Andréa Petrity, piano

Andréa Petrity was born in Calgary and began taking piano lessons at age 8. She began with classical lessons and received her Grade 8 certificate with honors through the Toronto Royal Conservatory of Music.

She later went on to study music at Mount Royal College where she received a Diploma in Jazz & Contemporary Music Performance.

Throughout her studies in college and after Andréa has taken advantage of a variety of performing opportunities including ballet accompanist for former National Ballet of Canada principal dancer Clinton Rothwell, opening for Phyllis Diller performances in Alberta, pianist in show bands on cruise ships for 5 ½ years, work with theatres, casinos, big bands, Calgary and Montana Jazz Festivals, studio recordings and arranging projects.

Andréa’s love for many styles of music allows her to be versatile with her performances; from working as a solo pianist, piano/vocal duo to larger ensembles and including a repertoire of jazz standards, blues, popular as well as original compositions and arrangements.

Locally, Andréa teaches at De Waal Music Studio, is involved as examiner with Conservatory Canada and plays in the Wednesday Night Big Band.

Andréa is currently a part of a band called MAPL, which is a Calgary based Quintet (Andréa Petrity, Frank Rackow, Stefano Valdo, Robin Tufts, Nynne Collins).Their repertoire consists of original compositions and fresh arrangements of music from the Great Canadian Songbook. For more information and to listen to a few tunes you may check out MAPL on facebook as well as on Andréa’s myspace page.

Andréa continues to pursue growth and enrichment in her musical career and can be heard performing in the Calgary area.

You may check out her myspace page:  www.myspace.com/andreapetrity

Frank Rackow, saxophone and clarinet

Saxophone and clarinet player Frank Rackow has performed and recorded with a wide variety of jazz, folk and world music artists in Alberta and across Canada. He has provided music for theatre productions in Ottawa, Hamilton and Toronto (Harbourfront)  Frank is the founding director of the Vocal Latitudes World Music community choir in Calgary. He has also instructed jazz ensembles and saxophone ensembles at FACE school for the arts in Montreal and at CAMMAC’s summer music colony in Quebec. Further information at:

www.vocalatitudes.org  

http://morefamous.blogspot.com/2006/04/frank-rackow-klezjazz.html