Andrew Jarvis
Tuba, Principal
Andrew was appointed Principal Tuba of the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra in 2001.
Andrew began his tertiary studies in Port Elizabeth, South Africa and played with the Port Elizabeth Orchestra and the Prince Alfred’s Guards Band.
He continued his studies at the University of Natal, Durban, under Michael Johnson and frequently played with the Natal Philharmonic as a casual player.
In 1987 he was appointed Principal Tuba of the National Orchestra of South Africa and conscripted into the Light Horse Regiment Band as part of his military service.
He taught at various institutions and regularly performed with the Contemporary Brass Ensemble and the Transvaal Chamber Orchestra.
In 1993 Andrew immigrated to Australia, where he freelanced with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra, Queensland Philharmonic and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra.
While in Queensland, he was appointed part-time Lecturer in Tuba at the Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University.
In 1997 he was a guest soloist at the Brisbane International Brass Festival. In 1999 he premiered a work by Paul Dean at the Tubamania International Tuba Conference. In 2000 Andrew was guest soloist for the Queensland Symphonic Winds tour of China.
He premiered 'Labyrinth' as a soloist with the NZSO in 2004 and was named Head of Brass at the New Zealand School of Music in 2005, a position he held until 2012.
Finding a balance to his music career, Andrew is a qualified New Zealand Cricket level 2 coach and runs a successful coaching programme through the Wellington School of Cricket and Rongotai College. He is a Cricket Wellington-endorsed coach and is actively involved in many of the representative and development squads and teams throughout the season.
In his spare time, Andrew works in his recording studio.