Christopher Chaffee is Professor of Flute and Director of Graduate Studies in Music at Wright State University. His playing has been hailed as “Truly exceptional,” (Don Vroon, Editor, American Record Guide) “Brilliant,” (Middletown Journal) and “Sparkling.” (Richmond Palladium-Item) At WSU, he teaches flute, chamber music, and global music. He also performs with the WSU chamber orchestra and faculty woodwind quintet. He is a frequent guest artist and clinician at high schools and universities across the United States, and serves on the flute faculty at the world-renown Interlochen Arts Camp. Dr. Chaffee’s students have recently earned prizes in the Central Ohio Flute Association, National Flute Association, and Clark Haines Memorial competitions. Before joining the faculty at WSU in 2004, he taught at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, Xavier University, and Miami University. Dr. Chaffee is the co-founder of the Sapphire Winds, a wind chamber ensemble that specializes in performing and recording virtuosic wind music. Recent solo and chamber music highlights include performances at the 2012 International Double Reed Society conference, and the 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015 National Flute Association conventions.
Dr. Chaffee served as Co-Principal and solo flutist with Sorg Opera (1997-2005), co-principal flute of the Heidelberg Schlossfestspiel Orchestra, and has performed with the ARC contemporary ensemble, Ensemble Sirius, Lansing Symphony, Jackson Symphony, Grand Traverse Symphony, Kalamazoo Symphony, Penn’s Woods Chamber Orchestra, Dayton Bach Society, Kentucky Symphony, and Dayton Philharmonic. Dr. Chaffee is also a highly respected music writer with hundreds of reviews published in American Record Guide, and is the author of widely popular program notes for the Dayton Philharmonic.
Dr. Chaffee is an honors graduate of the Interlochen Arts Academy, where he was a four-year scholarship student. He received his BM from Eastman School of Music, MM from Michigan State University, and DMA from University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. He also received further orchestral and solo training as a scholarship student at Brevard Music Center, Boston University Tanglewood Institute, and the Bowdoin Summer Festival. His teachers and mentors are Bonita Boyd, Richard Sherman, Bradley Garner, and Jack Wellbaum.
Dr. Chaffee served as Co-Principal and solo flutist with Sorg Opera (1997-2005), co-principal flute of the Heidelberg Schlossfestspiel Orchestra, and has performed with the ARC contemporary ensemble, Ensemble Sirius, Lansing Symphony, Jackson Symphony, Grand Traverse Symphony, Kalamazoo Symphony, Penn’s Woods Chamber Orchestra, Dayton Bach Society, Kentucky Symphony, and Dayton Philharmonic. Dr. Chaffee is also a highly respected music writer with hundreds of reviews published in American Record Guide, and is the author of widely popular program notes for the Dayton Philharmonic.
Dr. Chaffee is an honors graduate of the Interlochen Arts Academy, where he was a four-year scholarship student. He received his BM from Eastman School of Music, MM from Michigan State University, and DMA from University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. He also received further orchestral and solo training as a scholarship student at Brevard Music Center, Boston University Tanglewood Institute, and the Bowdoin Summer Festival. His teachers and mentors are Bonita Boyd, Richard Sherman, Bradley Garner, and Jack Wellbaum.