Chris Donnelly

“…listening to his music: one experiences intelligence, skillful execution, creativity and most importantly, an inventiveness that still acknowledges the jazz tradition.”- David BraidChris Donnelly is a Toronto-based pianist, composer and improviser known for his musicality, versatility and ability to captivate an audience. He has had the distinct privilege of performing with Canadian greats Brad Turner, Heather Bambrick, John Macleod, Adi Braun, William Carn, Quinsin Nachoff, Tara Davidson, Lina Allemano, Kieran Overs and Andrew Downing. As well as working with numerous musicians in a variety of contexts, Chris enjoys playing solo piano repertoire consisting of originals, jazz standards and other compositions with cross-genre qualities from Egberto Gismonti to Nikolai Kapustin. His talent, perseverance and good fortune have led him to perform in various concert halls throughout Toronto including Roy Thomson Hall, CBC’s Glenn Gould Studio, MacMillian Theatre, Walter Hall and the Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre in the new Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts. In April 2007, Chris also performed at the Florida Theatre in Jacksonville Florida where he received 2nd place as part of the Great American Jazz Piano Competition.Chris Donnelly has recently completed his Masters of Music in Jazz Performance at the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Music. He previously attended their undergraduate program for jazz performance where he had the opportunity to perform in masterclasses alongside top international musicians such as Kurt Elling, Lee Konitz, and Rich Perry. Throughout his career at the University of Toronto, Chris has studied with David Braid, Gary Williamson, Brian Dickinson, Paul Read, Kirk MacDonald, Alexander Rappoport, and Russell Hartenberger.Chris has worked as a faculty member of the Humber College Community Music School, Prairielands Jazz Camp and the National Music Camp of Canada. Upcoming projects include the release of a solo-piano, debut album featuring a blend of original material and arrangements of jazz standards. His future endeavors as a performing artist continue to look promising and is dedicated to bringing his music to a national and international audience.