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Chris Orton is Professor of Recorder at the Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM), where he maintains an active presence in both performance and education. He also holds teaching positions at Chetham's School of Music, University of Huddersfield, Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, and Junior RNCM. Additionally, he serves as Musical Director of the National Youth Recorder Orchestra and conducts the Junior RNCM Chamber Orchestra.
Orton studied recorder, viola and composition at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire under Ross Winters and Annabel Knight, with further lessons from Anneke Boeke in Amsterdam. He pursued orchestral conducting studies with Jordi Mora at the Escola Superior de Musica de Catalunya (ESMUC) in Barcelona and earned his Dalcroze Eurhythmics teaching certificate in 2017 under Bethan Habron-James in Manchester.
Chris Orton has developed a portfolio career that equally balances performance and music education. His research and performance interests span the full range of recorder repertoire with particular emphasis on 20th and 21st-century music, often incorporating live electronics or collaborations with other instrumentalists. He has been instrumental in commissioning new music for the recorder and introducing the instrument to composers across Europe. His work in Dalcroze Eurhythmics informs both his teaching methodology and performance practice, creating a unique interdisciplinary approach to music education.
Orton's professional activity encompasses performance with live electronics, contemporary music, and improvisation. He teaches across diverse age ranges and experience levels while conducting youth orchestras and ensembles. His continuing study of Emile Jaques-Dalcroze's method has become integral to his teaching and performing practice.
His notable achievements include:
- 1st prize at the Moeck/SRP International Solo Recorder Competition (2007)
- £20,000 BBC Performing Arts Fund Bursary (2007)
- 2nd Prize, 'Prix du Jury' and Gaudeamus Prize at the International Competition of Contemporary Music 'Krzysztof Penderecki' (2006)
- Silver Medal of the Worshipful Company of Musicians (2004)
- First solo recorder recital in Symphony Hall (2004)
- Biddy Baxter and John Hosier Music Trust award (2003)
Throughout his career, Orton has maintained a strong commitment to music education. He taught for ten years with Manchester Music Service, providing 'first access' and music movement classes in schools, and conducted the Birmingham Schools' Recorder Sinfonia. From 2009-2021, he served as Assistant Musical Director and viola tutor for Stockport Youth Orchestra. He is also Chair of the European Recorder Teachers' Association, UK, demonstrating his leadership in the field.
Orton's innovative approach extends to his instrument selection, recently incorporating newer recorder designs including the Maarten Helder tenor and 'modern' altos by Tarasov/Mollenhauer. His recording projects include collaborations with Thomas Simaku and Peter Shepard Skaeved for Naxos (2016) and Soeren Sieg for recorder and piano works (2022).
