About Us - Your Fearless Leaders
Mike Putnam was born and raised near Hamilton Ontario. Mike began re-enacting at age 7, as a drummer in the recreated King’s Royal Yorkers. His first summer job was as a Guard and drummer at Historic Fort York in Toronto. Mike spent many years studying the rope tension snare drum under Peter Alexander – who is the current Drum Major at Fort George. At age 18, Mike joined the Fort Henry Guard as a drummer, tour guide and artillerist. After a number of summers at Fort Henry, Mike and Andrea were hired at Fort York to start a fife and drum program for volunteers and paid summer students. Mike was Drum Major of the Fort York Drums for two summers. Mike has earned a Business Administration Diploma at Mohawk College and a Bachelor of Commerce Degree from Ryerson University. Mike now lives in Kingston and works in Industrial Sales at Morgan Scott.
Andrea Putnam was born and raised in Kingston Ontario. She began taking piano lessons at the age of 6, and later took up the oboe. While attending high school in Kingston, Andrea played oboe in the Kingston Youth Orchestra, the Queen's University Wind Ensemble, the Quinte Symphony, and free lanced as well. She also accompanied several choirs on the piano, directed a community choir, and was awarded with 2 organ scholarships. Andrea went on to study music at the University of Western Ontario, earning her Bachelor of Music Degree in Music Education, majoring on the oboe. She then earned her Bachelor of Education in Fine Arts from York University before moving back to Kingston to work as teacher in the Limestone District School Board. While studying at Western, Andrea worked at Fort Henry as a fifer, tour guide and artillerist. She and Mike were later recruited by the Friends of Fort York to create the Fort York Drums, in which she held the rank of Fife Major for 2 years and later Drum Major. Andrea is currently an intermediate teacher in the Limestone District School Board, the 2nd oboist of the Kingston Symphony Orchestra, a private studio music teacher, children's choir director, band instructor, substitute organist/choir director and accompanist. Andrea's most recent accomplishment has been acquiring her Honour's Music Specialist this past year.
