Christopher
Alan Schmitz

Biography

Christopher Alan Schmitz composes solo, chamber, and ensemble music that has been described as “superbly orchestrated” by Pizzicato, “sublimely gorgeous” by Fanfare, and “pensive... hard-driving... and whimsical” by American Record Guide. His compositions have been performed and recorded internationally, featuring musicians from the London Symphony Orchestra to the USAF Airmen of Note, in venues ranging from Carnegie Hall in New York to Denali National Park in Alaska to St. Luke’s Church in London.

Recent awards, honors, and residencies include the MacDowell Fellowship (2025), the Alabama Orchestra Association Award, the Sammy Nestico Award, the American Prize in Composition, the Ithaca College International Jazz Competition, and the J. Samuel Pilafian Composition Award. His educational music has appeared in concert programs at all levels of development.

His recent solo and chamber works have been performed by artists including the Cortona Trio, Svyati Duo, Terell Stafford, Amy Schwartz Moretti, and Denson Paul Pollard. Commercial recordings appear on the Navona, Ravello, and Beauport Classical record labels, and his sheet music is published by Alias Press (an affiliate of Theodore Presser), Cherry Classics, Alfred Music, and C. Alan Publications.

Schmitz holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Composition from the University of Texas at Austin, and is currently Professor of Music Theory and Composition at Mercer University in Macon, Georgia.