Andrew Gilpin, who rebelled against formal music lessons at the tender age of seven, is a completely self-taught pianist and composer. Although this meant he never had much homework, Andrew always kept the pedal to the metal and never rested until he had the notes just where he wanted them.

When he isn't performing, composing, or arranging, Andrew fills his time with web site design, reading, and various crafts and hobbies.

Andrew Gilpin, born in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada in 1974, is completely self-taught at the piano. As an entirely home-schooled child, Andrew's self-directed learning led him to an exploration of a vast amount of musical repertoire, including ragtime, classical, jazz, pop, contemporary Christian, and everything in between.

Mr. Gilpin’s performing career began at the age of 15, accompanying a family-run choral group. At first professing that he didn’t like "music with words," Andrew later developed a great love for choral repertoire, composing many works of his own. Among these are spirited musical settings of two of Robert Service’s most famous poems, The Cremation of Sam McGee and The Shooting of Dan McGrew, as well as a full-length Gloria.

Andrew’s interest in jazz led him to form the Andrew Gilpin Trio. The Trio’s first CD release, And All That Jazz, led to performances in Canada and the United States, as well as appearances on television and radio.

Mr. Gilpin was also involved in a number of musical theatre productions across North America, performing eight full shows before he was 21.

Andrew’s most recent recording is the Ebony & Ivory debut CD, Red Hot!

Fred Jacobowitz was born in Brooklyn, NY and can still speak "Brooklynese." In addition to his Bachelor's & Master's degrees from Juilliard, Fred has studied ballet, jazz and acrobatics, and can still do handsprings and cartwheels!

He is happily married to 'cellist Bonnie Thron (who is principal 'cellist in the North Carolina Symphony), and they have an 11-year-old son, Louie, and a 'middle aged' cockateel named Dallas (who acts very much like a 1-year-old human).

When not immersed in musical activities, Fred does household projects, umpires little league baseball (!) and runs an in-house business called "Case Closed", where he fixes musical instrument cases.

Fred Jacobowitz received his Bachelor's and Master's degrees from the Juilliard School where he studied with the late Leon Russianoff. Fred made his New York debut at Carnegie Recital Hall (now Weill Hall) as winner of the Artists International Competition. He was a featured soloist on radio station WBAI and WQXR in New York City with the Goldman Band, and in recital throughout the metropolitan New York area. Fred has played virtually all styles of music at one time or another, from classical to jazz, Klezmer to Appalachian bluegrass, Gypsy village music, Irish pennywhistle and beyond.

As a chamber musician, he has participated in the Marlboro Music Festival and played in the Verrazano Winds Woodwind Quintet in Brooklyn, New York. Some of his awards include the Montpelier Cultural Arts Center Recital Contest, Montpelier, MD; the Guggenheim Concerts Band Performance Award, New York City; and the Milton Kahn Memorial Concerto Competition, Westchester, NY.

Mr. Jacobowitz currently teaches and freelances in the Raleigh, NC area.