From Broadway to Billy Joel, Andrew Hink Covers It All

If you're hoping to catch some live music over the holidays, consider staying "at home" on the island for a couple shows by Andrew Hink — a local pianist, singer and songwriter who will perform an eclectic mix of holiday songs, pop and originals.

Hink's is free and scheduled for 8 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 21, at the . He also will perform a at 6 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 31, at during Ocean City's First Night celebration ().

Ask Hink what five songs he'd bring to a deserted island, and his responses run a perhaps predictable course from Beethoven to Broadway with a little Billy Joel thrown in for good measure — but then they take a bizarre turn to the early 1980s for party favorites "Funky Town" and "Come on Eileen."

It becomes clear that Hink is a true fan of all music. His sets from past shows might have included anything from a medley of themes from the video game "Super Mario Bros" to a mash-up of Queen and Gershwin: "Bohemian Rhapsody in Blue."

The 23-year-old graduate of Ocean City High School (2006) and Philadelphia's University of the Arts (2010) is still living the dream: teaching vocal lessons, directing school musicals, recording an album, writing a musical of his own and dreaming of one day doing all the same things on bigger and brighter stages.

Hink said his broad interest in music stems in part from classical training on piano (from Steven Mento) and later from contemporary lessons (Paul DiDonato). He said attendees at his O.C. Rep show can expect originals, holiday songs, Broadway songs, some fun covers, maybe a little Katy Perry and possibly some guests.

One of his originals, "Hurricane," deals with another passion of Hink: extreme weather. In his "spare" time this fall, Hink on the 20th anniversary of the "Perfect Storm."

Andrew Hink's deserted island iPod playlist:

1. "Funky Town" Lipps Inc.
2. "Come on Eileen" Dexys Midnight Runners
3. "Scenes From an Italan Restaurant," Billy Joel
4. "Defying Gravity," from the musical "Wicked"
5. Beethoven's Fifth Symphony