Chris started cello at the age of four and is an experienced solo musician, having performed regularly during his time at school and university. In 2013, he gave the Young Artist recital for the Minehead and Exmoor Music Festival and in 2015 he played the first movement of Dvořák’s Cello Concerto at the Harrow School Concerto Concert. During his first two years at Cambridge University, Chris was awarded the Daphne Bird Instrumental Scholarship, and in his final year he was presented with the London Girton Association Music Award. He gave frequent recitals at his college and achieved a first in his final recital, performing Beethoven’s Magic Flute Variations in Eb-major and Britten’s Cello Sonata. In November 2018, he performed at the inaugural event of the House of the Young Romantics at Leighton House.
From a young age, Chris has enjoyed orchestral playing. He was a member of the National Children’s Orchestra from 2005 to 2010 and was awarded the Leverhulme Scholarship in recognition of outstanding performance at audition in 2005, 2008 and 2009. He was also in several of the Cambridge University Music Society’s top orchestras, playing under such prestigious conductors as Sir Roger Norrington, Sir Mark Elder and Paul Daniel. Chris shared the role of principal in the Cambridge University Orchestra and was the on the front desk of the CUMS Symphony Orchestra and the Cambridge University Chamber Orchestra. In addition to this, whilst at Cambridge, he successfully auditioned for the Instrumental Award for Chamber Music scheme, forming a string quintet and quartet in his first year before organising his own group for the next two years, performing works such as Mendelssohn’s Octet and Brahms’s Sextet in Bb major.
Chris is currently working at Reed’s school as the Graduate Music Assistant and will continue his studies next year with a Performance Masters at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama with Tim Lowe.
