Christiaan’s love of music began at an early age and has been a part of his life since he can remember. His goal is to write expressive and uplifting music that excites both audience and performers.
Christiaan received his Bachelor of Music in Composition from the University of Calgary (2005) where he studied composition and clarinet. His composition mentors included Allan Bell, Miroslav Spasov, David Eagle, Hope Lee, and William Jordan. At the University of Calgary he wrote music for the University of Calgary Orchestra, Wind Ensemble, Harmoniemusik Ensemble, Percussion Ensemble, Saxophone Quartet, and soloists. He also played clarinet in the University of Calgary Orchestra, Wind Ensemble, Symphonic Band and a variety of chamber groups. It was during his studies that Christiaan won the 2003 Land’s End Chamber Ensemble Composers Competition award for his piano trio “Changing of the Autumn Leaves”.
Christiaan’s concert music has been performed in Canada, Europe, Thailand, and the United States by Ensemble Resonance, Land’s End Chamber Ensemble, Quintessence Winds, Calgary Saxophone Quartet, Victoria Symphony, Prairie Sax Quartet, Rubbing Stone Ensemble, Equinox Winds, and Kensington Sinfonia among others. He participated in the Vancouver Phoenix Chamber Choir “Young Choral Composer Workshop” with his choral work “Rovers” and he took part in “Tapestry New Opera” Composer-Librettist Laboratory where he wrote five mini-operas. Three of his mini-operas were performed at Tapestry New Opera’s “Opera Briefs” in September of 2011.