Azzara, Christopher - Eastman School of Music

Back to Main Faculty Page

Christopher D. Azzara

Professor of Music Teaching and Learning

Eisenhart Professor of Music Teaching and Learning

Affiliate Faculty, Jazz Studies and Contemporary Media

Affiliate Faculty, Woodwinds, Brass, and Percussion

DEPARTMENTS

Jazz Studies & Contemporary Media

CONTACT INFO

585-274-1027

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 art of music teaching and learning, Dr. Azzara is Eisenhart Professor of Music Teaching & Learning, and Affiliate Faculty of Jazz Studies & Contemporary Media and Woodwinds, Brass & Percussion 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 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 Bulletin of the Council for 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), and Oxford Handbooks Online.

Azzara performs as a soloist and in various ensembles, including the Chris Azzara Trio, 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, Azzara has taught and performed extensively throughout the United States, and in Canada, the Caribbean, France, Germany, Italy, Lithuania, Poland, Portugal, China, Japan, and Australia. He has presented clinics and workshops in a variety of settings, including TEDxRochester, the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Carnegie Hall, 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 (1981), 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 (1988) and a Ph.D. in Music Education (1992) 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 (1991-2002). Azzara joined the Eastman faculty in 2002 and was chair of the Music Teaching & Learning Department (then called the Music Education Department) from 2010-2018. In 2022, as an Eastman professor, Azzara received the University of Rochester’s Edward Peck Curtis Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching, which recognizes a record of distinguished undergraduate teaching and a commitment to helping less experienced faculty colleagues and teaching assistants master their craft. In 2023, Christopher Azzara was named Eisenhart Professor of Music Teaching & Learning, the oldest endowed professorship at the Eastman School of Music.

WORKS AND PUBLICATIONS

Selected Works and Publications:

Christopher Azzara on TED Talks

Azzara, Christopher D., Grunow, Richard F. Developing Musicianship through Improvisation. Book/Audio 1-B, 2019.

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
Edoardo Bellotti, Harpsichord, Organ
Jeff Campbell, Bass
Juliana Athayde, Violin
Glenna Curren, Cello
Erik Behr, Oboe
George Sakakeeny, Bassoon
Wes Nance, Trumpet
Peter Kurau, Horn
Amy Azzara, Lisa Azzara, Karl-Erik Jansson, Vocals
Rob LaVaque, Recording and Mixing

Azzara, Christopher D., Snell, Alden H., II. Assessment of Improvisation in Music. Oxford Handbooks Online. Oxford University Press, 2016.

Azzara, Christopher D. Improvisation and Composition: Developing Musicianship in Instrumental Music. In “Engaging Music Practices: A Sourcebook on Instrumental Music.” Burton, S. & Snell, A., Editors, Rowman and Littlefield Publications, 2015.

Azzara, Christopher D., Grunow, Richard F. Developing Musicianship through Improvisation.
App for iPad. Chicago: G.I.A Publications, Inc., 2014.

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 Bertoncini, 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

2023

January 9-14, 2023
Christopher Azzara
Gunma Kokusai Academy
Concert Performance, Piano, Ota Civic Hall
Ota, Japan
Todd Lowery

February 4, 2023
Christopher Azzara
Concert Performance, Piano
Harriett B. Wick Chapel
University of Pittsburgh at Bradford
Bradford, PA

February 5, 2023
Christopher Azzara
Concert Performance, Piano
Rochester Academy of Medicine
Rochester, NY

February 7-8, 2023
Christopher Azzara
Clinics & Workshops, Concert Performance
Whitesboro High School
Whitesboro, NY

March 7-8, 2023
Christopher Azzara
Classes & Workshops: Creativity at the Core
Developing Musicianship through Improvisation
University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point
Stevens Point, WI
Rachel Brashier

March 10-11, 2023
Christopher Azzara
Classes & Workshops: Creativity at the Core
Duquesne University
Pittsburgh, PA
Paul Doerksen

March 24, 2023
Christopher Azzara
Classes & Workshops
Developing Musicianship through Improvisation
SUNY Oswego
Oswego, NY
Eric Schmitz

April 13-15, 2023
Christopher Azzara
“Connect, Create, and Communicate through Improvisation”
Session, April 14, 2023, at 2:30pm
National Association for Music Education (NAfME)
Eastern Division Conference
Riverside Convention Center
Rochester, NY

July 1, 2023
Christopher Azzara, Piano
Quintet Concert Performance
with Amy Azzara, vocals, David Azzara, tenor saxophone
Geoff Saunders, bass, Brian Shank, drums
Saundersfest
Caroga Arts Festival

July 10-14, 2023
Christopher Azzara
Instrumental Methods & Techniques:
Creativity and Literacy in Music Teaching and Learning
Gordon College
Wenham, MA
Kristen Harrington
Kristen.Harrington@gordon.edu

July 17-28, 2023
Christopher Azzara
Instrumental Methods and Techniques
Developing Musicianship through Improvisation
Eastman School of Music
Rochester, NY
Sylvie Beaudette
sbeaudette@esm.rochester.edu

July 31-August 5, 2023
Christopher Azzara
Improvisation Workshops
Eastman Summer Trombone Institute
Eastman School of Music
Rochester, NY
Sylvie Beaudette
sbeaudette@esm.rochester.edu

August 2, 2023
Christopher Azzara
Concert Performance
Eastman Summer Trombone Institute
Eastman School of Music
Hatch Recital Hall
Rochester, NY
Sylvie Beaudette
sbeaudette@esm.rochester.edu

September 13, 2023
Christopher Azzara
Developing Musicianship through Improvisation
Zoom Session
University of Florida
Gainesville, FL
Peter Webster

October 14-19, 2023
Christopher Azzara
Developing Musicianship through Improvisation
Classes and Workshops
Hochschule für Musik and Theater
Hamburg, Germany
Almuth Süperkrüb

November 5, 2023
Christopher Azzara
Concert Performance, Piano
Faculty Artist Series
with Mark Kellogg
Hatch Recital Hall
Eastman School of Music
Rochester, NY

November 7, 2023
Christopher Azzara
Presentation-Performance
Creativity at the Core: Music and Life-Long Learning
Brickstone Winter Garden Series
Rochester, NY

November 8, 2023
Christopher Azzara
Concert Performance, Piano
State University of New York at Oswego
Ke-nekt’ Chamber Music Series
with Eric Schmitz

November 12, 2023
Christopher Azzara
Concert Performance, Piano
–with Amy Azzara, Voice
Room 623, 271 West 119th, NYC
https://www.room623.com/artist/SSS-November12

2024

February 9-10, 2024
Christopher Azzara
Classes & Workshops: Creativity at the Core
Duquesne University
Pittsburgh, PA
Paul Doerksen

May 27-31, 2024
Christopher Azzara
Developing Musicianship through Improvisation
Classes, Workshops, Piano Performance
Trossingen, Germany
Claudia Ehrenpreis/Sigrid Reich

July 8-12, 2024
Christopher Azzara
Instrumental Methods & Techniques:
Creativity and Literacy in Music Teaching and Learning
Gordon College
Wenham, MA
Kristen Harrington
Kristen.Harrington@gordon.edu

July 15-26, 2024
Christopher Azzara
Instrumental Methods and Techniques
Developing Musicianship through Improvisation
Eastman School of Music
Rochester, NY
Sylvie Beaudette
sbeaudette@esm.rochester.edu