Instructor for the Saxophone Intensive
After spending many years away from his native Southern California, saxophonist Christopher Charbonneau recently returned to the Los Angeles area in search of a better balance between performing and educating. Currently maintaining a private studio from his home in Lakewood and the Palos Verdes/Torrance area, Christopher remains active as a soloist, chamber musician, clinician, and adjudicator. Dr. Charbonneau was the featured guest artist for the Huntington Beach Symphony Orchestra’s most recent Soiree entitled Musical Legends, presenting a lecture recital on saxophone in the orchestra. Other recent notable performances include an appearance as a guest soloist with the LBCC Symphony Orchestra, premiering the orchestral version of 10 West: 3 Postcards for Alto Saxophone and Piano written by Roger Przytulski. Commissioning and premiering new works for saxophone is a core objective of Duo Charbonneau, a duo formed with his wife and pianist, Hanah Charbonneau. Duo Charbonneau has performed throughout the United States and Europe, premiering works for saxophone and piano by Ida Gotkovsky, Mischa Zupko, Kevin Timothy Austin, Michael Markowski, Gil Dori, and Roger Przyltulski. Christopher is a founding member and tenor saxophonist of the Pathways Saxophone Quartet and Upland Saxophone Quartet.
Christopher completed his Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Performance at Arizona State University in 2015. His final project is entitled A Recording and Commissioning Project Aimed at Developing New Repertoire for Pre-College and Early-College Saxophonists Focused on the Early Applications of Extended Techniques. Christopher also holds a Master of Music degree from Indiana University and a Bachelor of Music degree from California State University at Long Beach. His instructors have included Dr. Michael Hester, Dr. Timothy McAllister, Dr. Otis Murphy, Leo Potts, and Dr. Joseph Wytko.