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Christopher Harris

Principal Bass Trombone

Biography

Christopher Harris was born in South Africa and moved to Australia in 1987, completing his secondary schooling at Armidale High School. He was accepted to the Canberra School of Music to study with Michael Mulcahy and Ron Prussing, and completed his Bachelor of Music Performance degree in 1992. In 1993 he undertook intensive studies in America with teachers including Charles Vernon and Gene Pakorny of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and Max Bonecutter formerly of the New York Metropolitan Opera orchestra. While in America, he also attended the Raphael Mendez Brass Institute in Phoenix, Arizona, where he was a finalist in the International Trombone Competition, and performed as a member of the Canberra Trombone Quartet, which finished runner up at the International Brass Ensemble Competition.

On his return to Australia, Christopher Harris was appointed Principal Bass Trombone with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. He has held lecturing positions at the Canberra School of Music and the Sydney Conservatorium of Music since 1996. In 1998 he was awarded a scholarship by the Friends of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra to study Contra Bass Trombone in Europe.