Andre

Andre’s musical interests have been present throughout his entire life, and were apparent even in his early childhood. Andre’s parents were able to teach him how to sing melodies before they were able to teach him to speak words. As a three year old, he was seen on a television newscast standing on a parade route, playing a toy drum in time with a marching band! Andre experienced his first audience on his fifth birthday when he was cast as “Butchy Boy” on the local televised version of “Bozo’s Big Top.”

At the age of eight, Andre received classical piano lessons at an Ursuline convent inWindsor, Ontario. He later used this foundation in music to teach himself how to play guitar, as well as several brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. Although Andre grew to appreciate several musical genres, it was the Detroit (home of Motown and Rock’N’Roll) radio stations that inspired him to start writing songs as a teenager. Following his graduation from high school, Andre attended St. Clair College and the University of Windsor. During this time, he also taught music at the Canadian Conservatory of Music and performed in bands, and as a solo artist. Afterwards, Andre relocated to teach Grade 7 and 8 instrumental music for the Toronto Catholic District School Board until January
of 2009. He has taught thousands of students, and is currently teaching privately and focussing on his original music career.

Andre has performed in several venues and studios of the greater Toronto area and has won Billboard songwriting awards for three of his compositions. He also composed and performed the signature song for the Schizophrenia Society of Ontario’s “Million for the Millennium” campaign. In February of 2009, Andre's song "The World All Around Us" became a top 5 finalist in the VH1 World Wide Song of the Year Contest. The song is available for listening at www.myspace.com/andrecompositions.

In 2009, Andre will be releasing a sixty minute recording of sixteen original pop/rock compositions that show influences of blues, funk, soul, latin, country and classical music. Andre is a co-producer and performs 95% of the vocals and instruments including: lead, harmony and background vocals, electric and acoustic guitars, electric bass guitar, piano, organ, synthesizer, alto and tenor saxophones, drums, percussion and sound effects. His lyrics span a wide variety of subjects. Andre has also written and recorded several compositions for voices (male and female) other than his own. He is looking forward to the release of his music and live performances of his material.