Andy Abel

Andy Abel is Lecturer of Tuba at Pacific Lutheran University (PLU). He enjoys a multifaceted career spanning orchestral performance, studio recording, chamber music, education, and professional fundraising. In addition to teaching at PLU, Andy is the Principal Tubist with the Hawai’i Symphony Orchestra (Honolulu, HI) and Oregon Ballet Theatre (Portland, OR).

In 2014, Andy became the youngest-ever tuba fellow at the Tanglewood Music Center (Lennox, MA) where he studied and performed with members of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. From 2019-2023 he was a member of the New World Symphony (Miami Beach, FL). Founded by Michael Tilson Thomas, New World is America’s orchestral academy and attracts the next generation of classical musicians from across the globe.

He is a frequent guest with the Seattle Symphony and Seattle Opera. His other guest appearances include the Cincinnati, St. Louis, and Baltimore Symphony Orchestras. A seasoned studio player, his varied recording credits include the Emmy-winning television series Community and DOTA2, a video game with a daily player count of over 800,000. He can also be heard on two Seattle Symphony recordings: The Unchanging Sea (2018) and The Flying Lotus (2017).

In addition to his work as a tubist, Andy has worked as a professional fundraiser for arts nonprofits in the Puget Sound. Most recently, he was a member of the Seattle Symphony’s development team where, as the Symphony’s Discovery Officer, helped identify and cultivate new donors.

He holds degrees from the University of Washington (Seattle, WA) and Colburn Conservatory (Los Angeles, CA).

He lives in Seattle’s Ballard neighborhood with his wife and two cats, Merry and Pippin. Outside of music, Andy enjoys skiing, watching baseball, and collecting vinyl.