Saxophonist Dr. Andrew Hutchens currently resides in Columbia, South Carolina where he serves on the faculty of Benedict College as an Assistant Professor of Woodwinds and Music Industry where he teaches applied lessons, coaches chamber ensembles, and instructs pedagogy. Additionally he serves as the coordinator for both the music and music industry areas. He earned his DMA and MM in saxophone performance from University of South Carolina and a BM in saxophone performance from Western Carolina University. His dissertation centers around the commissioning, analysis, and performance of four new works for saxophone.

Along with his percussion colleague, Daniel Myers, he formed the chamber ensemble the Hutchens/Myers Duo. This new music chamber ensemble places a focus on outreach and the creation of new works that challenge the social and technical norms of each instrument. The duo participated in the 2022 Cortona Sessions for New Music as an ensemble in recidence and has performed as guest artists at numerous institutions including Appalachian State University, University of Mississippi, and Western Carolina University.

He has performed extensively across the United States in both professional and casual venues such as NASA Biennial Conferences, American Single Reed Summit, Asheville Symphony Orchestra, Navy Band Saxophone Symposium, NASA Regional Conferences, and the National Conference for Undergraduate Research. He as also been a solo guest and/or held residencies at institutions and venues such as the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, Western Carolina University, the University of Tennessee at Martin, and the Glitterbox Theatre in Pittsburg, PA. As an active performer and educator, he is well versed in multiple genres including classical, jazz, pop, and commercial music. He performs with jazz ensemble and combos at Benedict college when needed; directs, records, and performs in commercial music performances across the state; and community theatre productions as a woodwind doubler. Andrew has additional jazz studies with Bryson Borgstetd and bassoon studies with Will Peebles.

As an advocate for new music, Andrew is constantly involved in the commissioning and premiering of new music, including works by Robert Honstein, Baljinder Sekhon, Jenni Watson, and Stacy Garrop.  His principal teachers included Ian Jeffress, Clifford Leaman, Will Peebles (Bassoon), and Bryson Borgstet (Jazz)