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The American choral condutcor, baritone singer, music pedagogue and composer, Christopher Gilliam, obtained his Bachelor of Music degree in Vocal Performance, his Master of Music degree in Choral Conducting and his Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) degree in Voice Performance from the University of Kansas, completing his studies in 2003. At KU, he studied with conducting professors Simon Carrington, Brian Priestman, James Daugherty, and John Paul Johnson, voice professor John Stephens, and guest conductors Hilary Apfelstadt, Robert Sund, Maurice Casey, Jameson Marvin, Carl Høgset, André Thomas, and Rodney Eichenberger.
Since that time Christopher Gilliam has conducted many choirs and opera choruses and has been an active choral and vocal clinician for All-State and Honors festivals in Illinois, Indiana, Pennsylvania, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Ohio, North Carolina and South Carolina. In July 2008, he joined Dr. Joe Miller and the Westminster Chamber Choir as a soloist and choral participant for their tour of Florence, Italy and in February 2009 was the guest conductor of the Baton Rouge High Festival Singers for their tour of Spain.
Christopher Gilliam taught at Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, Louisiana (2009-2012), where he served as Associate Professor of Choral Activities and Associate Professor of Voice. At NSU he taught Concert Choir, Women’s Chorus, and Private Voice. From 2012 to 2020 he was Director of Choral Activities at Davidson College in Davidson, North Carolina, where he directed a graded choral program, served as Artistic Director for both the Choral Arts Society of Davidson and the annual Holiday Gala, and taught private voice. He accepted the post of Assistant Professor and Director of Choral Activities at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina in the fall of 2020. There he conducts the Wake Forest University Chamber Choir, the premier touring choir, and Concert Choir. Additionally, he is the artistic director and conductor for Winston-Salem Choral Artists, the first fully-professional professional choral ensemble based in Winston-Salem, the Director of Music at Highland Presbyterian Church, and as director of the Winston-Salem Symphony Chorus, he has regularly taken the podium to conduct choral masterworks for the Symphony.
Christopher Gilliam has traveled extensively nationally and internationally, serving as guest conductor, clinician, and/or singer in several states and abroad - Australia, Czech Republic, England, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Poland, Romania, Russia, Spain, and Switzerland. A member of the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) and National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS), he has directed choirs and taught award-winning voice students who participated in state and regional conferences for both associations.
As a baritone soloist, Christopher Gilliam has performed in numerous operas, oratorios, musicals and recitals. Past performances include: Boss in the world premiere of Simeon by Dwight Gustafson, Roucher in Andrea Chénier, Alidoro in La Cenerentola, Noah in Noyes Fludde, Melchior in Amahl and the Night Visitors, Don Fernando in Fidelio, Montorone in Rigoletto, Major-General Stanley in Pirates of Penzance, and Ko-Ko in The Mikado. For over 10 years, he was on the core roster of Conspirare, a professional choral ensemble based in Austin, Texas. He ws also founding member of and soloist for the Simon Carrington Chamber Singers, a professional choral ensemble formerly based in Kansas City, Missouri, and he appeared as a soloist on the ensemble’s CD, "Juxtapositions". Of his solo performances, critics have written, “magnificent,” “a well-modulated voice with a pleasant timbre,” “…commanding baritone,” and “…marvelous, with strikingly rich tone and impeccable diction.” He has been a soloist for the Winston-Salem and Memphis Symphonies, and he is currently on the rosters of the Oregon Bach Festival and Charlotte Bach Akademie.
As a choral composer, Christopher Gilliam has published music with Alliance Music, Beckenhorst Press, E.C. Schirmer, GIA Publications, and Lorenz, and is a current ASCAP member. He currently lives in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. |
