Christian Hales

Adjunct Professor of Double Bass

Education

  • MM, San Francisco Music Conservatory
  • BM, Brigham Young University

Performance/Recording Highlights

Christian moved to Charleston in 2022 to assume the position of Principal Bass with the Charleston Symphony and began teaching at the College of Charleston shortly after. When he began studying the bass at age 9 he wanted to be different from his other musical siblings by playing jazz.

His teacher David Yavornitzky, principal bassist of the Utah Symphony, convinced him to start with some classical fundamentals—years later Christian still hasn’t gotten around to doing much jazz. As a teenager, Christian made his big debut as a winner of the Utah Symphony’s Salute to Youth concerto competition.

Years later, in college at BYU, Christian won the school’s concerto competition, and then, while attending the San Francisco Conservatory of Music for a Masters Degree, he won that school’s concerto competition. After completing a Master’s Degree with Scott Pingel (Former Charleston Symphony Principal), Christian extended his studies one year to earn a Professional Studies Certificate. In 2021 he attended the National Orchestral Institute and Festival in Maryland, in 2022 he played in the Music in the Vineyards festival in Napa Valley and in 2023 he was a fellow with the Aspen Music Festival.

In California he was a regular substitute with the SF Ballet Orchestra and the SF Symphony. He has also played with various regional orchestras including the Santa Cruz Symphony, the California Symphony and One Found Sound. He has worked with a host of premier conductors including Esa-Pekka Salonen, Christoph Eschenbach, Klaus Mäkelä and Maren Alsop. In performance he has worked with artists ranging from Lea Salonga to Lynn Harrell to Víkingur Ólafsson.

In his free time he enjoys cooking and writing. He currently writes program notes for the Charleston Symphony and maintains a weekly newsletter about classical music called “The Green Room Newsletter.”

Courses Taught

  • MUSP 226 - Double Bass