Biography

Chris Wild's performances have been lauded as "insatiable" (New York Times), resulting from his enthusiastic pursuit of musical connections. As a conductor, he recently concluded a four year tenure leading the Andrews University Symphony Orchestra, culminating in a performance of Death & Transfiguration and the world premiere of James Lee III's Teshuah. Chris' entry into music was through the cello, and he continues to perform around the globe as a soloist and chamber musician. He is a member of the Chicago-based Ensemble Dal Niente, described as a "superb contemporary-music collective" (New York Times). Recent performances have taken him to Walt Disney Concert Hall, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Millennium Park's Pritzker Pavilion, and the Palacio de Bellas Artes (Mexico). Also a dedicated teacher, Chris has guided cello students at Andrews University and the University of Notre Dame, and designed a variety of educational experiences for younger musicians in many settings.

​Chris began his cello studies at the age of five in British Columbia, Canada, where he would later win first place in the strings category of the Canadian Music Competition. He moved stateside to attend the University of Michigan, where he studied with Erling Blöndal Bengtsson and Richard Aaron and won first place in the school's Concerto Competition. While at Michigan, he also developed interests in conducting and music education, recognizing their potential for engaging with new listeners. After establishing himself as a musician based in Chicago, Chris returned to graduate school to complete a DMA in Orchestral Conducting at Northwestern University, where he conducted performances with the university’s Symphony Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra, Bienen Strings, Opera, and Music Academy Chorus while studying with Victor Yampolsky. He also joined with peers to form Après L'Histoire, mounting staged performances of Igor Stravinsky's L'Histoire du soldat at the Poetry Foundation and The Arts Club of Chicago during the composition's centennial year, and commissioning new works to premiere alongside it. Completion of Chris' doctoral studies also included a minor in musicology and the final project "Charles Ives' Three Places in New England: an Interpretation and a Conducting Guide," available through ProQuest online.

​Chris has appeared as a concerto soloist with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra (Canada), Third Coast Percussion (Chicago), Experimental Sound Studio SWR (Germany), University of Michigan Philharmonia Orchestra, and recently led the Andrews University Symphony Orchestra in a performance of Haydn’s Cello Concerto No.2, visible on YouTube. His debut cello album, Abhanden, is described by New Music Box as "a virtuosic tour-de-force for solo cello... Wild's approach to the material is soaring, lyrical, and bold... confirms that Wild is not only an exciting performer to watch, but also a wise programmer and collaborator." His performances with Ensemble Dal Niente have taken him to Europe and South America and included the premieres of hundreds of new compositions. He can be heard on the New Amsterdam, New Focus, New World, Navona, Naxos, and Carrier record labels. A versatile performer, Chris has recently performed as a cellist with the Euclid String Quartet, cello continuo with the Bienen Contemporary/Early Vocal Ensemble, in improvisations with guitarist Gabriel Datcu, and as an annual member of the Walden School Players each summer.