Chris French, director

A versatile instrumentalist, Chris French is an accomplished clarinetist, saxophonist, and flutist. He received B.M. and M.M. degrees from the Juilliard School where he was a scholarship student of Leon Russianoff and Joseph Allard.  Concurrently with attending Juilliard, he studied jazz with Adolphe Sandole and Warne Marsh, and worked with traditional and modern jazz groups in New York City. After briefly playing with the Orquesta del Estado de Mexico, he returned to Los Angeles and continued playing jazz and classical music with symphony orchestras, Broadway show pit orchestras, and recording studios until 1997, when he moved to Goshen.

In addition to teaching at Goshen College, Mr. French is also on the faculty of Indiana University South Bend and St. Mary’s College. And plays regularly with classical and jazz performing groups in Indiana, Michigan, and Illinois. He has been featured soloist with the Elkhart Youth Symphony, Maple City Chamber Orchestra, Elkhart Municipal Band, St. Joseph band, Truth in Jazz, Elkhart Symphony and the Elkhart Jazz Festival.