Director of Jazz Ensembles and Facilities
Mr. Christopher Hollar is the Associate Director of Bands for Jazz and Facilities at Texas A&M University. His duties include Director of the University Jazz Ensemble program, Coordinator of Percussion for the department of Music Activities and Facility Manager of the White-Walker Music Activities Center. He came to Texas A&M in June of 2004 as Director of Jazz and Athletic Pep Band after a year of adjunct teaching in the East Tennessee and North Carolina area
As Director of Jazz, Mr. Hollar oversees all aspects of administrative, teaching and performance duties of the university jazz ensemble program, a multi big band ensemble program that perform regularly on the university campus and in the Bryan / College Station community.
As Percussion Coordinator, Mr. Hollar assists ensemble directors with all instrument, teaching, rehearsal and performance percussion needs for the department, supporting 4 large concert band, marching, jazz and orchestral ensembles.
Mr. Hollar’s other administrative assignment is serving as facility coordinator and proctor of the White-Walker Music Activities Center. The MAC is a 70,000 square-foot state of the art music rehearsal facility which houses all of the University Sponsored instrumental and choral ensembles. The facility which opened in summer of 2019 features four large ensemble rehearsal halls, 36 individual sound-proof practice rooms, administrative offices and a 100 yard artificial turf Dunlap Drill Field
Upon his arrival to College Station in 2004 Mr. Hollar was named the first appointed director of the university’s athletic department pep band ensemble, the Hullabaloo Band. In this role he created and developed a highly successful pep band program that supports the university’s athletic program in NCAA Volleyball and Men’s & Women’s Basketball. With the creation of this ensemble Mr. Hollar established a new era of musical tradition for the university with regular performances in Reed Arena and at all Big XII, SEC and NCAA Tournament appearances for all three athletic teams throughout the United States. He served in this role until 2019 before re-assignment solely to the Department of Music Activities in his current position.
Mr. Hollar is an accomplished drummer, music and percussion educator from Knoxville TN. He holds a Bachelor of Music (B.M.) and Master of Music (M.M.) in Studio Music and Jazz from the University of Tennessee where he was one of the schools top jazz drummers and a recipient of the Bill Harms scholarship for undergraduate jazz percussion and a graduate teaching assistantship in percussion with the University of Tennessee Band program, serving as percussion instructor for the Pride of the Southland Band.
His notable experience both as a feature performer and ensemble director include a versatile list of jazz artist Hank Jones, Gary Foster, Bryon Stripling, Philippe LeJeune, Chris Brubeck, Joshua Breakstone, Alemay Fernandez, the Jim Petty Big Band, Dorsey Brothers Orchestra and the Boston Brass All-Star Big Band. Also premier performances with Broadway artist Mary Costa, Susan Anton and the Kingsport Symphony Pops Orchestra. Country artist Charlie Daniels, Lee Greenwood and Margo Smith. Texas Country artist Jack Houston, Mandy Walker and fiddler Robert Herridge.
Mr. Hollar is a three year veteran performing member of the Spirit of Atlanta Drum and Bugle Corps from Atlanta Georgia. His wife is Susannah, a pharmaceutical technician and a former collegiate equestrian rider from Roswell Georgia. They have a son, Christopher Eben Hollar.