Christopher M. Nelson is a conductor, educator, composer, and arranger, and currently serves as the Director of Bands at Snow College, in Ephraim, Utah. His wide array of musical interests stem from his experiences as a music educator and community performer. His studies have taken him to degree programs at Brigham Young University, Washington State University, and the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, where his research has focused upon the creation of transcriptions of percussion and keyboard works for the modern wind band.
As an educator, Chris has held band director positions in the Salem-Keizer (OR) and Alpine (UT) school districts, where his ensembles have been consistently recognized for their high-quality performances. His bands have been invited to state festivals and contests in both Oregon and Utah, earning superior ratings and state placements with his concert, jazz, and percussion ensembles. His marching ensembles have been similarly recognized with state classification championships and numerous caption awards. He has presented at the Utah, Indiana, and Oregon Music Educators Association Conferences, and has been awarded the Citation of Excellence from the Utah Chapter of the National Band Association. Chris is sought after as a concert and marching band adjudicator, clinician, and arranger throughout the United States.
A native of Oregon, Chris has works for band published by C-Alan Publications. Pieces written by him have been performed by the Musashino Academy of Music Wind Ensemble, the Indiana University Wind Ensemble, and Michigan State University Wind Symphony, among others. His music has been performed throughout the world, including the Midwest Clinic in Chicago, Illinois, the Opera City Concert Hall in Tokyo, Japan, and at Carnegie Hall. In addition to his works for the concert hall, Chris enjoys writing and arranging for bands in virtually any circumstance including marching band, pep band, graduation ensembles, and drumlines. His favorite thing to do in the whole world is to spend time with his wife, Jessica, and their four children.
