Andrew Nixon

As a child, Andrew began classical piano lessons with the late Suzanne Chapin, which he promptly quit, explaining to his parents that he did not like being told what to play. He spent the remainder of his childhood teaching himself, improvising, and copying the classical music that he heard his sisters learning.

After several years playing in rock and blues bands, he discovered jazz in 2006 and began studying with pianist/composer Paul Hofmann. Now fully devoted to music, he went on to earn a master’s degree in music theory in 2012 from the University of Buffalo, where he also studied classical piano and composition. He has since led groups performing at the CMC Jazz Festival, Queen City Jazz Festival and Northwest Jazz Festival. He recorded a trio album of original compositions titled "In Congruence," set to release in February 2021.