Andrew (Andy) McGirr is a lifelong violinist and guitar player with experience in ensemble playing across genres and styles. He plays violin and treble viola da gamba for a Baroque consort called The Royall Consort, and he is the first guitarist and vocalist for established metal outfits Hubris and Ferus Din.
Both metal groups have published albums released under labels, both bands have been asked to play numerous festival dates, and Hubris has toured the continental US multiple times. Andy has also played in symphony orchestras in the Buffalo, NY area, classical chamber groups, a Dave Matthews tribute, and a progressive rock band.
Andy McGirr has a Masters of English with over a decade of college teaching experience in critical reading, writing, and thinking, but he has also been teaching music lessons to all ages for almost as long. Bringing the two disciplines together has allowed Andy to build connections between them, and in music lessons, he favors student-centered, hands-on learning blended seamlessly with Socratic and other critical reasoning pedagogies.
He favors interfacing with computer technologies to dig into and develop student musical interests, analyze selections, and learn them in real time. In his spare time, Andy enjoys composing, learning, and recording music; playing music with friends; discovering new music; attending concerts, especially for local metal bands; practicing yoga; cooking elaborate meals; walking in nature; brewing beer; reading and writing poetry and essay; playing the online game Destiny with family and friends from across the US; and relaxing with his sweetheart, his two chihuahuas, and his zebra finches.
