Christian Kriegeskotte (b. 1980) was brought up in an eclectic and creative environment. His great-grandfather served as conductor of the Monte Carlo Radio Symphony and his great-great aunt was a child prodigy violinist, playing before crowded concert halls in Vienna in the 1910s and 1920s. Christian’s father is a documentary film producer who was always being called out on assignment to far-off and exotic places, inspiring a very active imagination in both Christian and his sister from a very early age. Christian’s mother is a talented artist, so an appreciation and strong interest in art, music and composition has always belonged to him.
Christian received his bachelor of fine arts in music composition in 2003 from Carnegie Mellon University. Following his undergraduate studies, Christian dove head first into the professional world of music production. After moving to Hollywood, Christian served as a copyist, transcriber and editor for the film industry’s foremost music preparation studio, Jo Ann Kane Music Service. Christian worked on films such as Star Wars: Episode III, Robots, Cars, The Interpreter, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Stephen Spielberg’s War of the Worlds and television shows including The Simpsons, Family Guy, King of the Hill and American Dad.
In 2006, Christian left Hollywood and returned to his hometown of New York where he was hired by Columbia Artists Management Inc. and was quickly promoted to Associate Producer. During his tenure at CAMI Christian produced tours and contracted engagements for conductors and performers such as Marvin Hamlisch, Joel Grey, Betty Buckley, Joan Kwuon, Andre Previn, Lorin Maazel, Thierry Fischer, Enrique Batiz and Pinchas Zukerman. Christian also worked on booking and producing national tours for the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, The Royal Philharmonic, The State Symphony Orchestra of Mexico, The Symphonica Toscanini, The Georgian State Dance Company, The Hungarian State Folk Ensemble, The West African drumming ensemble “Djoliba,” The Russian National Ballet, The Pipes and Drums of the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards and the Band of the Coldstream Guards. A high point in Christian’s career with CAMI was accompanying Maestro Maazel on tour with the Symphonica Toscanini, an experience that would ultimately push him back to the creative side of classical music.
Christian received his Master of Music from Carnegie Mellon University in May 2009. Christian has studied composition with Nancy Galbraith, Leonardo Balada, (himself a student of Copland and Persechetti), and Fabien Lévy (a disciple of Grisey). A skilled conductor, Christian has also studied conducting with his mentor Robert Page and conductors Denis Colwell (River City Brass Band) and Thomas Douglas (Bach Choir of Pittsburgh).
Today, Christian is emerging as an exciting new voice both in contemporary chamber and orchestral music and in the choral music world. Christian’s instrumental compositions have been performed by the Grammy winning ensemble Eighth Blackbird, Grammy nominated Cuarteto Latinoamericano, The Parker Quartet, The American Composers Orchestra (Cliff Colnot conducting), The New York Miniaturist Ensemble, Alia Musica Pittsburgh, The Carnegie Mellon Contemporary Ensemble, and The Carnegie Mellon Philharmonic. Dorothy Lawson, of the ETHEL Quartet, has described Christian’s music as “jewel-like and fascinating,” praising his work for its uniqueness. Three-time Grammy Award winning conductor Robert Page has premiered three of Christian’s works for choir, having commissioned his most recent composition for full orchestra and chorus, “Hodie Christus Natus Est,” and conducting the world premiere with the Carnegie Mellon Philharmonic and Choirs (broadcast on WQED). Dr. Page has hailed Christian’s work as “mesmerizing,” and “a force to be reckoned with,” and has professed to having become a genuine fan of Christian’s work. “Hodie” has created quite a stir in the choral community and continues to receive praise. In April 2009 Christian was commissioned by the Schola Cantorum of St. Peter in the Loop (Chicago) to write a short choral work with organ accompaniment which was premiered and recorded in July 2009. Christian’s compositions also appear exclusively in the video arcade game “Nicktoons Nitro,” produced by Raw Thrills Entertainment for Nickelodeon Studios