Biography

Signed to GRAMMY® Award-winning Navona Records and educated at the prestigious Juilliard School, composer and pianist Christopher Jessup is an artist of formidable prowess. Jessup has garnered acclaim for his “imaginative handling of atmosphere” [Fanfare] and his “high standard of technique” [New York Concert Review], cementing himself as one of the foremost composer-performers of his generation. 

Jessup’s works have been performed and recorded by the London Symphony Orchestra, the Brno Contemporary Orchestra, the Juilliard Orchestra, multi GRAMMY® Award-winning choir The Crossing, the Kühn Choir of Prague, the National Sawdust Ensemble, GRAMMY® Award-winning pianist Nadia Shpachenko, flutist Lindsey Goodman, and countless others. Jessup’s music has been praised by top critics from many distinguished news outlets, including Zachary Woolfe of The New York Times, who lauded Jessup’s choral work featured on The Crossing’s 2024 release MECIENDO: “Best is the eerie wonder of Christopher Jessup’s ‘The Mississippi at Midnight’: barely two minutes long, and lovely.” Jessup’s works are published by Noten Roehr Frankfurt.

As a pianist, Jessup has concertized at notable venues across the globe, including numerous performances at New York’s Carnegie Hall. He has also appeared as a soloist with orchestras in the United States and Italy. In addition to performing recitals of standard classical repertoire, Jessup frequently premieres his own works as well.

Jessup has received various awards and accolades, including the American Prize, a National Sawdust BluePrint Fellowship, a Global Music Award, and many others. He was named a “Young Classical Star” by Classic FM in 2022. 

Jessup studied under the tutelage of composer Melinda Wagner and pianist Jerome Lowenthal at The Juilliard School, graduating in 2021. He currently lives in New York City.