Andrew Classen is associate professor of trumpet and jazz studies at Drake University. He is currently principal trumpet with the Cedar Rapids Symphony. He has played with numerous Broadway shows including: Spamalot, the Music of Andrew Loyd Weber, Hairspray, Annie, The Rat Pack, Peter Pan, Little Shop of Horrors, The Producers, Chicago (solo trumpet), The Full Monty, 42nd Street, and Thoroughly Modern Millie. He leads the Brix Big Band, playing the last Wednesday of each month at House of Bricks in Des Moines. His principal trumpet teachers were Vincent Cichowicz of Northwestern University and William Adam of Indiana University.

He is in much demand as a clinician/guest artist for recitals, masterclasses and seminars, regionally, nationally and internationally. Recent activities include recitals and masterclasses at the National Music Conservatory of Mexico in 2006, and Centro Cultural Ollin Yoliztli, and at the Instituto de Humanidades Y Ciencia in 2007.

His is also and active jazz composer. He currently has six compositions published through C.L. Barnhouse Publishing.

Mr. Classen is has been a drill designer and instructor for numerous drum corps, including the Dubuque Colts and Minnesota Brass, and marching bands from all around the country. He is also very active in the field of computers in music. Andrew Classen is the author of Drill Tutor, a multimedia instructional CD-ROM covering all facets of drill design and tutorials on using PyGraphics 3D drill design software. Drill Tutor is available through McCormick’s Band Equipment.

He received a Bachelor in Music Education degree from the University of Wisconsin Eau-Claire and a Master of Music degree in trumpet performance from the University of Tennessee.