Chris Reza
Chris Reza
A multi-instrumentalist, educator, composer, lyricist, and bookwriter, Chris Reza plays 16 woodwinds including flutes, single and double reeds. Chris performed with the New York City Rockettes in the 2016 Radio City Christmas Spectacular Orchestra after winning the Lead Alto Chair. Having performed in 41 musicals in the past 8 years, he was most recently the regular reed chair holder in Broadway’s 5-time Tony Award-winning musical Fun Home. Chris is featured on Fun Home’s Broadway and Off-Broadway original cast recordings, beginning the opening number with the show’s notable English Horn solo. His Broadway subbing credits include The Book of Mormon, Matilda, Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark, and How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (starring Daniel Radcliffe). He also performed in the City Center Encores! Off-Center production of Alan Menken’s musical God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater (featuring James Earl Jones) and performed as a local musician in the most recent national tours of Anything Goes and Jekyll & Hyde.
Chris’ recent commissions as a concert-music composer include a piece premiered by the 38-year English Horn veteran of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, Mr. Thomas Stacy, and Grammy Award-Winning multi-instrumentalist, Mr. Paul McCandless. Chris’ music has been performed on three continents.
A multi-instrumentalist, educator, composer, lyricist, and bookwriter, Chris Reza plays 16 woodwinds including flutes, single and double reeds. Chris performed with the New York City Rockettes in the 2016 Radio City Christmas Spectacular Orchestra after winning the Lead Alto Chair. Having performed in 41 musicals in the past 8 years, he was most recently the regular reed chair holder in Broadway’s 5-time Tony Award-winning musical Fun Home. Chris is featured on Fun Home’s Broadway and Off-Broadway original cast recordings, beginning the opening number with the show’s notable English Horn solo. His Broadway subbing credits include The Book of Mormon, Matilda, Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark, and How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (starring Daniel Radcliffe). He also performed in the City Center Encores! Off-Center production of Alan Menken’s musical God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater (featuring James Earl Jones) and performed as a local musician in the most recent national tours of Anything Goes and Jekyll & Hyde.
Chris’ recent commissions as a concert-music composer include a piece premiered by the 38-year English Horn veteran of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, Mr. Thomas Stacy, and Grammy Award-Winning multi-instrumentalist, Mr. Paul McCandless. Chris’ music has been performed on three continents.
Chris wrote the book, music and lyrics to Question 1, a new satirical musical dramedy about a closeted politician who becomes the center of Maine’s 2009 same-sex marriage debate. The show explores how the choices we make determine whether each of us contributes strife or kindness to humanity. Question 1 was selected and presented in the 2017 Theatre Resources Unlimited TRU Voices Musical Reading Series. Visit www.Question1Musical.com to learn more.
Chris holds a Masters Degree in Jazz Composition from the Manhattan School of Music where he studied with the world-renowned Grammy Award-Winning composer/pianist, Jim McNeely, and Grammy-nominated composer Dr. Edward Green. Furthermore, Chris holds two Bachelors Degrees from the University of North Texas (UNT) in Multiple Woodwinds Performance and Jazz Studies Performance.
Additional work includes performances with distinguished individuals and ensembles such as Meryl Streep, Christine Baranski, Patti LuPone, Audra McDonald, Anika Noni Rose, Michael Cerveris, Marc Shaiman, Maureen McGovern, Jenn Colella, Lyle Mays, Grammy-nominated One O’Clock Lab Band, Plano Symphony Orchestra, Lone Star Wind Orchestra, UNT Wind Symphony, and numerous other ensembles. Chris is featured on the original cast recordings of the musicals God Bless You Mr. Rosewater, A Second Chance, and Tokio Confidential as well multiple albums by the UNT Wind Symphony and 2 O’Clock Lab Band.
Chris serves as Vice-Chair of the Broadway Theatre Committee, the liaison between the Broadway Musicians Community and the Associated Musicians of Greater New York, American Federation of Musicians Local 802, one of the largest local unions of professional musicians in the world.
With over 10 years of experience privately teaching composition, saxophone, clarinet, oboe, and flute to grade levels 4 through college, Chris is also a recurring guest lecturer at the Manhattan School of Music on topics such as “jazz in musical theater” and “music and dance in musical theater.”
Greenroom Conversations, a podcast dedicated to inspiring students and those finding their own path to “making it” in the performing arts, featured Chris Reza on his experiences breaking into the Broadway scene. The interview is available here: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kevin-chavez/greenroom-conversations/e/s01e06-chris-reza-35662682