Christopher D. Azzara
Professor of Music Teaching & Learning
Eisenhart Professor of Music Teaching & Learning
Affiliate Faculty, Jazz Studies & Contemporary Media
Affiliate Faculty, Woodwinds, Brass & Percussion
DEPARTMENTS
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 are available through Oxford University Press and 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.
LINKS
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.
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
2026
January 6-12, 2026
Christopher Azzara
Developing Musicianship through Improvisation
Classes and Workshops
Hochschule für Musik and Theater
Hamburg, Germany
Almuth Süperkrüb
February 6-7, 2026
Christopher Azzara
Classes & Workshops: Creativity at the Core
Duquesne University
Pittsburgh, PA
Paul Doerksen
February 17-March 1, 2026
Christopher Azzara
Piano Performance, Keys 2
Wicked
Broadway National Tour
West Herr Auditorium Theatre/RBTL
Rochester, NY
March 21, 2026
Christopher Azzara
Piano Performance
with Amy Azzara, vocals;
Mark Kellogg, trombone; Kyle Volk, bass;
Eric Schmitz, drums
University of Pittsburgh, Bradford, PA Campus
March 24-25, 2026
Christopher Azzara
Classes, Workshops, and Concert Performance
with Amy Azzara, vocals;
Mark Kellogg, trombone; Kyle Volk, bass;
Eric Schmitz, drums
Whitesboro School District
Whitesboro, NY
June 7-12, 2026
Christopher Azzara
Piano Performance, Classes, and Workshops
Developing Musicianship through Improvisation
St. Charles Community College Jazz Camp &
Professional Development
St. Louis, MO
Jim Martin
July 11, 2026
Christopher Azzara
2026 Jane Frazee Distinguished Scholar
Summer Seminar
University of St. Thomas
St. Paul, MN
Karen Howard
July 13-17, 2026
Christopher Azzara
Think IN Music: Practical Applications for Comprehensive Music Curriculum
Creativity and Literacy in Music Teaching and Learning
Gordon College
Wenham, MA
Kristen Harrington
Kristen.Harrington@gordon.edu
July 19-24, 2026
Christopher Azzara
Eastman Summer Trombone Institute
Piano Performance and Improvisation Classes
Developing Musicianship through Improvisation
Eastman School of Music
Rochester, NY
summer@esm.rochester.edu
July 20-31, 2026
Christopher Azzara
Instrumental Methods and Techniques
Developing Musicianship through Improvisation
Eastman School of Music
Rochester, NY
summer@esm.rochester.edu
2027
March 10-11, 2027
Christopher Azzara
Developing Musicianship through Improvisation
Classes and Workshops
Peabody Institute – Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD
Rachael Brashier
MUSIC TEACHING & LEARNING
JAZZ STUDIES & CONTEMPORARY MEDIA
WOODWINDS, BRASS & PERCUSSION
