Christopher has been described as ‘one of his generation’s most exciting compositional voices for brass’, having written for an array of soloists in addition to many of the UK’s leading brass bands. In 2015, he was appointed Composer in Residence to the world-famous Cory Band, with further commissions including Brighouse & Rastrick, Leyland, and Grimethorpe Bands, and performances by Fine Arts Brass, Black Dyke Band & the Welsh Sinfonia.
A first-class graduate of the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama, Christopher’s work has been performed extensively throughout the United Kingdom, including at Wales Millennium Centre, Durham International Festival of Brass, RNCM Festival of Brass, Regent Hall London, St John’s Smith Square, as well as at the BBC Welsh Proms at St David’s Hall, Cardiff. At ‘Brass in Concert’ at The Sage, Gateshead, in 2015, Christopher won the Composition Prize for his Aristotle’s Air. His work has been broadcast both locally and nationally on BBC Radio 2 and Classic FM.
More recently, Christopher’s music has had a number of international performances including in Australia, New Zealand, Taiwan, Japan, Canada, the USA, and across Europe. In 2017, Aristotle’s Air was part of the own-choice programme for both Brassband Willebroek and the National Band of New Zealand at the World Music Contest in Kerkrade, The Netherlands, with both bands taking the 1st and 2nd placings consecutively.
In 2012, Christopher’s award-winning Euphonium Quartet Equinox graced the main stage of the Bruknerhaus Concert Hall, Linz, Austria as part of a gala concert to conclude the 2012 International Tuba Euphonium Conference. In the same year, The Royal Diamond Jubilee Fanfare was commissioned and performed in the presence of HM Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh as part of the Diamond Jubilee Tour.
More recently, Christopher wrote the soundtrack for Magic in the Skies; the summer season of firework displays at iconic British location, Land’s End in Cornwall, for which Christopher worked with actress Miriam Margolyes to record the voice-over before conducting the orchestra in the recording of the music.
As well as his work as a composer, Christopher works heavily in education, co-directing his company,Create! Music Education, which runs Tongwynlais Music Academy, and delivers music workshops across South Wales. Christopher has previously taught at both the Junior Department at the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama, and Forte School of Music. He now works as a teacher and accompanist at St John’s on-the-hill preparatory school in Chepstow.
As a conductor, Christopher was Resident Conductor of Tongwynlais Temperance Band between 2014-2017, having worked with the band on four successive top-3 placings at the Welsh Open, four consecutive qualifications to the National Finals at the Royal Albert Hall, his successful debut CD Opening Note, and numerous concerts across England & Wales. Christopher is the current conductor of Cardiff’s Young Persons Training Orchestra, and musical director of Billboard Juniors Theatre Group, as well as playing regularly for local amateur productions.
For Tenor Horn & Brass Band, Written for & Commissioned by Owen Farr
For Cornet in B-flat & Brass Band. Written for & Commissioned by Lode Violet & Brassband Willebroek.
Written for & Commissioned by Cory Band for Brass in Concert 2015, Winner of Best New Composition/Arrangement at Brass in Concert 2015
Written for Cornwall Youth Brass Band & Dedicated to Goff Richards
A Concerto in Three Movements for Tenor Horn & Brass Band, Written for & Commissioned by Lowenna Taylor
Premiered by Cory Band at the 2018 Festival of Brass, Manchester. Selected as the set-work for the Championship Section at the 2019 National Youth Championships of Great Britain.
Commissioned by Gwent Music Support Service for the Greater Gwent Youth Brass Ensemble on the occasion of HM Queen Elizabeth & HRH The Duke of Edinburgh's visit to Wales. Arranged for brass band for Alan Pope & Camborne Brass.
For Soprano Cornet & Brass Band, Commissioned by & Written for Steve Stewart & Cory Band
For Flugel Horn & Brass Band, written for Rob Nesbitt & City of Cardiff (Melingriffith) Band who gave the premiere performance at the 2019 Welsh Open Entertainment Contest
Neverland was commissioned by Kapitol Promotions Ltd for the 2020 Regional Championships of the National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain, as the set work for Section 4. The work was recorded in July 2019 by The Cory Band.
For Flugel Horn & Brass Band, Written for & Commissioned by David James & Tongwynlais Temperance Band
For Soprano Cornet & Brass Band, written for & Commissioned by Steve Stewart & Cory Band
For Cornet in B-flat & Brass Band, Written for & Commissioned by Tom Hutchinson & Cory Band
A slow jazz arrangement of a combined Silent Night & Away in a Manger
For Cornet in B-flat & Brass Band, Written for & Commissioned by Tom Hutchinson & Cory Band
Written for & Commissioned by Leyland Band for Brass in Concert 2015
Written for & Commissioned by Brighouse & Rastrick Band for Brass in Concert 2016
For Cornet in B-flat & Brass Band, written for & commissioned by Flowers Band who gave the premiere performance at Brass in Concert 2019 at The Sage, Gateshead with Jamie Smith as soloist.
For Trombone & Brass Band, Written for & Commissioned by Brett Baker
For Children's Choir & Brass Band, commissioned by Camborne Trevithick Day Committee in celebration of the town's 30th Trevithick Day
Time Eternal (2011) was written as a showcase for band in the form of a seven-minute journey which demonstrates the ability of the band and its soloists.
A march for Brass Band, written for Camborne Trevithick Day Committee in celebration of the town's 30th Trevithick Day
Music by Puccini, from his opera Tosca. Arranged for baritone and brass band for Rose Hancock & City of Cardiff (Melingriffith) Band who gave the premiere performance at the 2020 Welsh Open Entertainment Contest.