Christopher Atkinson is a London based pianist, conductor and educator. Having grown up in a musical family, his formative training on piano was led by Raymond Banning. After leaving school, Christopher successfully completed his four year undergraduate degree at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance where he studied with renowned Russian pianist Mikhail Kazakevich. Here, he formed many musical partnerships and ensembles and won numerous prizes for piano accompaniment and chamber music. Following this, he completed his Masters degree at Royal Academy of Music specialising in Piano Accompaniment & Conducting. He has participated in masterclasses given by Mauro Landi, Martino Tirimo, Bengt Forsberg and Pascal Rogé and has a particular passion for English, French and Russian piano repertoire of the early 20th century.
Christopher has performed at many of London’s leading venues such as Wigmore Hall, Steinway Hall and St John’s Smith Square. He has also performed throughout the UK and Europe with various ensembles from his student days. As a concerto soloist, he has enjoyed the opportunity of performing with Havering Concert Orchestra, Lincoln Symphony Orchestra, Lincolnshire Philharmonia and Boston Sinfonia.
In 2014 he conducted London Beethoven Project in a complete cycle of Beethoven Symphonies at St Stephen’s Church, Gloucester Road. He has also guest conducted Orchestra Vitae and London Phoenix Orchestra alongside many other collaborations and chamber orchestra projects.
Having previously worked at Sevenoaks School and St Dunstan’s College respectively, Christopher is now Head of Instrumental Music at Surbiton High School where he manages the provision of one-to-one teaching across all four campuses as well as accompanies and conducts many of the ensembles.