Benefit concert for Don Andrews

A benefit cocktail evening to commemorate the life of Central Coast guitarist Don Andrews will be held at the Peninsula Theatre on Saturday, May 12, from 5:30pm.

A Concert for Don will celebrate Don's life and music and feature a tribute concert with performances by noteworthy musicians including George Golla who often performed with Andrews, ex-students and tutors from the Central Coast Conservatorim's guitar department.

Loved and revered by many, the 82-year old was best known to local musicians and students as a performer, guitar tutor extraordinaire, head of the conservatorium's guitar department, and the organisation's former artistic director.

Don passed away with wife Monica by his side on March 5 after failing to recover from injuries sustained from a fall earlier in the year.

A kind, gentle man and a quiet achiever, Don was an inspiration to many and helped develop and mentor talented new guitarists across generations.

He continued to work as a tutor right up until his final days.

Some of the notable musicians Don worked with in Australia and overseas included Rex Stewart, William Clauson, Fred Hartley, Jay Wilbur, the Le Garde Twins, Burl Ives, Mel Torme and Larry Adler.

He also composed the background sound tracks to a number of films and wrote several published and well-known guitar tuition books.

Media Release, 13 Apr 2012

Phaedra Pym, A Way with Words

Photos: Don and George Golla