Musician 1st Class Erik Andrusyak: This kid can pack a punch!

Figuratively that is, more in like an artistic sense. Musician 1st Class (MU1) Erik Andrusyak is one of the most dynamic musicians in the country right now, in an instrument considered by many to be, if not, the most difficult to master: the oboe. He started playing it at the age of nine when his father, a bassoon player, took him to a local university in his home country of Russia to study the instrument, music theory and solfege. He quickly became quite proficient and decided a career in music was his dream. Erik earned a bachelor’s degree from DePaul University in Chicago where he studied with the Chicago Symphony’s former principal oboist, the renowned Alex Klein.

Round 1

MU1 Andrusyak joined the U.S. Coast Guard Band as co-principal oboe in September 2021. Previously, he held the principal oboe position at the Elgin Symphony for the 2019-2021 seasons and was a member of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago from 2017-2021. He has been invited to play as a guest with ensembles including the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, New World Symphony, Illinois Symphony, Joffrey Ballet, and the Chicago Philharmonic. In his summers, he has participated in prestigious music festivals including the Pacific Music Festival in Sapporo, Japan and the Music Academy of the West in Santa Barbara, California.

Round 2

An incredibly successful career so far would make you believe he is setting course bearing west towards the sunset…think again. In his tenure as co-principal oboe with the U.S. Coast Guard Band, Erik has maintained a flawless success streak, winning principal positions with two professional ensembles in the region: The Eastern Connecticut and Hartford Symphony Orchestras, all while maintaining a high level of commitment to his duties as an enlisted member of the military. MU1 Andrusyak is currently leading the way in the Coast Guard Band’s chamber music program, serving the local community through music. Showing exceptional leadership skills, he has organized several chamber music performances throughout the north-eastern United States, from coordinating all administrative operations, to performing in them.

Round 3

As a business owner, MU1 Andrusyak and his wife Jamie – an extraordinary violinist herself – run an oboe reed-making shop, bringing another artistic craft into consideration. As you may know, the oboe sound is often compared with the sound of a duck. Russian composer Sergei Prokofieff did not help the cause when he wrote his children’s tale Peter and the Wolf which has the oboe portraying a duck’s quack. Erik and his wife made it their mission to change those perceptions by crafting reeds that would allow students and professionals to produce a beautiful sound and reduce the risk of sounding like the dreaded animal’s call. Reeds are an essential part of the success rate for these kinds of instruments, you could say that you are as good as your reed allows you to be, that is how the (avidly named!) Oboe Duck Reeds came to fruition. Erik assures us, “no animals were harmed in the development of this business.”

Round 4: This could be decisive, I sense a knockout

Erik is not only an amazing musician but also a great human being, a man of a gentle character and a huge, LOUD laugh. Any professional ensemble will be fortunate to have him in their ranks as he aims for his next career move and arguably his biggest yet: He will now join the world-class Detroit Symphony Orchestra as their new second oboe. Here at the Coast Guard Band, we are extremely proud of his success and hope there’s more for him in the future. Congratulations on your new appointment and for a job well done upon completing his tour of military service. Bravo Zulu. We will all be following his career closely. Stay tuned! (440Hz).

USCG.mil/Community/Band/

SBO+: During my time commanding military bands, we had many soldiers win jobs in major orchestras. The services have procedures to release members early to accept “once in a lifetime” opportunities. Good luck to Erik!