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Christopher D. Azzara

Professor of Music Education

Affiliate Faculty, Jazz Studies and Contemporary Media
Chair, Music Education Department
Spring Semester 2013 Academic Leave

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Biography

Pianist, arranger, author, and educator, Christopher Azzara has made important contributions to advancing the understanding of creativity and improvisation in the music learning process. An innovator in the area of music teaching and learning, Dr. Azzara is Professor and Chair of Music Education and Affiliate Faculty of Jazz Studies and Contemporary Media at the Eastman School of Music. Teaching and performing internationally, he is the author of numerous articles, arrangements, and books, including Developing Musicianship Through Improvisation, Creativity In Improvisation, and Jump Right In: The Instrumental Series (GIA). His arrangements for instrumental and vocal ensembles include A la nanita nana for choir and chamber orchestra or piano (Oxford), and Concert Selections for Winds and Percussion (GIA). His research and publications are concerned with meaningful relationships among listening, creating, improvising, reading, composing, and analyzing music in vocal and instrumental settings. Dr. Azzara’s work has appeared in journals such as the Journal of Research in Music Education, the Music Educators Journal, Early Childhood Connections, and in The New Handbook of Research on Music Teaching and Learning (MENC/Oxford). He performs as a soloist and in various ensembles, including the Chris Azzara Quartet, and has played on and produced many studio and educational recordings. In Rochester, he performs with free-lance musicians, members of the Eastman School of Music faculty, and members of the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra. An active teacher and clinician, he has taught and performed extensively throughout the United States, and in Canada, the Caribbean, Germany, France, Lithuania, Poland, Japan, and Australia. He has presented clinics and workshops in a variety of settings, including TEDxRochester, the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and leading music schools in this country and abroad.

Christopher Azzara is a native of Virginia and attended public schools in Fairfax County. After receiving the Bachelor of Music degree from George Mason University, he taught instrumental music in the Fairfax County Public Schools and performed as a pianist in the Washington D.C. area. He later received a Master of Music and a Ph.D. in Music Education from the Eastman School of Music. Prior to joining the Eastman faculty, Dr. Azzara was a professor at The Hartt School of Music, Dance, and Theatre of the University of Hartford, CT.

Works / Publications

Selected Works and Publications:

Christopher Azzara on TED Talks

Azzara, Christopher D., Grunow, Richard F. Developing Musicianship through Improvisation.
Book/CDs 1 for Strings. Chicago: G.I.A Publications, Inc., 2011. Books include: 1) Violin, 2) Viola, and 3) Cello/Bass.

Azzara, Christopher D., Grunow, Richard F. Developing Musicianship through Improvisation.
Book/CDs 1, 2, & 3, Chicago: G.I.A Publications, Inc. (2006, 2010) Books include: 1) Vocal – Treble Clef, Bass Clef 2) Instrumental – Treble Clef, Bass Clef, Bb, Eb, and F Instruments.

The recordings for this publication include performances with members of the Eastman School of Music Faculty, Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, and various free-lance musicians:

  • Christopher Azzara, Piano, Musical Director
  • Gene Bertoncini, Bob Sneider, Guitar
  • Aleck Brinkman, Jeff Campbell, Bass
  • John Beck, Mike Melito, Drums/Percussion
  • Mark Filsinger, David Hart, Clay Jenkins, Mike Kaupa, Trumpet
  • Al Regni, Ramon Ricker, Alto Saxophone
  • Kirsten Edkins, Jose Encarnacion, Ramon Ricker, Walt Weiskopf, Tenor Saxophone
  • Shirantha Beddage, Baritone Saxophone
  • Mark Kellogg, Trombone
  • Lisa Azzara, Karl-Erik Jansson, Jamie Jordan, Luann Saunders, Vocals

Azzara, Christopher D. (2008). Improvisation and Choral Musicianship. The School Choral Program: Philosophy, Planning, Organizing, and Teaching. (M. Holt & J. Jordan, Eds.) Chicago: G.I.A. Publications, Inc.

Azzara, Christopher D. A La Nanita Nana.
Arranged for Children-s Choir, Violin 1, Violin 2, Viola, Cello, Bass, Flute, and Clarinet. (2006)

Azzara, Christopher D. A La Nanita Nana.
Companion piece arranged for Choir (SATB), Violin 1, Violin 2, Viola, Cello, Bass, Flute, and Clarinet. (2006)

Co-author and Pianist for Jump Right In: The Instrumental Series, Solo Book/CD 1-A and Solo Book/CD 1-B.
Chicago: G.I.A. Publications, Inc. (2006)
Eight Books and CDs: 1) Violin; 2) Viola; 3) Cello; 4) Bass.
(Grunow, Richard F., Gordon, Edwin E., Azzara, Christopher D., Martin, Michael E., Jump Right In: The Instrumental Series for Strings.)

The recordings for these publications include performances with members of the Eastman School of Music Faculty, Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, and various free-lance musicians:

  • Christopher Azzara, Piano, Musical Director – Eastman School of Music
  • Gene Burtoncini, Guitar – Free-lance musician, New York, NY
  • Bob Sneider, Guitar – Eastman School of Music
  • Jeff Campbell, Bass – Eastman School of Music
  • John Beck, Percussion – Eastman School of Music
  • Marissa Regni, Violin – Principal Second Violin, National Symphony Orchestra
  • George Taylor, Viola – Eastman School of Music
  • Mimi Hwang, Cello – Free-lance musician and instructor of chamber music, Eastman School of Music
  • James Vandemark, Bass – Eastman School of Music

Azzara, Christopher D. (2002). Improvisation. In “The New Handbook of Research on Music Teaching and Learning.” New York: Oxford University Press

For more information on Dr. Azzara’s publications, visit G.I.A. Publications.

Engagements / Professional Activities

2012

September 16, 2012
Christopher Azzara, piano
Concert Performance
Greentopia Festival
Rochester, NY

September 21, 2012
Christopher Azzara, piano
Concert Performance
Ingle Auditorium
Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT)
Rochester, NY

October 11-14, 2012
Christopher Azzara
2pm, Saturday October 13, 2012:
Session: Improvisation: Music Literacy Beyond the Page
Meliora Weekend
University of Rochester
Rochester, NY

October 29, 2012 
Christopher D. Azzara, Piano
Concert Performance
on Mark Kellogg’s Faculty Recital
Eastman School of Music
http://www.esm.rochester.edu

November 14, 2012
Christopher D. Azzara
Presentation and Performance
“Improvisation: Liberating Innovation”
Harris Corporation
Doubletree Hotel
Rochester, NY

December 19-22, 2012
Christopher Azzara
Improvisation in Band and Orchestra: A Practical Guide to Musicianship
66th Annual Midwest Clinic
An International Band and Orchestra Conference
McCormick Place West
Chicago, IL
http://www.midwestclinic.org/default.aspx 

2013

January 17-18, 2013
Christopher Azzara
Creativity and Improvisation in Instrumental Music
Duquesne University
Pittsburgh, PA
Paul Doerksen
doerksenp@duq.edu

February 13-16, 2013
Christopher Azzara
Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA) Convention
2 Sessions:
Teaching Improvisation: Where to Begin?
Improvisation in Ensembles: A Guide to Building Better Musicians
San Antonio, TX
http://www.tmea.org

March 17-24, 2013
Christopher Azzara
Sydney Conservatorium of Music
Concert Performance and Classes
Sydney, Australia
http://sydney.edu.au/music

May 8, 2013
Christopher Azzara
Improvisation: Music Literacy Beyond the Page
The Chatter Box Club
Goodman Street
Rochester, NY

June 5-7, 2013
Christopher Azzara
Teaching Improvisation: How to Get Started
Developing Musicianship through Improvisation
University of New Mexico
Albuquerque, NM
Bruce Dalby
dalby@unm.edu

June 13-15, 2013
Christopher Azzara
Teaching Improvisation: How to Get Started
Southern Methodist University
Dallas, TX
Julie Scott
Scottj@mail.smu.edu

July 15-19, 2013
Christopher Azzara
Teaching Improvisation: How to Get Started
Gordon College
Wenham, MA
Sandra Doneski
Sandra.Doneski@gordon.edu

July 22-August 2, 2013
Christopher Azzara
Instrumental Methods and Techniques
Developing Musicianship in Instrumental Music
Eastman School of Music
Rochester, NY
Sylvie Beaudette
sbeaudette@esm.rochester.edu

August 5-6, 2013
Christopher Azzara
Improvisation Workshop and Concert Performance
Eastman Trombone Institute
Eastman School of Music
Rochester, NY
Sylvie Beaudette
sbeaudette@esm.rochester.edu

October 9-14, 2013
Christopher Azzara
Developing Musicianship through Improvisation Classes
Mannheim and Hamburg, Germany

October 17, 2013
Christopher Azzara
Headliner
Capital District Music Educators Conference
Albany, NY

December 5-7, 2013
Christopher Azzara
Creativity and Improvisation at the Core of Music Teaching and Learning
New York State School Music Association Conference
Rochester, NY