Musical Director
Biography
Chris hails from Rochdale, Lancashire, and is widely regarded as one of the most sought-after trombonists and conductors in brass banding. He has held Principal Trombone positions with Black Dyke Band and Grimethorpe Colliery Band for a combined total of eight years, performing extensively across the world with both ensembles.
Trombonist & Orchestral Work
Alongside his brass band career, Chris regularly freelances as a trombonist with leading orchestras across the UK. These include the BBC Philharmonic, English National Ballet, Hallé Orchestra, and Opera North. He has worked under some of the world’s finest conductors and has performed in almost every major concert hall and opera house in the UK, including multiple appearances at the BBC Proms.
As a soloist, Chris has performed at festivals and courses with brass bands throughout the UK and Europe. His performances have also been broadcast on BBC Radio 3 as part of the Lunchtime Concert series.
In 2022, Chris was awarded the Stanley Wainwright Memorial Trophy for Best Soloist at the British Open Championship and the Don Lusher Trombone Prize at the Brass in Concert Championships.
Chris discovered conducting during his final year of study at the Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM). Since then, his conducting career within brass banding has flourished. He has worked with Milnrow Band, Pemberton Old Band, and Flowers Band as a regular guest conductor, earning praise for his ability to develop and challenge ensembles while achieving consistently strong contest results.
He has also collaborated with Grimethorpe Colliery Band on several projects in 2019 and 2023, including concerts, recordings, and contest performances
Conducting Career
In 2024, Chris began working with Black Dyke Band, covering at least two rehearsals per month from February to May, alongside conducting concerts at Rochdale Town Hall and St George’s Hall, Bradford. This engagement made him the youngest conductor to direct the band in concert in its history.
Chris has also participated in highly competitive orchestral conducting masterclasses at the RNCM with Mark Heron and as of 2025, Chris has successfully auditioned for a place on the prestigious Master’s Conducting course at the Royal Northern College of Music.