Andy Duinker is a multi-faceted performer. As a solo artist he performs his own original songs, contemporary folk songs, traditional ballads, sea songs, Maritime-flavoured songs and standard dance favourites from the big band and swing eras. Andy’s performances highlight his extensive vocal range and his ability to present songs with full-bodied vocal texture, clarity of tone and smooth range transitions. Andy performs with confident comfort and quickly establishes an emotional connection with his listeners. His gentle wit and humorous anecdotes endear him to audiences of all ages and, combined with his musical presentation, creates a performance that will be remembered long after the concert hall has emptied.

Andy’s artistic pursuits include a love of singing and a lifelong interest in dancing (he trained as a dance instructor at the Fred Astaire Dance Studios in Edmonton). These two interests have resulted in Andy preparing to be the lead vocalist of a new dance band, performing the best dance tunes from the 20's to the 90's, for dancers 20 - 90. His vocal prowess facilitates the smooth delivery of songs in the style of Bing Crosby, Dean Martin, Nat King Cole, Bobby Darin, Frank Sinatra, Elvis and Michael Bublé.


Andy is equally comfortable performing for adult, mixed family, and children’s audiences. He tours the Maritimes and other parts of Canada (and recently Hong Kong) performing at varied and diverse venues. Andy performs for children as part of the Juno-nominated duo, “Donna & Andy”, delighting young audience members in schools, at festivals and at concert venues across the country.

Andy has released “Come Dance with Me”, a four-song EP of classic dance tunes backed by a 17-piece big band. The EP is the beginning of a larger full-length recording project with an anticipated release date in 2017.

Andy has been involved in eight previous recording projects. His recording Fine Company is an easy listening, contemporary traditional/Maritime/folk recording featuring Andy’s bass/baritone/tenor voice. All four of Donna & Andy’s children's recordings “Blue Skies & Pirates”, “Dinosaurs, Dragons and Me”, “Computer Cat”, and “It’s Christmas Time” have received ECMA and MNS awards or nominations and Donna & Andy also received a nomination for a 2007 Juno.

In addition to performing and recording, Andy is active as a publisher and composer. He often co-writes with fellow performer and songwriter, Donna Rhodenizer. He and Donna co-own Red Castle Publishing, the company responsible for publishing and distributing their recorded and printed music. Together they arrange songs for their own performances as well as publishing their original songs as choir arrangements through the Rhodenizer & Duinker Choral Series. Donna and Andy's attention to lyrical and singable lines for each vocal section makes their music popular with choirs of all ages. Over 30,000 octavos, 5,000 song books and 40,000 copies of their CDs have been distributed across Canada, US, Europe, Australia, Trinidad & Tobago and Hong Kong.

Andy’s interests outside of music have resulted in diverse career pursuits. He has enjoyed being a smoke jumper in the Yukon, managing the Kings County Airport for 12 years, operating an ultralight flying school and owning an ice cream store, to name only a few of his ventures. His early years on the family farm and his teenage years in the city of Toronto have both helped to shape his outlook on life.

Andy is the very proud father of four children. His oldest son (a drummer) shares his father’s passion for music. Andy’s interest in aviation has been passed on to his second son who is a commercial pilot in Yellowknife. His two daughters played on the 2011-12 Acadia University basketball team that won the AUS championship for the first time in 62 years, and he is thrilled to watch their careers continue as they both play professional basketball in Germany and Australia.

www.andyduinker.com

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