Christopher Bill

Last updated
Christopher Bll.jpg
Christopher Bill
Born (1992-06-09) June 9, 1992 (age 31)
Binghamton, New York, United States
Genres Classical Crossover
Occupation(s)
  • Musician
  • YouTuber
Instrument(s)
  • Trombone
Website classicaltrombone.com

Christopher Bill (born June 9, 1992) is an American trombonist, composer, arranger, music director, and YouTuber. He presents classically arranged popular songs multi-tracked on trombone, both live and in music videos found on his YouTube channel, ClassicalTrombone, which he introduced in 2011.

Contents

Bill performs a variety of music styles, from classical and jazz to pop and rock. Aside from original work, his discography contains covers of songs by other musicians and various soundtracks.

Bill has also held positions as music director for episodes of Stargirl [1] and Stranger Things . [2]

His cover version of Pharrell Williams' "Happy" went viral in 2014. [3] [4] As of January 2023, his ClassicalTrombone YouTube channel exceeded 280,000 subscribers and over 64 million total views. [5] [6] [7]

Early life

Bill was born in Binghamton, New York. He grew up the youngest of four siblings. At six years old, he began taking piano lessons. [8] At age ten, he decided to play the trombone and by age twelve he began composing and arranging. [7] [9]

Living in Endicott, New York, Bill attended Union-Endicott High School. While there he was an active member in the school's music program including being drum major for the marching band. During these years he was also a member of the Binghamton Youth Symphony Orchestra, the Bayonne Bridgemen Alumni, and the Syracuse Brigadiers. [8]

Education

Bill received his Bachelor of Music from the Conservatory of Music at the State University of New York at Purchase. [7] [9]

Career

YouTube performances

While he was studying at the SUNY Purchase Conservatory of Music, Bill began arranging popular songs for trombone quartets. He would record himself playing all four parts, and then upload them to YouTube. The first song to gain popularity was Owl City's "Fireflies", which he uploaded in August 2012. [9] In December 2012 he posted a new Christmas arrangement every day leading up until Christmas, calling it "The 25 Days of Christmas. Starting in July 2013, he began to post a new video every Saturday, and in February 2014 his video of Pharrell Williams' "Happy" went viral. [3] [6] As of December 2015 the video has over 2.8 million views. [5] [7] [8]

Bill has independently released three multi-tracked albums. The first album, entitled Breakthrough was released in the spring of 2014. It consists of pop and rock covers. In the winter of 2014 Bill released his second album, Smiling's My Favorite, an album of Christmas songs. Most recently, Half Man, Half Machine was released in 2017. [7] [10] [11]

Live performances

Shortly after graduating from college, Bill began to perform his arrangements live. He has performed for audiences at the Conn-Selmer Institute, International Trombone Association Festival, Midwest Clinic, [12] Texas Bandmasters Association, [13] American Trombone Workshop, [14] Con Brio Music Festival, and Condé Nast Digital Day in Moscow. [15]

Community involvement

Bill has been heavily involved with the International Trombone Association and their annual festival, serving as the director of the youth workshop in 2019. [16]

Discography

Related Research Articles

iTunes Apples media library and media player software

iTunes is a software program that acts as a media player, media library, mobile device management utility, and the client app for the iTunes Store. Developed by Apple Inc., it is used to purchase, play, download, and organize digital multimedia, on personal computers running the macOS and Windows operating systems, and can be used to rip songs from CDs, as well as play content with the use of dynamic, smart playlists. Options for sound optimizations exist, as well as ways to wirelessly share the iTunes library.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Canadian Brass</span> Chamber music ensemble

The Canadian Brass is a Canadian brass quintet formed in 1970 in Toronto, Ontario, by Charles Daellenbach (tuba) and Gene Watts (trombone), with horn player Graeme Page and trumpeters Stuart Laughton and Bill Phillips completing the quintet. As of August 2023, Daellenbach is the sole original member in the group, with the other members being trumpeters Joe Burgstaller and Ashley Hall-Tighe, hornist Jeff Nelsen, and trombonist Achilles Liarmakopoulos.

Condé Nast is a global mass media company founded in 1909 by Condé Montrose Nast (1873–1942) and owned by Advance Publications. Its headquarters are located at One World Trade Center in the Financial District of Lower Manhattan.

<i>Bon Appétit</i> American food and entertaining magazine

Bon Appétit is a monthly American food and entertaining magazine, that typically contains recipes, entertaining ideas, restaurant recommendations, and wine reviews. Owned by Condé Nast, it is headquartered at the One World Trade Center in Manhattan, New York, and has been in publication since 1956. Bon Appétit has been recognized for increasing its online presence in recent years through the use of social media, publishing recipes on their website, and maintaining a popular YouTube channel.

<i>Details</i> (magazine) American monthly mens magazine

Details was an American monthly men's magazine that was published by Condé Nast, founded in 1982 by Annie Flanders. Though primarily a magazine devoted to fashion and lifestyle, Details also featured reports on relevant social and political issues. In November 2015 Condé Nast announced that the magazine would cease publication with the issue of December 2015/January 2016.

<i>Condé Nast Traveler</i> American travel magazine (founded 1987)

Condé Nast Traveler is a luxury and lifestyle travel magazine published by Condé Nast. The magazine has won 25 National Magazine Awards.

John Marcellus is a trombone musician and teacher. He was Professor of Trombone at the Eastman School of Music of the University of Rochester, and past Chair of the Woodwind, Brass, and Percussion Department. In addition to his trombone teaching responsibilities at Eastman, Dr. Marcellus was the conductor of the Eastman Trombone Choir, Eastman Bionic Bones, and the trombonist with the Eastman Brass. Dr. Marcellus joined the faculty of the Eastman School in 1978, and was named the Kilbourn Professor from 1982-83. He succeeded the trombonist and teacher, Emory Remington, who served as Professor of Trombone at Eastman close to 50 years. Professor Marcellus retired in 2014 after 36 years at Eastman.

William Joseph Russo was an American composer, arranger, and musician from Chicago, Illinois, United States.

Alain Trudel is a Canadian conductor, trombonist and composer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Loose Tubes</span> British jazz big band/orchestra

Loose Tubes were a British jazz big band/orchestra active during the mid-to-late 1980s. Critically and popularly acclaimed, the band was considered to be the focal point of a 1980s renaissance in British jazz. It was the main launchpad for the careers of many future leading British jazz players including Django Bates, Iain Ballamy, Eddie Parker, Julian and Steve Argüelles, Mark Lockheart, Steve Berry, Tim Whitehead, Ashley Slater. In 2015, the band reformed to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the band's formation, with concerts at the Cheltenham Jazz Festival, Brecon Jazz Festival and a sold out week at Ronnie Scott's.

William Frank Reichenbach Jr. is an American jazz trombonist and composer. He is the son of Bill Reichenbach, who was the drummer for Charlie Byrd from 1962 to 1973. He is best known as a session musician for television, films, cartoons, and commercials. He primarily specializes in playing the bass trombone, however, he is also proficient in playing other instruments such as the tenor trombone, contrabass trombone, euphonium, and tuba.

Style.com was a luxury e-commerce website, launched by international media company Condé Nast in September 2016. In June 2017 Style.com was closed and absorbed by online retailer Farfetch.com

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bob Cole Conservatory of Music</span>

The Bob Cole Conservatory of Music is the school of music at California State University, Long Beach. In March 2008, the music department was renamed the Bob Cole Conservatory of Music in honor of an endowment gift of $16.4 million from the estate of Robert "Bob" Cole. Cole, a Long Beach real estate investor, long-time music lover, and amateur pianist, died in 2004. Following its disbursement, the gift will benefit the students of the conservatory in the form of scholarships and other awards.

William McGlaughlin is an American composer, conductor, music educator, and Peabody Award-winning classical music radio host. He is the host and music director of the public radio programs Exploring Music and Saint Paul Sunday.

<i>Jay and Kai + 6</i> 1956 studio album by The Jay and Kai Trombone Octet

Jay and Kai + 6 is the fifth album by jazz trombonists J.J. Johnson and Kai Winding, credited on this album as The Jay and Kai Trombone Octet. The title refers to the six trombonists who accompany Johnson and Winding on the recording. Columbia Records released the album as a monaural LP record in 1956. In December 1956, Jay and Kai + 6 reached the № 3 position on the Billboard jazz chart.

Frank Bencriscutto, nicknamed "Dr. Ben," was an American conductor and composer of concert band music. Bencriscutto was Director of Bands and Professor of Music at the University of Minnesota for thirty-two years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jack Cooper (American musician)</span> American composer, arranger, orchestrator, multireedist, and music educator

Jack Cooper is an American composer, arranger, orchestrator, multireedist, and music educator. He has performed with, written music for and recorded by internationally known pop, jazz, and classical artists.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Happy (Pharrell Williams song)</span> 2013 single by Pharrell Williams

"Happy" is a song written, produced, and performed by American musician Pharrell Williams, released as the only single from the soundtrack album for the film Despicable Me 2 (2013). The song was first released on November 21, 2013, alongside a long-form music video. The song was reissued on December 16, 2013, by Back Lot Music under exclusive license to Columbia Records, a division of Sony Music. The song also served as the lead single from Williams's second studio album, Girl (2014).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ric Flauding</span> American songwriter

Richard Gordon Flauding was an American arranger, composer, songwriter, and classically trained guitarist who has recorded several contemporary jazz and pop music albums and received an ASCAP Plus Award. His commissions include arrangements for guitar and orchestra, jazz ensembles, big band, contemporary jazz instrumentals, as well as choral and symphony productions. He has written, arranged, and recorded in many styles, including jazz and classical, and conducts professional and amateur jazz ensembles.

Hip hop music can incorporate elements of classical music, either using live instruments or with recorded samples. Early examples of classical music instrumentation in hip hop date to the 1990s. In the 2000s, artists such as Nas, Kendrick Lamar, The Black Violin, and DJ Premier began to prominently use classical music elements.

References

  1. Stargirl (TV Series 2020– ) - IMDb , retrieved 2021-12-05
  2. Stranger Things (TV Series 2016– ) - IMDb , retrieved 2021-12-05
  3. 1 2 "Pharrell on Trombone, Kawehi does Radiohead – Watch Live Go Loopy". www.ableton.com. Retrieved 2015-09-13.
  4. McKee, Kristi (2014-12-01). "Making It Happen: Purchase College and New York City" (PDF). purchase.edu. Purchase College. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-09-05. Retrieved 2015-09-10.
  5. 1 2 "Christopher Bill". YouTube. Retrieved 2015-09-13.
  6. 1 2 "Social Media Star Trombone Player Visits CBS 11". CBS News . July 2014. Retrieved 2015-09-13.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 Bill, Christopher (2015-08-29). "Christopher Bill – About Me". classicaltrombone.com. Classical Trombone SP. Archived from the original on 2015-09-15. Retrieved 2015-09-10.
  8. 1 2 3 Martin, Ryan (2014-02-27). "Trombonist and Youtube Sensation Christopher Bill". jammerstream.com. Jammunity LLC. Retrieved 2015-09-10.
  9. 1 2 3 Gosling, Dan (2014-07-22). "An Interview with Christopher Bill". chopsaver.com. ChopSaver. Retrieved 2015-09-10.
  10. styleshout.com, Erwin Aligam -. "EARCOS Teachers' Conference 2016". www.earcos.org. Retrieved 2015-09-13.
  11. "Christopher Bill – Kathleen Heuer". Archived from the original on 2015-04-23. Retrieved 2015-09-13.
  12. "Trombone and Technology: The New Wave of Accessibility A Clinic-Performance with Christopher Bill". midwestclinic.org. The Midwest Clinic. 2014-12-19. Retrieved 2015-09-10.
  13. "Texas Bandmasters Association 2014" (PDF). texasbandmasters.org. Texas Bandmasters Association. 2014-07-17. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-09-30. Retrieved 2015-09-10.
  14. "American Trombone Workshop 2015" (PDF). usarmyband.com. US Army Bands. 2015-03-21. Retrieved 2015-09-10.[ permanent dead link ]
  15. "The Sixth Condé Nast Digital Day". condenast.ru. Condé Nast. 2015-04-10. Archived from the original on 2016-03-07. Retrieved 2015-09-10.
  16. Marston, Karen (2019-02-22). "Indiana 2019 Youth Workshop Faculty". International Trombone Festival. Archived from the original on 2020-10-29. Retrieved 2020-11-17.