ABOUT THE ARTISTS Benjamin I. Andrews, percussion
Benjamin I. Andrews is a drummer, percussionist, and educator based in Wilmington, Delaware. He started playing drums at age 10, and has since played in chamber groups and bands around the world. He's shared the stage with artists such as Chubby Checker, Matt Maher, Rebecca St. James, Rachael Lampa, David Dunn, Andrew Ripp, Michael Burritt, Chris Deviney, and others. He's won multiple concerto competitions, including the National Collegiate Solo Competition hosted by the United States Army Band. Ben has also served as principal percussionist and principal timpanist with the Nashville Philharmonic Orchestra; was a member of the percussion section of The Jackson Symphony in Jackson, Tennessee; and regularly subs locally with the Brandywine Valley Symphony (formerly Kennett Symphony). Ben’s love for the unusual has led to some unique one-of-a-kind experiences, including filming an Amazon Alexa commercial with mega-influencer Zach King (and a marimba). In addition, he’s played cajon in Costa Rica, bongos in Brazil, a cantata in Kentucky, and A Night in Tunisia—at night, in Tunisia. One of his all-time favorite musical moments was when a soon-to-be-mother told him that she felt her baby kick for the very first time during his drum solo. Ben has had the opportunity to study with some of the world's greatest percussionists and drum set artists, including Valerie Naranjo (SNL house band, Lion King on Broadway), George "Butch" Ballard (Duke Ellington, Count Basie), Derico Watson (Victor Wooten), and others. Deena Andrews, violin Deena Rizkalla Andrews is an enthusiastic educator and performer who looks to bridge cultural gaps and forge friendships by playing and exploring different styles of music. Growing up in a suburb of Washington, D.C., Deena began playing the violin in her elementary school music program. Participating in school orchestras from an early age inspired her to go on to become a music educator herself, and graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor’s in Music Education from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. After graduating, she stayed local and began teaching strings in Title I schools before joining the cast of Barrage 8, a show that combines singing and dancing with playing multi-genre music on string instruments. Deena moved to Nashville, TN in 2017 where she was active in the recording industry, working on projects for Koji Kondo, Yoshihiro Ike, Blake Neely (Greyhound, Masters of the Air), Bungie, Disney, Tommee Profitt, Jordan St. Cyr, and Karen Elson, and others. She has also had the privilege of performing with many wonderful and iconic groups and shows, including Mannheim Steamroller, 2Cellos, Michael Bublé, Cody Fry, Ben Rector, Cory Wong, Lolo, and the Hello Dolly and Phantom of the Opera National Tours, as well as numerous local musical theater productions. For her final act in Nashville, she completed the 2022 Drummer Boy Christmas Tour with Grammy award winning duo for King and Country, and can be seen on CMT's Crossroads with For King and Country and Jimmie Allen. Deena also holds a Master's degree in instrumental performance from Belmont University, where she was also the Graduate Student Award recipient. Now living in the greater Philadelphia area, Deena enjoys a full teaching schedule, as well as performing regularly around town and as a soloist with Red Clay Creek Presbyterian Church.