recording of “cultural, historical, or aesthetic importance”. [1] Today, a copy is preserved in the Library of Congress, only a few miles from where it was recorded.

In regards to gear, I used a very simple setup to record it. I plugged an Apogee iMic into my iPad Pro, opened a GarageBand session, recorded it straight through a couple of times, and chose the best take.


Enjoy!

1. “Complete National Recording Registry Listing”. Library of Congress. Web. Accessed 04/7/19.

St. Petersburg College is honored to present Andrew York in Concert on Saturday, October 20, 2018 from 7:30 PM to 8:30 PM at the SPC Music Center located at the St. Petersburg/Gibbs Campus located at 6605 5th Ave N, St. Petersburg, FL 33710​

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It is with great honor and respect that I have recently accepted a position teaching classical guitar at Florida Southern College. The school has a special place in my heart and my development as a musician.

From a very young age, I’ve had much admiration for FSC’s guitar program, and in particular Dr. Mark Switzer, as both a classical guitarist and teacher. I was fortunate enough to study with Dr. Switzer and benefit from his wisdom. We have become very close over the years, and I hope to make him proud.

It is within my efforts to build and contribute to the long-standing legacy of the program that he began over 30 years ago.

I will still maintain my teaching position at St. Petersburg College, as well as my private studio in St. Pete. 
However, this is an exciting opportunity that will help me expand my guitar teaching to Central Florida. 

February 2nd and 4th, 2018, I will be joining OperaTampa for their performance of Il Barbiere di Siviglia by Gioacchino Rossini, where I will be performing with Count Almaviva as he sings, Se il mio nome saper voi bramate.

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