AR Big Band
Biographie AR Big Band
Andrew Robertson
is one of the most in demand jazz/commercial arrangers in Australia. He has been the Jazz Harmony & Arranging Lecturer at Sydney Conservatorium of Music since 2016 and has written for innumerable artists for live performance and recordings; US Superbowl 2021; Australian Idol; Eurovision Song Contest; many television ads on Australian TV and every year for the NSW Schools Spectacular. Specialising in Big Band and orchestral arranging, Andrew writes for a diverse range of musical groups from Choirs to 800 recorders + 250 strings for the NSW Primary Instrumental Festival!
Since graduating from the NSW Conservatorium of Music (Sydney) in 1991 Andrew has followed a career as a professional jazz musician, composer/arranger and jazz educator. As a woodwind specialist he has performed with such diverse artists as Michael Buble, George Benson, Boy George and Culture Club, Bobby Shew (US), Jerry Lewis (US), Jim Pugh (Steely Dan), Wayne Bergeron (US), Rex Richardson (US), Lorna Luft (US), John Farnham, James Morrison, the Sydney All Star Big Band, Emma Pask, Tom Burlinson, Don Burrows and professional Broadway Musicals such as ‘Cats’, The Producers, Legally Blonde, Anything Goes, Crazy For You, Chicago, West Side Story, Dusty, Hugh Jackman's The Boy From Oz etc.
He also recorded many jingles for television and his playing/arranging is heard nightly on Australian/NZ television through ads for Toyota, Telstra, Suncorp, Landcruiser, Mortein, Woolworths and many others.
Andrew is also one of the busiest freelance commercial arrangers in Australia having arranged for events such as Australian Idol (03-09), “Battle of The Choirs” (08), Eurovision Song Contest, The Sydney Opera House 30th Birthday Gala Concert, Sydney and Adelaide Symphony Orchestras, television ads, the 2006 Channel 9 Theme Song, and many others.
His arrangements appear on many of Australia's top artists CDs, such as Natalie Gauci (Aus. Idol winner 07), Emma Pask, Monica Trapaga, Dan Barnett, Carl Risely, Janet Seidel, Swingcity, Mark Rivett, Sydney All Star Big Band, MBF 'Accentuate The Positive', NSW Dept. of Education Secondary 'Schools Spectacular' and others.
Andrew is also heavily involved with music education. He was Director of the NSW Dept. of Education Performing Arts Unit Jazz Orchestra and Jazz Ensemble 1997-2006. The Jazz Orchestra winning the National Stage Band award. Andrew is Founder/Director of the music education providers Jellybeans Music (Australia’s leading Primary classroom music program) and JozzBeat Music Publishing Pty. Ltd. which produces some of the most successful Primary music teaching resources in Australia and internationally. Andrew regularly lectures on Primary School music programs and resources across Australia and internationally.
Andrew often is invited to conduct school and college Big Bands with his wealth of experience in this field. He currently lectures in Jazz Pedagogy (how to teach jazz) at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music.
