|
|
|
Before moving to Texas in May 2001 Chris was a mainstay in the arts scene in Jackson, serving as an accompanist for many area groups including The Jackson Choral Society, The Jackson Little Theatre, The Millsaps Singers, The Mississippi Camerata, and The Mississippi Conference of the United Methodist Church. During his early college years Chris conducted the first Jackson-area stage performance of Igor Stravinsky's The Soldier's Tale, and organized important tribute concerts of music by Benjamin Britten, Samuel Barber, and Olivier Messiaen..In 1981 Chris moved to Princeton, NJ and joined the music programs of both the Princeton University Chapel and Trinity Church. In 1983 Chris made his New York City debut performing an organ recital at St. Bartholomew's Church, and, that fall, was appointed accompanist for The Westminster Symphonic Choir. He is listed in the 1983 edition of Outstanding Young Men In America. As director of The Handel Society of Jackson (1989-1995) he led Mississippi premieres of several major works including Giulio Cesare, Xerxes, Acis and Galatea, Saul, Esther, Apollo and Dafne, and Purcell's Ode On St. Cecilia's Day. As organist Chris has served United Methodist and Episcopal churches in New Jersey, Mississippi, New York, and Texas, and has performed recitals in Mississippi, Texas, New Jersey, Washington, D.C., New York, and at Princeton University. Chris is past-dean of the Jackson chapter of the American Guild of Organists, and was assistant professor of music history and college organist at Millsaps College from 1992-2001. In 1999 Chris received the Ole Miss Music Department's Music History/Theory Award for his musicological study of Mahler's Tenth Symphony. In 2001 he was featured organist with The Mississippi Symphony in performances of Saint-Saens Symphony No. 3 (Organ), and was a worship organist at the 2001 Region IV AGO Convention.
Chris Brunt has accompanied under several major conductors including Robert Shaw, Joseph Flummerfelt, Carlo Maria Giulini, Zubin Mehta, Craig Jessop, David N.Childs, Dale Grotenhuis, James Litton, Jane Marshall, David R. Davidson, Dr. John Paul, Constantina Tsolainou, Leonard Slatkin, and Weston Noble. He is comfortable programming/performing a wide variety of music styles...from Scott Joplin to Vangelis, from William Byrd to Paul Hindemith, and from Olivier Messiaen to Contemporary Christian/Praise and Worship music.
|
|
|
|