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Christopher Yick

Born and raised in Honolulu, Chris Yick is a dynamic musician and entrepreneur. Inspired by a love for chamber music and a desire to give back to his home state, Chris assumes the role of Artistic Curation and Collaborations Manager at LT’s new Liliʻuokalani Center. He is also the Founder of the Hawaiʻi Chamber Music Festival, an organization championing world-class artists while prioritizing youth education.

From 2020-2022, he was the youngest member of the Hawaiʻi Symphony Orchestra as Acting Section Bass. He has been fortunate enough to perform in prestigious venues, such as Carnegie Hall, Cadogan Hall, the Auditorium Conciliazione, and others. As a chamber musician, he has performed with musicians, such as Stefan Jackiw, Robert McDuffie, and Nobuyuki Tsujii. He has performed at the Rome Chamber Music Festival, Festival Napa Valley, and Colorado College Summer Music Festival's faculty series. 

During the 2023-2024 season, Chris marked his debut as a section member of the Classical Tahoe Orchestra. He embarked on a tour with the renowned pianist Martha Argerich and performed with the New Century Chamber Orchestra, the Jupiter String Quartet, and other collaborators. He returns to Classical Tahoe again this summer. Recently, he was the Artistic Director for the Lōkahi Spring World Music Festival. 

In 2021, Chris was the youngest faculty member of the Manhattan School of Music’s Summer Program. Previously, he was a teaching artist for the Midori & Friends foundation and has been invited as a guest lecturer for arts entrepreneurship at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa.

As the Founder of the Hawaiʻi Chamber Music Festival, he has singlehandedly produced over 50 concerts, featuring over 50 artists. He launched the festival's Young Artist Program in 2021, establishing it as Hawaiʻi’s premier tuition-free chamber music institute for local students.

In 2023, Chris facilitated a groundbreaking partnership between the festival and the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. In addition to HCMF, he has helped various arts organizations, including All Nippon Airways (ANA) ʻAha Mele (formerly ANA Honolulu Music Week), and Festival Napa Valley. Committed to giving back, Chris frequently performs for Hawaiʻi community organizations and nonprofits. He is on the Board of Directors for Santa Barbara Strings. 

Chris began playing the double bass at ʻIolani School and began lessons with Michael Gorman and John Gallagher. He advanced his studies at The Robert McDuffie Center for Strings at Mercer University on a full-tuition scholarship, where he studied with Daniel Tosky and Jeffrey Turner. He received his Master of Music degree from the Manhattan School of Music with Jeremy McCoy and recently attained a Professional Studies Certificate from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, studying with Scott Pingel. Chris plays on a bass made by Arnold Schnitzer (AES #36 2014).

Chris is grateful for the opportunity to return to Honolulu and contribute his talents to an organization dedicated to youth, arts, and community. As a professional musician and artistic administrator, he anticipates advancing the mission and legacy of LT. In his role, he is enthusiastic about bringing world-class artists, innovative programming, and quality educational partnerships to the Liliʻuokalani Center and the organization’s kamaliʻi.