The young conductor and violinist Christopher Quentin McMullen-Laird died June 18th of an as yet unclear but rapidly progressing medical issue, as his website says.
Since the 2019-2020 season he was Music Director of the Jæren Symfoniorkester in Norway. He started his career at the Bayerische Staatsoper in Munich, where he prompted over 50 opera productions, working alongside Music Directors Kent Nagano and Kirill Petrenko. In addition to his work in opera and ballet, Christopher enjoys a busy and varied concert schedule. He was previously Music Director of the Munich International Orchestra, the Bjergsted Symfoniorkester and the Phoenix Youth Orchestra.
He was a Leverhulme Arts Scholar at the Royal College of Music London where he earned a Master’s of Music in Conducting. He earned his Bachelor’s degree at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire, USA, and has held Fellowships at the Hochschule für Musik Weimar and the University of Stavanger.
