Discover Chris Whyte

Percussionist and Timpanist Christopher Whyte hails from Portland, Oregon. He is currently a candidate for the Doctor of Musical Arts degree at Boston University, where he is a student of Boston Symphony Principal Timpanist Timothy Genis. While in Boston, Whyte performed as a freelance percussionist and timpanist with a number of local and regional orchestras, and stays active as a freelance performer, recitalist, and clinician on both coasts. He also earned degrees at the University of Oregon while studying with Charles Dowd. While studying in Oregon, Whyte won the 2006 University of Oregon Concerto Competition, was a featured soloist with the symphony orchestra and percussion ensembles, and served as principal timpanist and principal percussionist with the symphony orchestra, wind ensemble, The Oregon Percussion Ensemble, and The Praxis Marimba Quartet. In addition, he performed with a number of professional orchestras and chamber music groups in the Northwest region. Whyte has works published through MSC, Matrix, and Bachovich publishing companies, and can be heard on forthcoming recordings from the Soundspells New York label. With an extensive background in rudimental drumming, Chris has performed with the Cascades, Bluecoats, and Blue Devils drum corps, and has arranged and taught for the Oregon Crusaders and Cascades. He is active as a percussion arranger for a number of high school percussion programs, as well as the Boston University Marching Band, and the 2010 WGI Finalist Boston University Winter Percussion Ensemble. In addition, he is in demand as a clinician, and consultant throughout the United States. Chris proudly endorses Dynasty Drums, Promark Drumsticks, and Remo Drumheads.

Christopher recently relocated to Portland, Oregon.