Andrew McWade

Andrew was appointed Director of Bands at Barker in 2015 and has worked as an ensemble director for over a decade. He is also the founding music director of the North Shore Wind Symphony, one of Australia’s premiere wind bands. He holds two degrees from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music: a Bachelor of Music Education, with a principal study in saxophone, and a Master of Music Studies in Conducting.  

Andrew has been involved in wind ensembles since a very young age. He has been a guest conductor for many high school ensembles, representative combined high school music camps and university ensembles. He has also toured around Australia and internationally, performing with and conducting groups on three continents.  

Andrew has been fortunate to study and learn from many of Australia’s leading music educators and has also participated in international conducting symposiums. He is the Vice-President of the NSW Australian Band and Orchestra Directors Association (ABODA), where he organises and leads professional development courses.  

In 2017, 2018 and 2019 he received the ABODA Prize for the conductor who prepared the most challenging and entertaining program of the Australian School Band and Orchestra Festivals.