Andrew Gretzinger is a violist, composer, teacher, and freelance musician currently in the Greater Boston, MA, area. His playing on the viola focuses on the collaborative nature of music making while being an active chamber musician – including founding the Felix Quartet – and regularly attending chamber music festivals. As a commissioned composer, he enjoys writing to the needs and strengths of an ensemble while uniquely employing his musical voice that is reminiscent of Hindemith, Vaughan Williams, and Ravel. Additionally, Gretzinger teaches beginner violin to advanced viola.

Andrew has played with ensembles such as the South Carolina Philharmonic, collaborated with members of the Silk Road Ensemble, and has worked with professional quartets including the Parker Quartet. As a composer, he was awarded the David S. Boe Award for Exceptional Achievement in Creative Work in 2021 for his experimental composition Suite for Woodwind Quintet (2020). Recent works include Through the Sea and Waves (2023), a commission based on rediscovered sea songs in the New England area.

Andrew holds a degree from the University of South Carolina (summa cum laude) in Composition and a Viola Performance Certificate. His primary teachers include Barbara Corbato and Daniel Sweaney for viola and John Fitz Rogers and Fang Man for composition. He is currently a student of Rictor Noren at the Boston Conservatory at Berklee earning his Master’s in Viola Performance.

When not engaging with music, Andrew enjoys hiking, reading, baking, or enjoying a good movie.

Education
MM Boston Conservatory
BM University of South Carolina