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Christopher Cock

Christopher M. Cock is  Director of Choral and Vocal Activities at Valparaiso University, where he holds the Duesenberg Chair in Lutheran Music. Through his activities as a choral music educator and as a distinguished solo artist, Dr. Cock has forged a unique career path combining the roles of conductor and performer. He frequently brings his focus on outstanding repertoire, vocal technique and polished musicality to high school ensembles throughout the country.

For five years he served as director of choirs for Lutheran Summer Music, the national Lutheran high school music camp. In 2000 he conducted the Minnesota All-State Men's Chorus. During the academic year 2002-03 Dr. Cock spent a sabbatical leave studying at major Bach centers in Germany, including work at the International Bach Academy (Stuttgart), Thomaskirche and the Bach Archiv (Leipzig) and Kaiser Wilhelm Gedächtnis (Berlin). The culmination of these efforts is the formation of The Bach Institute at Valparaiso University, which will be inaugurated on January 10, 2004 with a performance of J.S. Bach’s Mass in B minor. The Bach Institute will continue to devote itself to faithful performances of the works of J.S. Bach, producing symposia and seminars, and bringing to the VU campus major performers and scholars.

As a solo artist Dr. Cock's extensive range and communicative performances have established him as a premier lyric tenor. Appearances as a Bach Evangelist are taking him to concert venues throughout the United States. In April of 2001, he appeared as Evangelist in the St. Matthew Passion with The Los Angeles Philharmonic. The LA Times praised his performance for its "illuminating freshness."

He has for numerous seasons appeared as a guest artist with the Oregon Bach Festival, led by German conductor, Helmuth Rilling. In recent seasons he has sung with the Florida Orchestra, the Los Angeles Master Chorale, the Miami Bach Society, the American Sinfonietta, the Grand Rapids Symphony, and the Seattle Chamber Singers (with Orchestra Seattle).

He frequently appeared as a soloist with Maestro Robert Shaw and the Robert Shaw Festival Singers. His performances with the Festival Singers can be heard on recordings released by Telarc International, including Francis Poulenc: Mass and Motets, Amazing Grace: American Hymns and Spirituals, Songs of Angels, and O Magnum Mysterium.

He has sung the role of the Evangelist in both Bach Passions with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and is tenor soloist on their new recording of hymns (2001). 2002 saw his solo debut at Carnegie Hall and appearances with the Bach Choir of Berlin. Dr. Cock studied at the University of Southern California and completed his undergraduate study at Pacific Lutheran University. He holds the Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Arizona (Tucson), where he was a student of Maurice Skones.