Andy Letke

Music Director

Multi-instrumentalist, recording artist, and zenster, Andy followed his jazz studies at Indiana University by cutting his musical teeth playing 2000+ shows touring with Asbury Park’s Latin Rock band, deSoL. Following that, he served as Music Director at the School of Rock in Marlboro, NJ.

Andy played keyboards, sang backups, contributed as a songwriter, and grew his beard for the international touring band, deSoL. Their billboard charting radio singles paved the way to tour with various bands including R.E.M., Blues Traveler, Widespread Panic, Bob Marley’s Legendary Wailers, Los Lonely Boys, Los Lobos, Suzanne Vega, and the Dirty Dozen Brass Band to name a few. deSoL performed for intimate radio and industry audiences as well as larger scale shows such as Carnival in Oakland, CA for over 100,000, Miami stadium for 65,000, and major festivals such as Lollapalooza, Austin City Limits, SXSW, and Bonnaroo.

Before moving to New Jersey, Andy grew up in Indiana with a musical family. Jealous of his mother’s classical piano lessons, he followed suit at age 6 studying with Nancy Hall. Andy’s first paid gig was playing violin in a string quartet for private parties at age 12. Trombone, timpani, harmonica, and singing were in the mix at that time with banjo to follow in high school.

In college, Andy studied jazz both privately with arranger J. Michael Lucas (accompanist and conductor for Johnny Mathis & Andy Williams) as well as first-person jazz history and theory with mogul David Baker. Aside from the collegiate study, Andy stayed busy performing around central Indiana in a handful of college bands (rock, prog, funk, soul, pop).

Bringing it all together, Andy has enjoyed the position of Music Director at the School of Rock in Marlboro, as well as being the longest standing teacher in the county from 2006-2019. Aside from general school management, Andy enjoyed directing bands, teaching keys, voice, guitar, bass, drums, ukulele, songwriting, arranging, recording, transcription, and drawing out the genuine talent in every individual student.

Andy is very excited to be back in Asbury, now aligned with the Lakehouse team, to help cultivate the musical dreams of students both young and experienced. It’s always been in his genes to share the excitement of artistic creation by collaborating with seasoned pros as well as inspired beginners!