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Professor Chris Bruya
Chris Bruya is in his seventh year at Central Washington University
after spending 7 years at Mt. Hood Community College (Oregon) and 4
years at Pacific University in Forest Grove, Oregon. Bruya also
taught high school in Washington and Oregon where his jazz bands
consistently placed at numerous jazz festivals throughout the Northwest.
As Director of Jazz Studies at Central, Chris Bruya directs the Jazz
Band 1, coaches jazz combos, teaches jazz composition and arranging,
as well as music education courses. Bruya implemented the CWU Jazz
Specialization degree in 2005 to the delight of the many talented and
jazz focused students in Central’s music program. He has directed the
Washington Ambassadors of Music Jazz Band, Edmonds Jazz Connection
All-Star Band, Oregon All-State Jazz Band, Anchorage All-City Jazz
Band, Salem All-City Jazz Band, the Central Oregon Honor Jazz Band
and has been Organizing Chair for the All-NW Jazz Band and Choir as
well as All State jazz groups numerous times. He was also director of
the Jazz On The Water Instrumental Workshop and the Mt. Hood Festival
of Jazz Instrumental Workshop.
Bruya maintains a busy schedule of performing, adjudicating and
clinics throughout the Northwest. In 2005 the CWU Jazz Band performed
at both the Montreux and North Sea Jazz Festivals in Europe and most
recently they were one of six college bands nationwide to compete at
the 2007 Next Generation Festival, a part of the Monterey Jazz
Festival. The band’s latest CD, “In A Mellow Tone”, is available
through Sea Breeze Records as well as the CWU Bookstore online. Chris
is currently involved in creating a NW jazz educators organization to
take the place of IAJE. |
