Today we’d like to introduce you to Andrew Denicola
Hi Andrew, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
The beginnings of my musical journey I have to credit my mother. In fourth grade she picked the saxophone for me. I wanted to play the drum but she thought this would be a better fit. It turns out she was correct. Over the course of 20 years, I have never given up my love of playing the saxophone and making music. Throughout the years, I have a had a lot of great instruction not only about how to play my instrument, but about being a professional musician on and off the bandstand. At this moment, I have two degrees in jazz studies from two prestigious programs. This is Berklee College of Music and Queens College. The instruction at both schools has laid the foundation for which I can work in so many arenas in the music industry. Currently, I am working on the most premier cruise ship in the world Royal Caribbean’s Icon of The Seas playing jazz every night. All of my hard work over the last twenty years has led me to where I am today, and I do not see myself ever letting up.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The hardest part of this journey was to find the balance in what I do. When I was fifteen I came back from a jazz camp thinking I had to practice for fourteen hours a day. This drove me crazy and eventually led to me feeling upset about my playing. I then remember having a talk with my father, and him telling me “Andrew, you’re going to hurt yourself if you practice too much. This made me realize that I cannot let what I do as a profession be the only thing in life worth living for. Throughout my twenty years of musical exploration, I have discovered there are highs and lows of the experience. Just like in life, there are periods where sometimes I am practicing a lot, other times, I am not to sure what to focus on. I always found that music and life are symbiotic with each other. How I have dealt with this is by focusing on my physical health, prioritize my essential needs, and take the opportunity to socialize with new and old friends. The most important advice I can give is to laugh and have fun everyday. If that is not happening, life would be pretty miserable.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am a professional musician. This includes composing, performing, arranging, recording, and band leading. My speciality is in Jazz music, but I have the ability to work in any genre. People mostly know me as a saxophonist, and I find the saxophone was the gateway into my musical experiences. It is the instrument I can most easily express myself on, and one I still love the most. I am known for being a musical director in that I can put together a band of great musicians, come up with material that fits the mold, and be able to tell a story that people are interested in. Personally, I have a lot of life stories that people love to listen to, and I think it translates into when I play music. I am most proud of my current gig playing in a jazz sextet on board the world’s largest cruise ship Royal Caribbeans Icon of the Seas. What sets me apart is my work ethic, drive, and abilities to adapt and get along with musicians from all walks of life. Also, I love to create and write music so the ability to write and tell a story through sound and song.
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
The most important quality is to be humble. I found that when you are humble you can learn everyday about what you love to do. Another quality is to be curious. If you are not curious, you will in no way become successful as a musician. Being a musician is all about discovering oneself, and through exploring musical ideas you learn more about the world and who you are in it. This is what you prefer, and where you stand on issues in life.
Pricing:
- Saxophone recording – 150/hour
- Arranging project – 500/chart
- Doubling recording – 100/hour
- Musical directing – 400/day
- Sideman – 150/hour
Contact Info:
- Website: https://andrewdenicolamusic.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/andrewdenicolamusic/profilecard/?igsh=MWE2a2NqZjY3YTgzMg==
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/rTHBawuy92iPSG1x/?mibextid=LQQJ4d
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@andrewdenicola5043?si=zA6d6hKOuKX0HM4o
- Soundcloud: https://on.soundcloud.com/qVh9B28PnK7hDruX9
Image Credits
Andrew DeNicola
Dayzhaneh Johnson
Matthew DeNicola
Fabio Rojas
Tony Orbach
Paul Vercessci