Musicians' Portrait Project

Portraits of musicians with whom I worked during my career in the music business during the decade of the 70's.

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George Andrix

for the Musicians' Portrait Project.

George Andrix was born in Chicago in 1932. He began the study of the violin at the age of five. As a youngster, he attended the Chicago Musical College and Lane Technical High School where he received training in violin, music theory, and orchestral and chamber music repertoire.

Later, he earned Bachelor of Music and Master of Music degrees in viola and composition at the University of Illinois where he worked with such renowned musicians as George Enesco, Igor Strawinsky, Aaron Copland, Paul Hindemith, Paul Rolland, Sir Thomas Beecham, John Cage, Max Rostal, Benjamin Britten, and Harry Partch.

During his military service, Mr. Andrix toured throughout Europe as principal violist of the Seventh Army Symphony and violist in the Seventh Army String Quartet. In the United States, he became a member of the Fromm Players at Tanglewood, the Ithaca String Quartet, in residence at Ithaca College and the Houston Symphony Orchestra. He was employed as Assistant professor of Music by Ithaca College and by Morehead State University in Kentucky, teaching composition, music theory, violin and viola.

Because of his keen interest in musical creativity, Mr. Andrix has been involved in the performance of many new and path breaking works, including the first performance and recording of Harry Partch's theatre piece, The Bewitched, in which he played an instrument of Partch's invention called the Cloud Chamber Bowls. Mr. Andrix also participated in the premiere of the Illiac Suite for String Quartet, the first piece of music written by an electronic computer.

In 1970 Mr. Andrix moved to Canada to play with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra where he held positions in the first violin and viola sections including one season as principal violist. After a three season term as principal violist of the Ohio Chamber Orchestra in Cleveland he returned to Canada where he spent two seasons as principal violist of the Regina Symphony Orchestra followed by three seasons as concert master of the Prince George Symphony Orchestra.

Since his return to Edmonton in 1993 He has been a freelance musician working as composer, arranger, violinist and violist. He has also been a member of the Strathcona String Quartet as violist and second violinist. The Strathcona String Quartet has recorded two CDs of his music. The first is entitled George Andrix String Quartet Works; the second, entitled Blue By Four, consists of jazz compositions and arrangements; it features guest solists Joel Gray trumpet and John Taylor bass. A third CD, written, performed and recorded entirely by Mr.Andrix in his kitchen, is entitled The Complete Blues Viola.

By far the most interesting and enjoyable of George Andrix' recent engagements has been playing string quartets on white water raft trips down the Grand Canyon.

Find out more about George Andrix here ( http://www.flickr.com/photos/versionsoftruth/4947753387/in/set-72157603751747885/ ) .