Andrew McCandless

Orchestral Excerpts Coaching

Andrew McCandless was appointed Professor of Trumpet at the Eastman School of Music in 2023 fulfilling a lifelong goal of teaching at the school he attended in university.

Prior to being appointed at Eastman, Andrew was the principal trumpet of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, a post he held since 1999.  As Principal Trumpet with the TSO, Andrew was regularly featured as a soloist. In 2010, Andrew 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. In 2018 Andrew participated in a Canada wide commission for a new concerto for trumpet, written by John Estacio.  He has appeared 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.

Since his first professional position at the age of 20 with the Savannah Symphony, Andrew has also held positions with orchestras all across North America including the Kansas City Symphony, San Francisco Symphony as associate principal trumpet and as principal trumpet with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra and Dallas Symphony Orchestra, as well as the Sun Valley Summer Symphony.  

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. As a junior in college, Andrew began playing with the Savannah Symphony as Co-Principal Trumpet. Andrew has given recitals and masterclasses throughout North America including at the Eastman School of Music, University of Calgary, University of Toronto, Northwestern University, The Juilliard School and The Shepard School of Music at Rice University.

Andrew is a Yamaha performing artist.