Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Accomplishments
Affiliations
Interests
Lutier
Timeline
Generic
Andy Dennen

Andy Dennen

Musician
Gurnee,IL

Summary

Hardworking performance leader skilled at selecting and arranging musical pieces in order to maximize audience engagement and enjoyment. Adept at reading an audience and responding with appropriate dynamics. Additionally, capable of setting and maintaining optimal sonic quality, regardless of environment.

Overview

37
37
years of professional experience

Work History

Band Leader

Cover Story - An Acoustic Duet
Gurnee, IL
06.2019 - Current
  • Transposed pieces from one instrument to another and one key to another to accommodate client and musician preferences.
  • Worked on tours, recordings and film orchestrations.
  • Collaborated with performers and producers to determine and achieve desired sound for production.
  • Selected and arranged music for scores of performances and special events.
  • Determined voices, instruments, harmonic structures, rhythms, tempos and tone balances required to achieve effects desired in each musical composition.
  • Used gestures to shape music being played, communicating desired tempo, volume and other performance aspects.

Band Leader, Vocalist and Guitar Player

The Celtniks
Chicago, IL
09.2017 - Current
  • Assessed musicians and assigned instruments and parts for songs and concerts.
  • Interpreted different music by making use of voice production, harmony, rhythm and melody to present characterization.
  • Selected music carefully to achieve balance of musical styles such as traditional Irish and modern Irish musical styles.
  • Generated singing exercises to develop voice.
  • Applied knowledge of harmony, melody, rhythm and voice production to individualize presentations and maintain audience interest.
  • Planned 12 concerts yearly and marketed concerts the general public.

Lead Worship Musician

Congregation BJBE
Deerfield, IL
11.2008 - Current
  • Sang and accompanied morning and Friday evening worship services on guitar as part of worship team.
  • Composed and taught 15+ original liturgical settings and arranged and taught dozens of secular musical pieces.
  • Used printed text and musical notations to memorize musical selections and routines.
  • Positioned members within ensemble to obtain balance among instrumental and vocal sections.

Composer and Recording Artist

Self
Gurnee, IL
02.2005 - Current
  • Composed, recorded, produced, and played on eight albums of original Jewish liturgical and non-liturgical music
  • To hear my work, please search for: Andy Dennen on Spotify

Education

No Degree - Music Performance

University of Miami
Miami, FL

No Degree - Music Technology

University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee
Milwaukee, WI

Skills

Guitar knowledge

Composition

Song selection expert

Mixing skills

Optimizing sound

Arranging music

Songwriting

Live sessions

Accomplishments

Took The Celtniks to the pinnacle of performance by securing St. Patricks Day gigs at House of Blues in downtown Chicago. This is an annual gig.

Affiliations

Guild of Temple Musicians

Interests

Amateur Luthier

Gourmet cook

Lutier

I have built guitars, basses and mandolins from scratch. These instruments are in use by working musicians.

Timeline

Band Leader

Cover Story - An Acoustic Duet
06.2019 - Current

Band Leader, Vocalist and Guitar Player

The Celtniks
09.2017 - Current

Lead Worship Musician

Congregation BJBE
11.2008 - Current

Composer and Recording Artist

Self
02.2005 - Current

No Degree - Music Performance

University of Miami

No Degree - Music Technology

University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee
Andy DennenMusician