Growing up in a military family, Chris has interacted with people from many different cultures from an early age, giving him an openness to new experiences. His first musical experiences began at age 10 on the violin, learning the basics of notes, rhythm, and notation. In high school he made the switch from violin to drums, playing in the school symphonic band, marching band and jazz band. He had an interest in rock & roll from an early age, leading him to be in garage bands that would play around town.

Chris received his BA in Music from Washington State University with a focus on drum set. During his time at university he had the opportunity to study with high caliber teachers like Greg Yasinitsky, Brian Ward, Dave Jarvis and Dan Bukvich and to play with the award winning WSU Big Band. It’s this experience that fostered a love for jazz, fusion, R&B and more. Throughout his time with the WSU Big Band he had the chance to play festivals and competitions all over the Pacific Northwest, including the famous Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival, where they won the award for Best Band. 

After graduating from Washington State Chris made the move to Portland to pursue a career in music, and in 2017 his band, Bad Panda, was nominated for Best Jazz Artist by Willamette Week. Since he started playing, Chris has had the opportunity to work with many different types of musicians playing different genres including, jazz, fusion, rock, funk, latin, hip hop, soul and R&B. This led to the valuable experience of playing for different crowds in different venues such as, festivals, weddings, competitions, corporate events, parties, seasonal events, bars and wineries.

More recently, Chris has made the dive into the world of composing. He is currently working on a Bad Panda record, as well as his personal works.

Through his over 10 years of teaching experience Chris has been able to work with a lot of different students with a wide range of ages, ability levels and learning styles. He loves sharing what he’s learned throughout the years with likeminded people who are interested in growing as musicians. If you’re interested in drum lessons or if you need music for an event, contact Chris today.