Andrew McCandless joined the faculty of the Eastman School of Music as Professor of Trumpet in 2023. Since his first professional position at the age of 20 with the Savannah Symphony, Andrew has held the position of Principal Trumpet with many notable orchestras including the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, Dallas Symphony Orchestra, Sun Valley Music Festival Orchestra, and the Toronto Symphony Orchestra—a position he held for twenty-four years.
As Principal Trumpet with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Andrew was regularly featured as a soloist. In 2010, he performed the world première of Songs of the Paradise Saloon, a trumpet concerto written specifically for him by Bramwell Tovey and commissioned by the TSO. He appears as a guest artist and chamber musician throughout North America, having performed with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra, Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, Regina Symphony Orchestra, Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, and the National Arts Centre Orchestra. In his short time at Eastman, Andrew has been a soloist with the Eastman Wind Ensemble as well as a frequent guest on the Eastman Virtuosi series.
Andrew began playing the trumpet at the age of nine and later studied at the Youth Performing Arts School in his native Louisville, Kentucky. He continued his studies at Boston University and the Eastman School of Music. He has given master classes throughout North America, including at the University of Calgary, University of Toronto, Northwestern University, The Juilliard School, New England Conservatory, and the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University.
Andrew is a Yamaha performing artist.