In 2011 Christopher began his conducting studies with Chris Van Tuinen, a former Opera Australia conductor. After completing his Bachelor of Music in clarinet at the WA Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA) with WASO Principal Clarinet Allan Meyer, and winning the WA Youth Orchestra’s Woodside Concerto Competition in 2011, he decided to shift his focus and is currently working towards an honours in conducting. Christopher is a member of the Symphony Services International Conductor Development Program through which he has worked with the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra and Auckland Philharmonia, under the guidance of course director Christopher Seaman.
Christopher’s profile as a conductor is expanding internationally. Last year he was invited as a conducting fellow to the Pacific Music Festival in Japan by Fabio Luisi, the Principal Conductor of The Metropolitan Opera. This year he will be participating in numerous courses overseas including the Järvi Winter Academy in Estonia, with Leonid Grin and a master class in the Czech Republic with Jorma Panula, former head of conducting studies at the Sibelius Academy.
Christopher has firm roots in WA community ensembles and is Musical Director of the Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra, the South Side Symphony Orchestra, OperaBox and the Leeming Area Concert Band. For the first half of 2013 Christopher will be conducting the WA Youth Orchestra’s Philharmonic Orchestra as well as WAAPA’s Faith Court Orchestra. In 2011 he co-founded his own orchestra, the Swan Philharmonic, an orchestra that combines professional players with the next generation of orchestral musicians.
The Assistant Conductor position is supported by the Simon Lee Foundation and Symphony Services International.