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Christopher D. Azzara

Professor of Music Education

Affiliate Faculty, Jazz Studies and Contemporary Media
Chair, Music Education Department

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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 presented and performed extensively throughout the United States, and in Canada, Germany, France, Lithuania, Poland, and Japan. 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

September 21-23, 2011
Christopher Azzara
Professional Development
Improvisation and Composition
Plano Schools
Plano, TX
Jeremy Kondrat
Jeremy.Kondrat@pisd.edu

October 13-14, 2011
Christopher Azzara
Improvisation Workshop
MidAmerican Center for Contemporary Music
New Music Festival
Improvisation Classes
Bowling Green State University
Jacqueline Leclair
nuoboe@gmail.com

October 16-18, 2011
Christopher Azzara
Improvisation Sessions
Michigan Music Teachers Association (MMTA)
Garik Pedersen
gpedersen@emich.edu

November 7, 2011
Christopher Azzara
Improvisation: Music Literacy Beyond the Page
TEDx Rochester
Geva Theatre
Rochester, NY
http://www.tedxrochester.org/

November 9-12, 2011
Christopher Azzara
Improvisation Classes
Hope College
Holland, MI
Christina Hornbach
hornbach@hope.edu

December 1-3, 2011
Improvisation across the Lifespan
Christopher Azzara with David Stringham and Alden Snell
New York State School Music Association (NYSSMA)
Winter Conference
Rochester, NY

January 17, 2012
Christopher Azzara, Piano
Concert Performance
on Mark Kellogg’s Faculty Recital
Kilbourn Hall, Eastman School of Music
http://www.esm.rochester.edu

January 19-20, 2012
Christopher Azzara
Creativity and Improvisation in Instrumental Music
Duquesne University
Pittsburgh, PA
Paul Doerksen
doerksenp@duq.edu

March 15-17, 2012
Christopher Azzara
Improvisation Classes
Concert Performance
James Madison University
Harrisonburg, VA
Dave Stringham
dastringham@gmail.com

April 24, 2012
Christopher Azzara
Improvisation Classes
Southern Methodist University
Dallas, TX
Scott, Julie
scottj@mail.smu.edu

June, 2012
Christopher Azzara
Improvisation Classes
The Harmony Effect
New York, NY
Deryck Clarke
deryckclarke@gmail.com

July 16-27, 2012
Christopher Azzara
Instrumental Methods and Techniques,
Developing Musicianship in Instrumental Music
Eastman School of Music
Rochester, NY
Sylvie Beaudette
sbeaudette@esm.rochester.edu

July 30-31, 2012
Christopher Azzara, piano
Improvisation Workshop and Concert Performance
Eastman Trombone Institute
Eastman School of Music
Mark Kellogg, trombone, Mike Davis, trombone, Jim Martin, bass trombone
Sylvie Beaudette
sbeaudette@esm.rochester.edu