About Andy Teirstein
New York, New York
Andy Teirstein’s (CBA ’21) music is inspired by the folk roots of modern culture. A student of Henry Brant, Leonard Bernstein, and Stephen Sondheim, Teirstein has received awards from Meet the Composer, The NEA, NYFA, and ASCAP. His work has been heard at Brooklyn Academy of Music, The Joyce Theater, Dance Theater Workshop, Lincoln Center, and internationally. Teirstein’s background includes acting, clown work, and performance art, and has led to collaborations with many choreographers, including Donald Byrd, Liz Lerman, and Stephen Petronio. Teirstein is an Arts Professor and Director of the New York University Global Institute for Advanced Study Working Group Translucent Borders, which explores the role of dance and music at cultural and geographic borders.
The Folk Influence on Ballet and Contemporary Dance
At CBA, Teirstein looked at the relationship between traditional folk influences and contemporary choreography. He worked on a written piece and on a new dance film with a score combining banjo and chamber ensemble, with sung text from Carl Sandburg’s Rootabaga Stories and choreography drawing on Appalachian clog dancing.