The music of Christopher Weiss explores the full spectrum of dramatic content, reflecting this young composer’s own eclectic tastes and interests. Ranging from the serious to the absurd, and including concepts both grand and simple, Weiss’ music travels pathways far and near, yet always remains firmly rooted in the reality of this world. It is Weiss’ unpredictable, yet logical and convincing, use of contrasting styles and traditions that makes his music so immediately appealing and communicative.
Weiss’ recent premieres have included Six Past Midnight, the Forest Wakes, a concertino for bassoon, strings, and percussion; Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride, for orchestra; Crossroad, for string orchestra; and String Quartet, which was performed on the Cleveland Chamber Music Society’s concert series.
In September 2007, Evelyn Loehrlein will premiere his Concerto for Flute and Orchestra, a work commissioned for her by the Huntsville Symphony Orchestra. Other upcoming premieres include Voice of the Unknown Soldier, a commission for the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra, in January 2008.
Weiss’ music has been performed by the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra, the Huntsville Symphony Orchestra, the Lancaster Symphony Orchestra, the Symphony Orchestra of The Curtis Institute of Music, the Wo-Men String Quartet, the new music ensemble Luna Nova, bassoonist Daniel Matsukawa, and bassoonist Matthew McDonald.
Currently, Weiss is the recipient of The Presser Foundation’s 2007-2008 Presser Music Award. In 2006, he was the youngest competitor ever to win the top prize in the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra’s “Fresh Ink” composer’s competition.
Born in New Hampshire in 1980, Christopher was raised primarily in northeastern states, also living in coastal Maine and in upstate New York. His paternal grandfather, a fisheries biologist in Missouri, was an amateur violinmaker who enjoyed experimenting by constructing violins using unconventional woods. At the age of five, Christopher was presented by his grandfather with a custom-made, one-quarter-size violin and began taking his first music lessons. At the age of twelve, he taught himself how to play the piano, which eventually shifted his focus away from the violin.
Christopher began composing during high school after his family moved to Central Florida. In his second year of high school, he was invited to study with Ted Ricketts, one of Walt Disney World Entertainment’s most renowned composers and arrangers. Following high school, Weiss attended Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida, where he studied with composer Daniel Crozier and graduated in 2004 with a B.A. in Music Composition.
Christopher Weiss currently resides in Philadelphia where he attends The Curtis Institute of Music. He is a student of Richard Danielpour.