Chris Wolf

Biography

A native of Howard County, MD; Chris returns to the Baltimore area after 13 seasons as principal trombonist of The Phoenix Symphony. As a young musician, Chris was lucky enough to get his start in fantastic band programs with directors Michael Blackman, Shelly Williams and Barry Enzman. In college he studied trombone at the University of Maryland with former BSO trombonist Chris Dudley and Milt Stevens of the National Symphony. He earned his master’s degree at The Juilliard School studying under Per Brevig, during which time he was winner of the International Trombone Association Frank Smith solo competition, the Eastern Trombone Workshop Division 2 Solo Competition and Zellmer Minnesota Orchestra Trombone Competition.

Chris also attended the National Repertory Orchestra, Aspen Music Festival and Tanglewood Music Center as a fellow. During his time in Phoenix, Chris studied and worked frequently with Pat Sheridan, co-author of the popular Brass Gym and Breathing Gym methods, whose pedagogy has a heavy influence on Chris’s teaching. Chris’s students have earned principal trombone positions in the Richmond Symphony, the Detroit Symphony and Hong Kong Sinfonietta.

In his professional career, Chris has performed as a guest with the Nashville Symphony, Fort Worth Symphony, San Diego Symphony and Seattle Opera. During the summer, Chris served as 2nd Trombone of the Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra for 10 years, as well as faculty for Chautauqua’s Music School Festival Orchestra. He has shared the stage with a wide variety of popular and talented guest artists such as John Williams, Laufey, Frank Sinatra Jr., Jason Alexander, George Benson, The Indigo Girls, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Lang Lang, Ray Chen and Rachel Barton Pine.

In his free time, Chris enjoys hiking, archery, cooking, and spending time with his wife Katie and their poodle mix Buddy.