Biography
Professor Surmani has worked for more than 35 years in the music industry. He currently serves as the President and CEO of Surmani Business Coaching. Prior to that position, he worked for Alfred Music for 29 years, most recently as the Chief Marketing Officer overseeing global sales, marketing and product development operations. Overseeing educational publishing for institutions at Alfred, he helped consolidate company operations following the largest acquisition in print music publishing history (Alfred’s purchase of Warner Brothers Publications), launched and oversaw major product lines, introduced innovative marketing campaigns and expanded into global markets. While leading this division for Alfred, the company launched some of its most successful product lines, including Accent on Achievement, Strictly Strings, Choral Designs, Alfred Pop Choral, Alfred's Essentials of Music Theory and the revolutionary customizable band and string methods, Sound Innovations.
Professor Surmani also works as a freelance musician, and has performed in the Montreux (Switzerland), Istanbul (Turkey), Juan-les-Pins (France), Jazz à Vienne (France), Umbria (Italy), Lake Biwa (Japan), and Wigan (England) international jazz festivals. He has performed in the concert halls of Carnegie Hall, David Geffen Hall and Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center. Additionally, he led a band and played lead trumpet in two shows at Walt Disney World, and also managed high school groups on tour to Hawaii and Japan for World Projects.
A co-author of the best-selling series, Essentials of Music Theory, as well as Mini Music Guide-Music Theory Essentials, Copyright Handbook for Music Educators and Directors, Music Playing Cards: Composers and Music Playing Cards: Instruments, Professor Surmani has also published articles in educational and music industry trade journals and magazines, and has conducted workshops on music education and industry topics throughout the world.
Professor Surmani was a Founding Board Member and Past President of the international Jazz Education Network (JEN), a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. In addition, he served on the Music Technology Advisory Board at Indiana University/Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI), the Technology through Music Education (TI:ME) Advisory Board, the College Music Society Editorial Board and was Founder and Past President of the MATES Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Andrew also served on the Curriculum Development Committee during the formation of the M.A. in Music Industry Administration degree program at CSUN.
Professor Surmani holds a Bachelor of Music degree in Trumpet Performance and a Master of Business Administration degree (M.B.A.) from California State University, Northridge.