Christopher Whitley
Canadian violinist Christopher Whitley is a versatile performer, dedicated educator and genre-defying composer. As the founding member of the Thalea String Quartet, Christopher has performed recitals across North America, Europe, and China, in halls including Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and Massey Hall. Christopher is a founding member of Colour of Anyhow, a multi-instrumental duo that combines popular and contemporary classical music into an eclectic blend of innovative chamber music performance. As a solo artist, Christopher actively commissions and champions new music for solo violin, as demonstrated on his upcoming solo release Describe Yourself, which features new works by Nicole Lizée, Fjóla Evans, Kara-Lis Coverdale and Leslie Ting. Christopher has spent more than a decade developing and presenting educational programming to students and young musicians. Highlights include a strings program for young people with special sensory needs, instant composition workshops and lecture presentations on non-verbal communication. As a composer, Christopher has released four albums of original works since 2018, explored a variety of methods and mediums, including acoustic improvisation, electronic processing and multimedia experimentation. Christopher earned his undergraduate degree at McGill University and his master’s degree at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. He has held residency positions at the San Francisco Conservatory, the University of Texas, and the Queen Elizabeth Music Chapel and is currently completing his doctoral degree at the University of Maryland.