Teaching music comes naturally to Craig Bryant. The son of musicians, he was immersed in music throughout his childhood and has followed in the footsteps of his mother and father – who were his own high school chorus and band teachers. In the classroom, Craig shares his passion for music with his students and helps them find success at all levels. Through high-level performance and artistic expression, Craig strives to impart to his students a life-long enthusiasm and appreciation for music.
Craig has served as the Director of Instrumental Music at Albany High School in Albany, CA since 2007, where he leads a strong and diverse music program that is recognized for its musical excellence throughout the Bay Area. Ensembles under Craig’s direction have received top ratings and awards at band and orchestra festivals, as well as the Folsom, Reno and Santa Cruz Jazz Festivals. The Albany High School Jazz Band has performed at the California Music Education Association (CMEA) state conference in Sacramento, and as a finalist at the Next Generation Festival presented by the Monterey Jazz Festival and the “Essentially Ellington” contest presented by Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York. Craig’s students frequently participate in the Jazz School and SF Jazz All-Star bands, the Oakland, Berkeley and San Francisco Youth Orchestras, the California All-State ensembles, as well as other honor groups.
In addition to his work at Albany High School, Mr. Bryant currently serves as Band Representative on the board of CMEA Bay Section and was Secretary for the California Alliance for Jazz from 2011 to 2016. He is a frequent adjudicator and clinician in the Bay Area, regularly conducting at Cazadero Music Camp, and recently conducted the 2016 California Jr. High School All-State Jazz Ensemble.
Craig is a freelance trombonist in various bands and orchestras throughout the Bay Area. He performs regularly with the Berkeley Symphony, the R&B band East Bay Mudd, and the salsa band Avance. He holds a Bachelor of Music degree in trombone performance from the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music and a Master of Music Education degree from Boston University. He loves to spend his free time enjoying the Bay Area with his wife Crystal and their daughter Paige.
If chosen as the recipient of the NBC Sports Bay Area All-Star Teacher grand prize, Craig plans to use the money to purchase new instruments and commission a new piece of music for his students.
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