Andrew Hitz

Andrew Hitz has appeared as a soloist, clinician and speaker in 49 states and over 25 countries including China, Brazil, Russia, and Singapore. He has performed with everything from Grammy Award-winning ensembles to Tony Award-winning artists, in venues such as Suntory Hall in Tokyo, Konzerthaus Berlin, and Lincoln Center in New York City. He is probably best known for the 14 years he spent touring the world as tuba player and co-owner of Boston Brass.

He has also performed with the National Symphony, Baltimore Symphony, Washington National Opera, Utah Symphony, Kennedy Center Honors Orchestra, U.S. Army Field Band, U.S. Air Force Band of the Golden West, Imani Winds, T’Ang Quartet, Enso Quartet, Dallas Brass, Washington Symphonic Brass, Rodney Marsalis Philadelphia Big Brass, Alarm Will Sound, Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Carole King, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Joshua Henry, Caissie Levy, Denyce Graves, Renée Fleming, Isabel Leonard, Trey Anastasio, Steve Gadd, Medeski Martin & Wood, and as a soloist with the U.S. Army Blues and the Marine Band of Mexico. Andrew also played on Broadway in the Lincoln Center Theater production of Ragtime.

“Andrew Hitz... was also a highlight of the evening.”

The Washington Post

Andrew is the founder of Hitz Academy, an online education platform for musicians offering courses, group and 1-on-1 coaching, events, and a growing content library. Topics range from building a thriving entrepreneurial career in music to mastering the mental side of practicing.

He hosts two podcasts that have become go-to resources in the music world. “The Brass Junkies” features interviews with the best brass players in the world on everything from the serious to the ridiculous, just like the music business. Previous guests have included Joe Alessi of the New York Philharmonic, Carol Jantsch of the Philadelphia Orchestra, and Tom Hooten of the Los Angeles Philharmonic. “The Entrepreneurial Musician” features interviews with some of the most successful people in the music business, with previous guests including David Cutler of The Savvy Musician, Ranaan Meyer of Time for Three, and Monica Ellis of Imani Winds. Both podcasts are produced through his digital media company, Pedal Note Media.

Andrew has presented at over 20 state music educator conferences and taught masterclasses at some of the finest music schools in the world, including Juilliard, the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing, and the Royal Academy of Music in London. As an Educational Ambassador for Jupiter Band Instruments, he has worked with bands around the world as both a clinician and performer. He is also the creator of the Band Director’s Guide series, interview-based books for band directors with volumes on tuba and trombone. He has served as a judge at the Jeju International Brass and Percussion Competition in Jeju, Korea.

Andrew also speaks about the music business and entrepreneurship at colleges and universities including Northwestern University, Carnegie Mellon, and the University of South Carolina. At USC, he appeared as a thought leader specializing in marketing and social media at David Cutler’s The Savvy Musician in Action Retreat.

Andrew is proud to serve as Vice President of The Mockingbird Foundation, a non-profit organization which has awarded over $3 million in grants in all 50 states to help bring music education to underserved populations.

He is a graduate of Northwestern University, where he studied with Rex Martin, and was the Graduate Teaching Assistant for Sam Pilafian at Arizona State University. He holds an MBA in Arts Innovation from the Global Leaders Institute, where he was part of a 70-person cohort of arts leaders from 28 countries. Andrew has previously served on the faculties of Shenandoah Conservatory, George Mason University, Gettysburg College, and Virginia Commonwealth University.

Andrew lives in the Washington, DC area with his son Nicholas and his wife Tiffany, who is, in his opinion, the best band director in the country. He is an avid sports fan, loves history, and has seen the band Phish in concert 248 times. No, that is not a typo.