Violinist Christopher Whitley presents: landscape shifts
Camille Scheiss-Mariano, violin
Kumiko Sakamoto, soprano and violin
Julia Dixon, cello
landscape shifts is a multimedia piece for small ensemble, electronics, and projections. It is a piece about the impermanence of the borders between people, places, and things. It's about looking a little closer, listening a little more carefully, and moving a little bit slower.
Small Batch is an intimate new music concert series to be held in the Recording Studio's Live Room, curated by Russell Podgorsek and Andrew Stoltz. Each season will include one student-driven "batch" of performances chosen from submitted proposals.
Biography
Canadian violinist Christopher Whitley is an engaging and versatile performer. From Baroque to electronic music, he is committed to exploring and performing music of all styles.
As a founding member of the Thalea String Quartet, Whitley has performed recitals across North America, Europe, and China, and has collaborated with members of the St. Lawrence, Kronos, and Emerson Quartets. The Thalea String Quartet was named the first string quartet-in-residence at the San Francisco Conservatory, and has performed in world famous halls that include Weill Hall, the Kennedy Center, and Massey Hall. They currently serve as the Young Professional String Quartet at the Butler School of Music, where they are mentored by the acclaimed Miró Quartet. They also serve as Associated Artists at the Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel, where they are mentored by the Artemis Quartet.
Whitley has performed on period instruments at the Boston Early Music Festival, and the Valley of the Moon Music Festival in Sonoma, CA. An avid proponent of contemporary music, he has performed as a member of NOVUS NY, and as both concertmaster and soloist of the McGill Contemporary Music Ensemble. He is a regular guest of San Francisco jazz group Le Jazz Hot, performing music inspired by Stephane Grappelli and Django Reinhardt.
As a composer, Whitley's primary focus is on expanding the potential of the solo violin, incorporating technology, electronic music, and interactive visual art. Blending classical music, popular music, and a variety of improvised styles, he has performed across the United States and Canada, including at the 2009 CMJ Music Marathon in New York. He has been invited to create new works at residencies at the Banff Centre and at the Britten Pears Young Artist Program in Aldeburgh, UK. His debut album hecca autre was released in 2018 on Belgian label Audio. Visuals. Atmosphere. His music has since been released on the Patient Sounds and Fluid Audio labels.
Whitley received his Bachelor’s of Music at McGill University studying with Mark Fewer, and received a Master's Degree from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, studying with Ian Swensen.
Whitley performs on the 1700 “Taft” Stradivari, generously on loan by the Canada Council for the Arts Musical Instrument Bank. In his spare time, he can be found at record stores, libraries, and coffee shops, and does whatever he can to get into a canoe.