Christian Cunningham

5-8 Music and math

BACHELOR’S OF music education -instrumental emphasis

BACHELOR’S OF music IN music performance - saxophone

NORTHERN ARIZONA UNIVERSITY

Mr. Cunningham has taught at Pine Forest School since 2020 and was new to Waldorf education when he was hired, but he found the pedagogy intuitive and largely overlapping with good music education. In 2021, due to COVID-19, he was hired to supplement the math curriculum and work with focused groups in the upper grades.

He grew up in South Phoenix and began to play saxophone and piano in 5th Grade. After beginning private lessons, he wanted to be a middle school band teacher. Throughout High school, Mr. Cunningham was involved in various performing ensembles including the Tempe Wind Ensemble and All-State Bands. In college, he was the winner of the NAU Concerto Competition and was able to do a solo performance with orchestra.

Mr. Cunningham’s bands continually receive high praise from other directors in the city and are largely competitive with other middle school bands. Several of Mr. Cunningham’s former students are currently performing in the Flagstaff High School Band and the Coconino High School Band. He also has presented Ball-A-Vis-X and Beginning Band Methods at the Arizona Music Educator’s Association Conference.

Mr. Cunningham’s hobbies include cooking, reading, spending time with his wife, and playing piano.