Christian Dillingham
Biographie Christian Dillingham
Christian Dillingham
Versatile. Dynamic. Compelling. Grammy Award-winning bassist Christian Dillingham is “a 21st Century artist to keep an eye on...” (Chicago Jazz). A sought-after collaborator, his nuanced interpretations, dynamic performances, and expressive musicality are praised in the jazz, classical and recording arenas.
A regular presence in Chicago’s rich jazz scene, Dillingham has performed and recorded with dozens of distinguished musicians, including Sean Jones. Amongst those he has performed with are Sean Jones, Jeff "Tain" Watts, Terreon Gully, Herlin Riley, Bobby Broom, Peter Bernstein, and Victor Goines. Venue credits include the Green Mill, the Jazz Showcase, Hungry Brain, Constellation Chicago, Andy’s Jazz Club, Elastic Arts, and Chicago Jazz Festival, among others. Dillingham also leads his own band, The Christian Dillingham Quartet, which features his original compositions.
On the classical stage, Christian Dillingham is a tenured member of the MacArthur Award-winning Chicago Sinfonietta, as well as a member of Present Music (Milwaukee), Fulcrum Point New Music Project, Matt Jones Orchestra, and Chicago Philharmonic. Other renowned organizations with which he has performed include the Lyric Opera of Chicago, Grant Park Symphony, the Chicago Opera Theatre and the modern orchestra Alarm Will Sound.
A prolific recording artist, Dillingham appears on over 20 albums in the Jazz genre alone. In the classical field, he also appears on albums by the Chicago Sinfonietta and Camerata Chicago. A recording artist with Greenleaf Music, Dillingham has released one album on the New York-based label: Cascades, his acclaimed debut recording (“Christian Dillingham and his music deserve attention… I already look forward to the next work from this outstanding bass player and composer.” -Nettavisen); his soon-to-be released second album, Halcyon, out October 11, 2024. An acclaimed up-and-coming composer, his own works can be heard on both albums. Dillingham will also appear on two upcoming Present Music albums.
A native of Brookfield, Ohio, Christian Dillingham holds a Bachelor of Music degree in Music Performance with an Emphasis on Jazz from Youngstown State University, and a Master of Music degree in Music Performance from Pittsburgh’s Duquesne University, where he worked with Pittsburgh Symphony Principal Bass Jeffrey Turner. Dillingham also attended the National Repertory Orchestra Festival in Breckenridge, Colorado and the School for Improvisational Music in New York.
A champion of music education, Dillingham will teach double bass and coach chamber music at Northern Illinois University beginning this fall 2024. He recently completed a four-year tenure as a faculty member at Indiana University.
