Christopher North
Encyclopedia
- For Christopher North the keyboardist for the American Rock Band AmbrosiaAmbrosia (band)Ambrosia is an American rock band formed in southern California in 1970. Ambrosia had five Top Forty hit singles between 1975 and 1980.-Formation and inspiration:...
, see Christopher NorthChristopher North (Ambrosia)Christopher Reed North San Francisco California, is the founding Keyboardist for the American Progressive Rock band Ambrosia.... - For the Scottish essayist who used the pseudonym " Christopher North", see John Wilson (Scottish writer)John Wilson (Scottish writer)John Wilson of Ellerey FRSE was a Scottish advocate, literary critic and author, the writer most frequently identified with the pseudonym Christopher North of Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine....
Christopher North (born February 6, 1969) is an American composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
, songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
, and musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
.
Biography
Born Christopher North Renquist in Austin, TX on February 6, 1969, Christopher North is a multi-instrumental composerComposer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
and singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
based in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. As a composer his works have been performed at venues in Europe (London, Berlin and Edinburgh) and the US (Texas, California, Illinois, Ohio, Hawaii and New York) including collaborations with film makers (Tribeca, Big Apple and SXSW Film Festivals), theater companies (including Workshop Theater, NY and Edinburgh Fringe
Edinburgh Fringe
The Edinburgh Festival Fringe is the world’s largest arts festival. Established in 1947 as an alternative to the Edinburgh International Festival, it takes place annually in Scotland's capital, in the month of August...
), choreographers (Wave Hill, Joyce SOHO) and concerts including the 92nd Street Y. His children’s songs can be heard around the globe on the Disney Channel
Disney Channel
Disney Channel is an American basic cable and satellite television network, owned by the Disney-ABC Television Group division of The Walt Disney Company. It is under the direction of Disney-ABC Television Group President Anne Sweeney. The channel's headquarters is located on West Alameda Ave. in...
and the Noggin Network (Oobi
Oobi
Oobi is an American children's television series. Based on an award-winning short-form series, the show is directed toward preschoolers. It currently airs on Nick Jr. . It was created by Josh Selig and produced by his company Little Airplane Productions.It is currently shown at 2:00am and 2:30am...
).
As a genre-crossing musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
, he has performed and recorded with an eclectic array of artists and ensembles. He has played bass with Quincy Jones
Quincy Jones
Quincy Delightt Jones, Jr. is an American record producer and musician. A conductor, musical arranger, film composer, television producer, and trumpeter. His career spans five decades in the entertainment industry and a record 79 Grammy Award nominations, 27 Grammys, including a Grammy Legend...
, the Dixie Chicks
Dixie Chicks
The Dixie Chicks are an American country band which has also successfully crossed over into other genres. The band is composed of founding members Martie Erwin Maguire and Emily Erwin Robison, and lead singer Natalie Maines...
, Rosanne Cash
Rosanne Cash
Rosanne Cash is an American singer-songwriter and author. She is the eldest daughter of the late country music singer Johnny Cash and his first wife, Vivian Liberto Cash Distin....
, various symphony orchestras as well on Broadway in The Lion King and Spring Awakening. He has sung with the New York Philharmonic
New York Philharmonic
The New York Philharmonic is a symphony orchestra based in New York City in the United States. It is one of the American orchestras commonly referred to as the "Big Five"...
(including the 3 Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
winning John Adams’ “On the Transmigration of Souls”) and for Stephen Sondheim
Stephen Sondheim
Stephen Joshua Sondheim is an American composer and lyricist for stage and film. He is the winner of an Academy Award, multiple Tony Awards including the Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre, multiple Grammy Awards, a Pulitzer Prize and the Laurence Olivier Award...
("Frogs" with Nathan Lane
Nathan Lane
Nathan Lane is an American actor of stage and screen. He is best known for his roles as Mendy in The Lisbon Traviata, Albert in The Birdcage, Max Bialystock in the musical The Producers, Ernie Smuntz in MouseHunt, Nathan Detroit in Guys and Dolls, Pseudolus in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to...
). He has performed at venues including Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States, located at 881 Seventh Avenue, occupying the east stretch of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street and West 57th Street, two blocks south of Central Park....
, CBGB
CBGB
CBGB was a music club at 315 Bowery at Bleecker Street in the borough of Manhattan in New York City.Founded by Hilly Kristal in 1973, it was originally intended to feature its namesake musical styles, but became a forum for American punk and New Wave bands like Ramones, Misfits, Television, the...
’s and Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
. He has performed on national TV (including Live with Regis and Kelly
Live with Regis and Kelly
Live! with Kelly is a syndicated American television morning talk show, hosted by Kelly Ripa. The show has aired since 1983 in New York City and 1988 nationwide. Tony Pigg has been the show's announcer since its inception...
and Live at Lincoln Center), and been heard on the radio (NPR, WNYC) and commercials (including Visa and Tide). He has recorded and performed extensively as a multi-instrumentalist (guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, keyboards
Keyboard instrument
A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, harmonica
Harmonica
The harmonica, also called harp, French harp, blues harp, and mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used primarily in blues and American folk music, jazz, country, and rock and roll. It is played by blowing air into it or drawing air out by placing lips over individual holes or multiple holes...
, etc.) In 2002, he produced and released two albums of his own compositions, Opus Zero is classical: chamber music and art songs, and De La Sur is an eclectic rock/soul album on which he played most of the instruments (including guitar, bass, keyboards, drums, harmonica and even sitar
Sitar
The 'Tablaman' is a plucked stringed instrument predominantly used in Hindustani classical music, where it has been ubiquitous since the Middle Ages...
, recorder, and glockenspiel
Glockenspiel
A glockenspiel is a percussion instrument composed of a set of tuned keys arranged in the fashion of the keyboard of a piano. In this way, it is similar to the xylophone; however, the xylophone's bars are made of wood, while the glockenspiel's are metal plates or tubes, and making it a metallophone...
). Recently, he’s been focusing on collaborating – sound design/ music for “The Forever Waltz” by Glyn Maxwel, the score for Angelica Torn
Angelica Torn
Angelica Torn is an American award winning actress, director, producer and screenwriter and the only daughter of actors Rip Torn and the late Geraldine Page.She legally and professionally changed her name to Angelica Page in September, 2011....
's "Lucky Days" and various projects with Writer/Director Matthew Miele, finishing the feature length film “Everything's Jake
Everything's Jake
Everything's Jake is a 2000 drama film distributed by Warner Bros. The movie marks the feature writing and directorial debut of Matthew Miele along with his producing/writing partner, Chris Fetchko.-Plot:...
” in 2006 and "Eavesdrop (film)
Eavesdrop (film)
-Plot:The film is centered on an old world Manhattan cafe during a busy brunch shift. A number of patrons populate the cafe, with patrons at each table representing a different genre of film, such as romantic comedy and tragedy...
" in September 2007. Their next collaboration is a documentary on Abner Zwillman
Abner Zwillman
Abner "Longie" Zwillman , known as the "Al Capone of New Jersey," was an early Prohibition gangster, founding member of the "Big Seven" Ruling Commission and a member of the National Crime Syndicate, who was also associated with Murder Incorporated.-Biography:According to the Social Security Death...
. His scores and albums feature world class NYC musicians (Eroica Trio
Eroica Trio
The Eroica Trio is an American piano trio consisting of Erika Nickrenz, piano; Susie Park, violin; and Sara Sant'Ambrogio, cello. Park joined the trio in September 2006 . The trio take their name from Beethoven's Eroica Symphony...
, Ethel (string quartet)
Ethel (string quartet)
ETHEL is a New York based string quartet that was co-founded in 1998 by Ralph Farris, viola; Dorothy Lawson, cello; Todd Reynolds, violin; and Mary Rowell, violin. Unlike most string quartets, ETHEL plays with amplification and integrates improvisation into its performances...
, Andy Middleton, Carol Emanuel.)
Film Scores
- Everything's JakeEverything's JakeEverything's Jake is a 2000 drama film distributed by Warner Bros. The movie marks the feature writing and directorial debut of Matthew Miele along with his producing/writing partner, Chris Fetchko.-Plot:...
- A Film by Matthew Miele starring Ernie HudsonErnie HudsonErnest Lee "Ernie" Hudson is an American actor known for his roles as Winston Zeddemore in the Ghostbusters film series, Sergeant Albrecht in The Crow, and Warden Leo Glynn on HBO's Oz.-Early life:...
, score performed by composer (with string quartet and saxophoneSaxophoneThe saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
) distributed by Warner Brothers - Skips - A Short Film by Steve Curley, guitar and percussion score (2003) official entry in 2003 Tribeca Film FestivalTribeca Film FestivalThe Tribeca Film Festival is a film festival founded in 2002 by Jane Rosenthal, Robert De Niro and Craig Hatkoff in a response to the September 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center and the consequent loss of vitality in the TriBeCa neighborhood in Lower Manhattan.The mission of the festival...
- Addict - A Very Short FIlm by Steve Curley, ambient score
- The Tip (1997) - Multi-tracked double bass and piano score for short film produced and directed by Kahvan Mashayekh premiered at the Independent Film Festival, Houston, TX, official entry in the 1998 SXSW Film Festival in Austin, TX and in the 1998 Houston International Film Festival.
- Eavesdrop (film)Eavesdrop (film)-Plot:The film is centered on an old world Manhattan cafe during a busy brunch shift. A number of patrons populate the cafe, with patrons at each table representing a different genre of film, such as romantic comedy and tragedy...
- A Film by Matthew Miele starring Chris ParnellChris ParnellThomas Christopher "Chris" Parnell is an American comic actor best known as a cast member on Saturday Night Live from 1998–2006 and currently for his recurring role as Dr. Leo Spaceman on NBC's Emmy Award-winning comedy series 30 Rock. Parnell also voices Cyril Figgis on the FX animated comedy...
, Tovah Feldshuh, Terennce Mann - Lucky Days - A Film by Angelica TornAngelica TornAngelica Torn is an American award winning actress, director, producer and screenwriter and the only daughter of actors Rip Torn and the late Geraldine Page.She legally and professionally changed her name to Angelica Page in September, 2011....
starring actor/writer/director Angelica TornAngelica TornAngelica Torn is an American award winning actress, director, producer and screenwriter and the only daughter of actors Rip Torn and the late Geraldine Page.She legally and professionally changed her name to Angelica Page in September, 2011....
, Luke Zarzecki, co-director Tony Torn, Rip TornRip TornElmore Rual "Rip" Torn, Jr. , is an American actor of stage, screen and television.Torn received an Academy Award nomination as Best Supporting Actor for his role in the 1983 film Cross Creek. His work includes the role of Artie, the producer, on The Larry Sanders Show, for which he was nominated...
, Federico Castelluccio
Music for Dance
- Suddenly Green (1998) for recorder, guitar, and percussion (one musician / dancer performed by the composer) commissioned by the Field and choreographer Sherri Greenspan for the Dancing in the Streets Festival at Wave Hill, Bronx NY
- Seuss Suites (1998) multi-instrumental score/sound design for dance commissioned by Valerie Alpert and Company, Columbus OH
- I Take Nights in the Middle of my Walk (1997–1998) for double bassDouble bassThe double bass, also called the string bass, upright bass, standup bass or contrabass, is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed string instrument in the modern symphony orchestra, with strings usually tuned to E1, A1, D2 and G2...
, guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
and percussion (one musician / dancer performed by the composer) commissioned by choreographer Sherri Greenspan, presented at Joyce Theater Soho, NYC - What Are You Afraid Of? (1997) multi-instrumental score/sound design commissioned by Valerie Alpert and Company, Columbus OH
- Seed (1995) for violinViolinThe violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
, multi-media collaboration with choreographer Michelle Lee Adams for performance by New Arts Collective, Dallas TX
Classical/Orchestral Composition
- Opus Zero (2002) by Christopher North, 13 track self-produced CD (including art song, chamber music, solo pieces)
- Renquist (2007) by Christopher North, 15 track self-produced compilationCompilation albumA compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
of 1988-1998 works (including art song, chamber music, solo works, electronic soundscapes for dance) - Many new chamber works and Art songs for a Distinguished Artist recitals at the 92nd St Y in February 2001 and February 2008.
Jazz Composition
- 15 original jazz tunes composed for "Eavesdrop (film)Eavesdrop (film)-Plot:The film is centered on an old world Manhattan cafe during a busy brunch shift. A number of patrons populate the cafe, with patrons at each table representing a different genre of film, such as romantic comedy and tragedy...
" score. Seven premiered live at February 2008 92nd Street Y recital.
Music/Sound Design for Theater
- The Forever Waltz (2005) Original Music and Sound DesignSound designSound design is the process of specifying, acquiring, manipulating or generating audio elements. It is employed in a variety of disciplines including filmmaking, television production, theatre, sound recording and reproduction, live performance, sound art, post-production and video game software...
for the Glyn MaxwellGlyn MaxwellGlyn Maxwell is a British poet.-Early life:Though his parents are Welsh, Maxwell was born and raised in Welwyn Garden City in Hertfordshire. He studied English at Worcester College, Oxford. He began an MLitt there, but in 1987 moved to America to study poetry and drama with Derek Walcott at...
Play (including “the feather lake song” with words by the poet) produced by Verse Theater Manhattan / Workshop Theater in NYC and produced by Restricted View in London and Presented at Edinburgh FringeEdinburgh FringeThe Edinburgh Festival Fringe is the world’s largest arts festival. Established in 1947 as an alternative to the Edinburgh International Festival, it takes place annually in Scotland's capital, in the month of August...
2005, directed by Elysa Marden - The Three Musketeers (1998) score/sound design for the play commissioned (with Meet the Composer) by The American Globe Theater, NYC
- The Husbands (world premiere in August 1998 at the New York International Fringe FestivalNew York International Fringe FestivalThe New York International Fringe Festival, or FringeNYC, is a Fringe theater festival and one of the largest multi-arts events in North America. It takes place over the course of two weeks every August, spread across several neighborhoods in downtown Manhattan, notably the Lower East Side, the...
) live score/sound design (one musician) for the Christopher Logue play, directed by Elysa Marden, produced by Richard Ryan / Verse Productions
Songwriter
- Songs for Sesame StreetSesame StreetSesame Street has undergone significant changes in its history. According to writer Michael Davis, by the mid-1970s the show had become "an American institution". The cast and crew expanded during this time, including the hiring of women in the crew and additional minorities in the cast. The...
International, Disney ChannelDisney ChannelDisney Channel is an American basic cable and satellite television network, owned by the Disney-ABC Television Group division of The Walt Disney Company. It is under the direction of Disney-ABC Television Group President Anne Sweeney. The channel's headquarters is located on West Alameda Ave. in...
and Noggin Network for Josh Selig / Little Airplane Productions. - Christopher North, de la sur (2002), 17 track self-produced CD
- Blue Skye, Yesterday's Yesteryear Blues (1994) 10 track self-produced CD
Bassist-Broadway/Theater
- Lion King (musical) on Broadway, New York NY (August 2001 – present) substitute player for Tom Barney
- Spring Awakening (musical) on Broadway, New York NY (January 2007 – present) substitute player for George Farmer
- Rent (musical)Rent (musical)Rent is a rock musical with music and lyrics by Jonathan Larson based on Giacomo Puccini's opera La bohème...
on Broadway, New York NY (January 2004 – January 2005) substitute player for Steve Mack
Guitarist - Broadway/Theater
- Lion King (musical) on Broadway, New York NY (December 2004 – present) substitute player for Kevin Kuehn, the chair requires guitar (electric and classical), ukelele and kalimba
Vocal Recordings- Solo/Ensemble
- Various demo and jingle recordings, New York, NY (1997–Present) inc. Disney International and Sesame StreetSesame StreetSesame Street has undergone significant changes in its history. According to writer Michael Davis, by the mid-1970s the show had become "an American institution". The cast and crew expanded during this time, including the hiring of women in the crew and additional minorities in the cast. The...
- John Adams’ “On the Transmigration of Souls,” for Nonesuch Records with the New York PhilharmonicNew York PhilharmonicThe New York Philharmonic is a symphony orchestra based in New York City in the United States. It is one of the American orchestras commonly referred to as the "Big Five"...
/ New York Choral Artists, winner of 3 Grammy Awards (2005) - Stephen SondheimStephen SondheimStephen Joshua Sondheim is an American composer and lyricist for stage and film. He is the winner of an Academy Award, multiple Tony Awards including the Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre, multiple Grammy Awards, a Pulitzer Prize and the Laurence Olivier Award...
’s “The Frogs / Evening Primrose” (2000) for Nonesuch Records, featured Nathan LaneNathan LaneNathan Lane is an American actor of stage and screen. He is best known for his roles as Mendy in The Lisbon Traviata, Albert in The Birdcage, Max Bialystock in the musical The Producers, Ernie Smuntz in MouseHunt, Nathan Detroit in Guys and Dolls, Pseudolus in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to...
at the Hit Factory - Alice Parker “My Love and I”, (2000) Men’s choral works from the Robert Shaw / Alice Parker catalog for Melodius Accord at Riverside Church
- “Kurt Masur at the New York PhilharmonicNew York PhilharmonicThe New York Philharmonic is a symphony orchestra based in New York City in the United States. It is one of the American orchestras commonly referred to as the "Big Five"...
,“ 10-CD Box Set features New York Choral Artists
As Multi-instrumentalist
- Christopher North’s De la Sur (2002), vocals, acoustic and electric basses, acoustic and electric guitars, drums / percussion, keyboards, sitarSitarThe 'Tablaman' is a plucked stringed instrument predominantly used in Hindustani classical music, where it has been ubiquitous since the Middle Ages...
, recorder, harmonicaHarmonicaThe harmonica, also called harp, French harp, blues harp, and mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used primarily in blues and American folk music, jazz, country, and rock and roll. It is played by blowing air into it or drawing air out by placing lips over individual holes or multiple holes...
. - Enid Levine and the Boys, Take This Show on the Road (2000), Acoustic /electric /fretless bass, nylon, steel and 12 string guitar, harmonica, vocals
- Blue Skye, Yesterday's Yesteryear Blues (1995) Singer/songwriter, bass, keys, guitar & mixing
Producer - Children’s Songs
- Ivan UlzIvan UlzIvan Ulz is an American songwriter.-History:After writing and recording his first song, A Letter to Hayley in 1962, Ulz decided to pursue a songwriting career...
’s “Fire Truck”, (2005) CD and book for Scholastic.
Teacher-Bass/Guitar, Private/Studio/School Instruction
- Private Studio, Denton and Dallas TX, New York and Brooklyn NY (1990 to present)
- 92nd Street Y, New York NY (1997–Present)
Education
- Bachelor of MusicBachelor of MusicBachelor of Music is an academic degree awarded by a college, university, or conservatory upon completion of program of study in music. In the United States, it is a professional degree; the majority of work consists of prescribed music courses and study in applied music, usually requiring a...
in Music Composition - Southern Methodist UniversitySouthern Methodist UniversitySouthern Methodist University is a private university in Dallas, Texas, United States. Founded in 1911 by the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, SMU operates campuses in Dallas, Plano, and Taos, New Mexico. SMU is owned by the South Central Jurisdiction of the United Methodist Church...
(1992–1994) - University of North TexasUniversity of North TexasThe University of North Texas is a public institution of higher education and research in Denton. Founded in 1890, UNT is part of the University of North Texas System. As of the fall of 2010, the University of North Texas, Denton campus, had a certified enrollment of 36,067...
(1987–1991)