About Andrew Tompkins

I have been playing piano steadily for 27 years. While I am visually-impaired, I have always had the ear for music. I found out early on that I have perfect pitch. The ability to play by ear and improvise has also come naturally because of my perfect pitch. It is easy for me to listen to any kind of pre-recording, or even someone playing live, and be able to play the song on the piano after a few times of listening.

I received a BA in Jazz Studies from Shenandoah Conservatory of Music in Winchester, Va in 2014. I was one of the pianists in the full 40-piece Big Band Jazz ensemble under the direction of Craig Fredrich, and I studied one-on-one piano under the direction of Robert Larson. Both experiences were invaluable, something I'll never forget. Both of these experiences helped me improve my playing technique, helped me to be more expressive through my playing, and made me more comfortable improvising right on the spot.

I have performed at a select number of nursing homes and senior centers local to the DC area since 2018. Before the pandemic, I was playing at three nursing homes; two in Virginia and one in Maryland. These were both monthly and weekly gigs. Since I was playing primarily in these facilities, my repertoire consisted of jazz favorites, as well as oldies and top hits that everyone could sing along with.

I would be honored to transfer these skills to any potential students. I believe that it is so rewarding to be able to share not-only my own knowledge of music, but to inspire the next generation of musicians to find their sound and talent in the community!