Chris attended high school at the Idyllwild Arts Academy, where he studied with Yehuda Gilad. He received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Southern California as a student of Professors Gilad and Michele Zukovsky. While at USC, he was honored with the Mitchell Lurie Award, was twice awarded the Bruce Zalkind Memorial Prize, and won first prize in the Pasadena Instrumental Competition. He has performed in several summer music festivals including the Aspen Music Festival, the National Repertory Orchestra and the Tanglewood Music Center, where he was awarded the Gino B. Cioffi Memorial Prize for Outstanding Woodwind Performance.

Recently, Chris founded the company Wind-Notes LLC, and released his product, The Wind-o, an educational embouchure tool for wind and brass musicians.

Chris is also a passionate clarinet teacher and he has a studio of very successful young people. He lives in Southern California with his wife Laura, who is also a clarinetist.