Christopher Jessup is an award-winning, critically acclaimed composer and pianist whose music is celebrated for its “eerie wonder” (The New York Times) and “vivid atmosphere, emotional depth, and almost physical agility” (Gramophone). Renowned for his evocative style—often inspired by poetry, philosophy, and astronomy—Jessup bridges lyricism and modernity, weaving together classical traditions with a voice uniquely his own. His work spans from miniatures that capture intimate sonic landscapes with clarity and depth to expansive orchestral and choral scores, reflecting a vision that is at once personal and universal.
Jessup’s music has been commissioned, performed, and recorded internationally by leading ensembles and soloists, including the London Symphony Orchestra, the Juilliard Orchestra, the Brno Contemporary Orchestra, GRAMMY® Award-winning choir The Crossing, the New York Virtuoso Singers, the Kühn Choir of Prague, the National Sawdust Ensemble, GRAMMY® Award-winning pianist Nadia Shpachenko, pianist Allison Brewster Franzetti, flutist Lindsey Goodman, violinist Kevin Zhu, violist Brett Deubner, and cellist Jeffrey Zeigler, among others.
Jessup first gained international attention at age sixteen with the premiere of his own piano concerto in Italy. He has since established himself as both a composer and pianist of distinction, appearing at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, National Sawdust, and other major venues across the globe. His piano performances and recordings have been lauded as “refined and eloquent” (New York Concert Review) and “absolutely breathtaking” (Interlude).
Jessup’s work appears on several GRAMMY®-recognized recordings and has received distinctions from ASCAP, the American Academy of Arts and Letters, the American Prize, the Respighi Prize, and National Sawdust. His music has been featured in The New York Times, Billboard, Gramophone, Fanfare, and Pianist Magazine, and broadcast on NPR and Classic FM. His recordings are released on Navona Records, and his works are published by BCP Music.
Recent and forthcoming highlights include the recording of his orchestral work Emergence with the London Symphony Orchestra at LSO St Luke’s in London, with a single release scheduled for January 2027, followed by a full-length album in February 2027; a new multi-movement a cappella work for The Crossing; a new work for soprano and orchestra, composed for soprano Bree Nichols and the Nuremberg Symphony Orchestra, with a world premiere in Prague preceding its commercial release; and a commission from The Juilliard School for its Pride Songbook series. Additional highlights include a residency and two world premieres with Choral Arts Initiative; the world premiere of his brass quintet Ice Memory at the Mostly Modern Festival; the release of his complete choral cycle Astronomia, recorded by The Crossing; and the New York premiere of a work at Carnegie Hall in 2027.
A graduate of The Juilliard School, Jessup studied composition with Pulitzer Prize-winner Melinda Wagner and piano with Jerome Lowenthal. He is a GRAMMY® Voting Member, a member of ASCAP, and is based in New York City.
