Biography
Born and raised in Cornwall, Chris discovered his passion for the fiddle at age 9. He immersed himself in Cornwall’s vibrant folk music scene, performing with local dance groups like Ros Keltek and co-founding the band Hevva. Throughout his school years, Chris seized every opportunity to play, joining ensembles like the Cornwall Youth Orchestra.
In 2009, Chris moved to Hampshire to study Music at the University of Southampton. Under the tutelage of Allegri String Quartet’s David Roth and soloist Anca Campanie of SÓN, he honed his violin skills. Chris played violin and bass guitar in student ensembles and pit bands while also forming the Octavia String Quartet. As a member of the Southampton University Symphony Orchestra and Sinfonietta, he participated in concerts and international tours.
While at university, Chris co-founded the Southampton University Folk Society, “FolkSoc,” with Helen Gentile. It was through FolkSoc that Threepenny Bit was formed and has since become “the South’s go-to ceilidh band” (FATEA Magazine). Today, Threepenny Bit is one of the most in-demand dance bands in the UK, performing at private functions, ceilidh series, and festivals nationwide.
In 2013, Chris returned to education, joining the Southampton Music Service as a teacher of violin, viola, and ukulele. He teaches hundreds of children across the city and serves as Musical Director for their intermediate string ensemble, Elgar Strings.
Since graduating, Chris has recorded several albums with Threepenny Bit and participated in high-profile events with the Music Service, like the 2018 Music for Youth Proms at the Royal Albert Hall and the Mayflower 400 celebrations at Southampton’s Mayflower Theatre in 2019. That same year, he became the Musical Director of the FolkActive Youth Ensemble. Chris remains dedicated to bringing folk music into mainstream education, supported by the EFDSS Folk Educators group.
In the summer of 2020, Chris and Matt Smee joined forces to establish Bow & Box, an exciting concert and ceilidh band. Driven by their mutual passion for spontaneous and responsive tune-playing, Bow & Box shines a spotlight on Chris and Matt’s remarkable musical talents and their innate ability to craft memorable folk music experiences.
In 2021, Chris was invited by local folk legend Tom Gregory and FolkActive colleague to join the Dust and Mischief Band and contribute to writing and recording an album of folk-infused carols, wassails, and winter songs. The result of their collaboration was the release of the debut album “Rejoiced Much” in winter 2021.