Bio

Cris is an active conductor, clarinetist, and woodwind doubler. He is the Music Director and Conductor of the Mt. Hood Pops Orchestra in Gresham, Oregon, and performs with several ensembles in the Pacific Northwest. Cris has previously served as the Assistant Conductor of the Spokane Youth Orchestra for Spokane Youth Symphonies in Spokane, WA and as the Conductor of the Cascades Flute Choir in Ridgefield, WA. He has also conducted Spokane Youth Philharmonic, the Spokane British Brass Band, and with orchestras and has served as adjudicator, conductor, clinician, and performer for orchestras, bands, and festivals across the Pacific Northwest, California, Oklahoma, and Arkansas. He has greatly enjoyed performing in incredible spaces such as San Francisco’s Davies Symphony Hall, Berkeley’s Fantasy Studios, and Spokane’s Fox Theatre (where Cris and his wife, Melody, were married).

 

Cris is looking forward to chamber music performances of pieces by Gipps, Bowen, Strauss, Beethoven, Brahms, and Mozart in the 2025-2026 season.

 

Cris has had the pleasure of studying with incredible conductors such as Jonathon Heyward (Baltimore Symphony, Nordwestdeutsche Philharmonie), Bertie Baigent (City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Rotterdam Philharmonic, Waterperry Opera Festival), Verne Windham, and Eckart Preu, as well as Daniel Cotter (clarinet), Sylvia Baker (flute, clarinet, saxophone), Lynne Feller-Marshall and Donna Maher (bassoon), and Neil Boyer (oboe).




Cris lives in Seattle with his wife, Melody; children Emma, August, and Celia; and two shiba inu pups.