Internationally acclaimed for his expertise in acoustical design of concert halls and opera houses, Christopher Blair has become increasingly in demand as a guest conductor of orchestras around the world. In recent years Blair has appeared in concert with the Bolivian National Orchestra, the Porto Alegre (Brazil) Symphony Orchestra, the San Diego Symphony Orchestra, the Nashville Symphony Orchestra, the Tianjin (China) Symphony Orchestra, the Bangor Symphony Orchestra, the Eastern Connecticut Symphony Orchestra, the El Paso Symphony Orchestra, the Vidin (Bulgaria) Philharmonic, and the Woodstock Chamber Orchestra. In the course of his acoustical consulting activities he has also led rehearsals of the Oklahoma City Philharmonic, Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, the National Symphony Orchestra of Mexico, the Petrobras (Brazil) Symphony Orchestra and the Bogota (Colombia) Philharmonic.

Following undergraduate studies at the University of Vermont, Mr. Blair earned two Masters degrees: one in Orchestral Conducting from the New England Conservatory, and the other in Acoustics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Early professional conducting appointments included the Music Directorships of the Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra of Boston, the South End Symphony and Choral Society, the Melrose (MA) Symphony Orchestra, the Brown University Orchestra (where he was also Chairman of the String Program), and the position of Artistic Director of the Boston Light Opera.  During his tenure at each of these organizations, he was known for his popular and innovative programming, and in particular his efforts to reintroduce unjustly neglected symphonic compositions to modern audiences.

Mr. Blair enjoys a parallel career in acoustic design. At the present time he is a Principal Consultant at AKUSTIKS, based in Norwalk Connecticut. Current or recently completed projects include a new concert hall for the Nashville Symphony, a new recital hall for SUNY-Fredonia, a new addition to the Cleveland Institute of Music, renovations to the Boston Opera House, renovations and a new recital hall for the Eastman School of Music, and major projects in the USA, Mexico, Canada, Thailand, Columbia, Chile, and Brazil.  Project openings in 2010 include the new Centro Cultural Julio Mario Santo Domingo in Bogota, Colombia , the new Teatro Bicentenario in Leon, Mexico, and  renovation to the Palacio de Bellas Artes in Mexico City. Some of his important projects prior to his work at AKUSTIKS include Singapore's Esplanade Performing Arts Centre, Lucerne's Cultural and Congress Centre, the City of Culture in Galicia, Spain, and Brazil’s famous Sala São Paulo. 

Mr. Blair has also been a member of the teaching faculties of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the University of Massachusetts, and Yale University, among others. He currently serves on the Strategic Planning Committee of the New Haven Symphony and the Board of Directors of the Conductors Guild.

Blair also holds a commercial pilot’s license, sometimes useful for getting to out-of-the-way places more quickly.

1984 - 1990
Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra of Boston
(formerly South End Symphony & Choral Society)

Founding Music Director/Conductor; 80 piece professional orchestra concentrating in non-standard repertoire; performances in Boston Symphony Hall, Jordan Hall & other venues; Repertoire highlights included Western Premiere of Kalnins’ Fifth Symphony, Lizst’s Christus Oratorio, Harty’s Irish Symphony, Dvoraks’ Watergoblin, Raff’s Symphony No.5, Herbert’s 2nd Cello Concerto, Clara Schumann’s Piano Concerto, and many other wonderful rarities. Soloists included Virginia Eskin, Maureen O’Hara, Fred Rogers, Nancy Armstrong, Jonathan Miller. Non-conducting duties included fund-raising, long range planning, and orchestra management. Good reviews, balanced budgets, no debt.

1988 - 89
Brown University Orchestra

Interim Conductor; 65 piece college orchestra; mostly traditional repertoire; Soloists included Pinchas Zuckerman. Non-conducting duties included acoustical transformation of a 5000-seat hockey ring into a serviceable concert hall, supervision of the student conductor, and management of the Department of Music’s string program.

1976 - 90
Boston Light Opera Company

Founding Artistic Director/Conductor, General Manager during 1976-78; semi-professional opera company; presented over 60 fully staged light opera performances with full orchestra, plus several orchestral performances of light classical repertoire. Non-conducting duties included long range planning, budgeting, fund-raising, development and design of promotional materials. Good reviews, balanced budget, no debt.


1979 - 83
Melrose Symphony Orchestra

Music Director; 65 piece community orchestra; Repertoire highlights included New England Premiere of Grieg’s complete Peer Gynt, Rossini’s Stabat Mater, Mahler’s Songs of a Wayfarer, Bruckner’s 4th Symphony, Strauss’ Til Eulenspiegel, Menotti’s Amahl & the Night Visitors (fully staged, duties included stage direction and tech direction in addition to conducting) and many more. Non-conducting duties included acoustical corrections to the orchestra’s auditorium, contracting extra musicians, preparing budgets, and writing grant proposals (100% success rate). Initiated new guest artist series and expanded pops offerings. Major accomplishment: taking a 50 piece ensemble with a four concert season and persistent annual deficits to a 65 piece ensemble offering expanded programming on more than quadruple the first year’s budget (with a surplus!) in four years.

“Musically, things are, as usual, first rate. Christopher Noel Blair, music director and conductor, does not just get his company and orchestra through the score, he gives it a life, a shape, a tangible dramatic thrust”
Thor Eckert
THE CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR

“Superb…Mr. Blair has a knack of orchestral coordination that produces a magnificent sound. They were worth the whole evening.”
John Brenner
THE BOSTON POST GAZETTE

“Well-paced, musicianly performances.”
Richard Buell
THE BOSTON GLOBE

“Vivid direction…an enormous, glorious sound”
Julie Hatfield
QUINCY PATRIOT LEDGER

“Christopher N. Blair seems to be the animating spirit of the enterprise and he has done his work well. Musically, these were very trim performances —frankly a lot better than what we’re used to hearing.”
Richard Dyer
THE BOSTON GLOBE

“From Christopher Noel Blair’s first downbeat, a musical substance and flair was established that sparked the entire performance. Mr. Blair’s musical concept was poised, lively, and refreshingly unfussy.”
Thor Eckert
THE CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR

“Blair and his ensemble turned in their best work in the Schubert Symphony No.5 in B flat. The pacing was leisurely, the tone of the woodwinds was particularly colorful, the rhythmic choices were sound and the essential conception and performance were Schubertian.”
Arthur Hepner
THE BOSTON GLOBE

“Blair’s players are capable of textures that weary pit musicians seldom achieve: they have freshness.”
Robert Taylor
THE BOSTON GLOBE

“Very important was the orchestral work Christopher Blair drew from his players. Lithe, colorful and vigorous, it carried everything before it.”
Richard Buell
THE BOSTON GLOBE

“The [Danbury Symphony] orchestra has never sounded better. Blair led exactingly, with vigor and enthusiasm, and showed a particular sense for instrumental balance – from having a master’s degree in acoustics from MIT? Everything sounded professional and just plain excellent.”
Frank Merkling
THE NEWS-TIMES