Christopher Robinson: violinist

Christopher Robinson is a violinist, educator, and visionary arts advocate whose career bridges world-class performance with transformative, equity-centered music education. A Louisville native, he has been a member of the Louisville Orchestra since 2021, performing on its Grammy Award–winning Deutsche Grammophon recording that garnered international acclaim.

In 2021, Christopher was named a Knight Arts Champion by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, joining an extraordinary cohort of South Florida cultural leaders including Michael Tilson Thomas, Artistic Director Laureate of the New World Symphony, and Nat Chediak, Grammy-winning producer and co-founder of the Miami Film Festival. This honor recognized Christopher’s leadership in creating inclusive arts opportunities through VIA Academy, the free summer music program he founded for pre-college musicians from remote and underrepresented communities in classical music. Since its launch in 2020, VIA has reached nearly 300 students from 37 U.S. states and eight countries, and Christopher has been celebrated nationally for designing programs that deliver both immediate and lasting community impact.

Christopher’s educational reach extends far beyond VIA. He has served on the faculty of Carnegie Hall’s NYO/NYO2, Miami Music Project, Nashville Symphony’s Accelerando Program, Atlanta Symphony’s Talent Development Program, the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music’s Pre-College Department, and the Iberacademy in Medellín, Colombia—mentoring hundreds of young musicians across the U.S. and Latin America.

As a performer, Christopher is a recent alumnus of the New World Symphony, where he frequently served as principal and concertmaster. He has also appeared with the Pittsburgh, Nashville, Charlotte, and Jacksonville Symphonies, and in chamber collaborations with members of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Janet Sung, Rictor Noren, Rohan De Silva, Sandra Rivers, and Timothy Lees.

Starting the violin at age 10, Christopher earned his Bachelor of Music at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (studying with Kurt Sassmannshaus) and his Master of Music at the Cleveland Institute of Music (studying with Joan Kwuon). An Eagle Scout and avid outdoorsman, he has trekked the 221-mile John Muir Trail and summited Mt. Fuji—bringing the same spirit of discipline, curiosity, and adventure to his music and life.