Andrew O’Brien Piano Degrees and Studies: Andrew O’Brien began his piano studies in the Chicago area at age seven, taking lessons from Nancy Burghardt and Amo Cappelli. He holds a Bachelor of Music degree from the Chicago Musical College of Roosevelt University where he studied with Robert McDowell and Pawel Checinski and a Master of Music degree from the New England Conservatory where he studied piano with Gabriel Chodos and chamber music with Benjamin Zander. For a number of years he studied privately in New York City with Karl Ulrich Schnabel. Mr. O’Brien is currently a doctoral candidate in piano performance at Arizona State University where he studies with Robert Hamilton. Biographical Information: Mr. O’Brien has performed at Boston College, Dartmouth College, University of New Hampshire and as soloist with the Nashua (NH) and North Valley (AZ) Chamber Orchestras. He appeared several times in masterclasses at New York City’s Dalcroze School of Music at the invitation of Mr. Schnabel. In 1995, in Italy, under the auspices of the Rockefeller Foundation, he played a concert at the Villa Serbelloni in Bellagio, and another at the Teatro Roma in Cerignola. Prior to relocating to Arizona in 2000 Mr. O’Brien was on staff at St. Paul’s School and Concord Community Music School, both in New Hampshire, where he taught piano for 12 years. He is currently an adjunct faculty instructor in piano and music theory at Scottsdale Community College and also teaches privately in Phoenix. He also is staff pianist for the Desert Foothills United Methodist Church, Ahwatukee. Mr. O’Brien currently serves as second vice-president of competitions for the Arizona State Music Teachers’ Association May 2010 .