Known as “a powerful podium presence” and for his “great musicality,” award-winning conductor Christopher Hill is quickly becoming one of the most recognized young conductors in the United States. He was recently appointed as music director of the Portsmouth Symphony Orchestra and as the Director of Orchestra at the University of New Hampshire, beginning in September, 2008. He has appeared as a guest conductor with the orchestras of the Cincinnati College-Conservatory, the University of Michigan, the Jackson Symphony, and the West Shore Symphony. Early in his career, he served as the music director of the Jackson Youth Symphony and the Midland Symphony Youth Orchestra.

Christopher Hill has mentored with such internationally acclaimed conductors as Lorin Maazel, Paavo Järvi, Marin Alsop, Carl St. Clair, Neal Gittleman, and Gustav Meier in addition to his work assisting conductors Hugh Wolff, Leonard Slatkin, and Mark Gibson. He studied with Kenneth Kiesler and Marianne Ploger at the University of Michigan and with Mark Gibson and Ulrich Nicolai at the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, where he is a doctoral candidate and has also taught courses in conducting and symphonic literature. He began his life as a musician at age 12 and won a number of professional orchestra positions while still at a young age. He conducted his first performance at age 18.

Recently, Mr. Hill was selected for a week of mentorship with Kurt Masur, music director emeritus of the New York Philharmonic, at the Manhattan School of Music in New York. Mr. Hill made his debut in both the ballet and opera pit at the Cincinnati College-Conservatory, with triple performances of Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake in 2008 and of Milhaud’s Le Pauvre Matelot in 2007.

Passionately committed to causes of social justice and music education, Mr. Hill has made guest appearances in the classrooms of numerous public schools across the country. In addition to his love for music and numerous intellectual pursuits, Mr. Hill is an avid runner and enjoys cooking. He makes his home in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.