Christopher Forbes

Saxophonist Christopher Forbes is an active chamber musician, soloist, and educator who has performed internationally with various ensembles throughout Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, France, and the United Kingdom. Christopher won third prize in the 2020 Vandoren Emerging Artist competition and was named a semifinalist for the 2020 North American Saxophone Alliance Collegiate Solo Competition. Forbes has also been named a national finalist in the 2019 and 2020 Music Teachers National Association wind chamber music competition as tenor saxophonist of the Fuse quartet and was awarded second place at the North American Saxophone Alliance quartet competition. Christopher has recorded with multiple ensembles and is an advocate for new music and showing the wide range of expression and technique that the saxophone can accomplish. 

Mr. Forbes has studied with saxophonists including Kenneth Radnofsky, Kyle Horch, Dr. Robert Young, Taimur Sullivan, Marcus Weiss, and Frederick L. Hemke. As a supporter of new music, Christopher has been involved in commissioning works from composers including David Amram and Joan Tower in addition to workshopping with composers at Northwestern University and beyond. 

Christopher is also a founding member of the Fuse Quartet. A Chicago-based saxophone quartet that strives to perform a diverse program of repertoire for a range of audiences. In 2019, the group worked with Grammy Award-winning director Donald Nally, performing Gavin Bryars’ TheFifth Century. Fuse has also had the opportunity to work with Northwestern University Nemmers prize-winning composer Jennifer Higdon on her saxophone quartet Short Stories. The group received numerous national awards and was invited to present numerous masterclasses and concerts at universities and halls throughout the Midwest.

Forbes has performed with many other ensembles including the Boston Philharmonic Youth Orchestra under conductor Benjamin Zander, Northwestern University Symphonic Wind Ensemble under the direction of Mallory Thompson, the Bienen Contemporary/ Early Vocal Ensemble under the direction of Donald Nally, and the Winston-Salem Symphony. 

Currently based in Rhode Island, Christopher currently teaches a private studio and presents a number of masterclasses to talented students of varying ages in the New England region.