Christopher Astilla

Born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana, Christopher Astilla began his musical studies with Ukrainian pianist Inna Mencia, a pedagogical descendant of the Russian piano school founded by Heinrich Neuhaus. He attended the New Orleans Center for Cultural Arts, graduating with top honors in performance, and Jesuit. Continuing in the same musical vein, at age seventeen Christopher moved to the University of North Texas where he received scholarships to study with another Neuhaus descendant, the celebrated musician Vladimir Viardo - winner of the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition and Artist-in-Residence at UNT. He has also studied with Dr. Jack Roberts, Dr. James Pitts, and played for such legendary pedagogues as Herbert Stessin (the Juilliard School) and Lev Naumov (Moscow Conservatory).

Astilla recently completed a Doctor of Musical Arts diploma in piano performance, and Summer 2009 marks the publication of his first book. 'Between the Staves’: Adaptations of Debussy’s Six Épigraphes Antiques and Creative Tasks of the Performer, by Christopher Astilla, has been released by VDM publishing and is available worldwide through Amazon. His approach to music is one that combines conceptual with didactic elements of musical storytelling. His lectures and masterclasses emphasize the working methods of the performer, drawing parallels between the creative processes and techniques used in theater, painting, literature and the implementation of such methods in practice and performance to enable the augmentation of a musical work onto a larger palette.

Recent performances include Beethoven’s 4th Piano Concerto at a memorial concert in New Orleans for artist Stan Rice, late husband of novelist Anne Rice, a solo recital for the Ambassadors to the United States and Philippines, and performances in Dallas, El Paso, Houston, Palm Springs, and New York (Steinway Hall). Internationally, Astilla has performed in Canada, Italy, and extensively throughout the United Kingdom. UK appearances include performances in London, Manchester, Leeds, Ripon, Sherborne, and Brighton at such venues as St. John’s Cathedral, Ripon Cathedral, the University of Manchester, the University of Leeds, the London House, the Brighton Fringe Festival, and the Canford Summer School of Music. This most recent UK tour featured rarely played original reductions by Mozart of his concertos for piano and string quartet, performed with the Surrey String Quartet.

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10/13/09: Christopher Astilla

New Orleans classical pianist approaches music by combining conceptual with didactic elements of musical storytelling.

Christopher Astilla

New Orleans classical pianist approaches music by combining conceptual with didactic elements of musical storytelling.

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