Flexible Performance Formats
Solo Violin, Orchestra & Big Band
From an intimate unaccompanied concert to a featured appearance with full orchestra or big band, Christian Howes brings improvisation, virtuosity, and a highly personal musical voice to every setting.
Programs can stand alone or become the centerpiece of a residency combining performance, education, speaking, and community engagement.
Adaptable solo concert format
Acoustic or live-looped performance
Orchestra, string orchestra, and big band
Solo: Acoustic & Live-Looped
Christian combines standard repertoire, original music, improvisation, and contemporary technology to create a complete concert with one violin. Using a pickup, amplifier, and loop pedal, he builds accompaniment in real time and moves naturally among classical music, jazz, blues, bluegrass, rock, and original work.
The program can be tailored for concert audiences, family series, and K–12 assemblies. A family-audience version traces Christian’s musical development from “Twinkle” through Bach and Paganini into bluegrass, jazz, and creative contemporary performance.
Guest Soloist with Orchestra & Big Band
Christian performs with professional, university, youth, and community ensembles. Programs can draw from jazz, classical, crossover, pops, fiddle, and contemporary repertoire, with educational workshops available for participating musicians.
Selected Repertoire & Program Possibilities
- Concerto for Jazz Violin and Orchestra — Scott Routenberg
A three-movement work drawing on jazz and fiddle traditions, approximately 15 minutes. Christian and conductor Doug Droste also presented the work during a U.S. State Department cultural-ambassador tour in Ukraine. - “Spain” — Chick Corea, arranged by James Anderson
A roughly 10-minute showcase for strings and full orchestra. It can be paired with the jazz violin concerto and live-looping encores. - String Orchestra Programs
Accessible works by Bert Ligon introduce Latin, swing, blues, rock, and funk styles for high-school, youth, and community orchestras. More advanced ensembles can perform arrangements of Christian’s original music. - Classical Concerti and Additional Repertoire
Classical works are available by request. Christian can recommend arrangements, collaborate with a presenter’s existing repertoire, or develop new commissions. - Big Band
Featured-soloist programs can combine jazz standards, original music, and arrangements developed for the ensemble and event.
Residencies, Workshops & Speaking
For Musicians
Add masterclasses, improvisation workshops, rehearsals, teacher training, and side-by-side educational performances.
For Communities
Christian also speaks about creativity, personal transformation, entrepreneurship, education, and social justice, drawing on his own life and artistic journey.
Build the Right Program for Your Ensemble or Audience
Contact Christian for repertoire, instrumentation, educational components, technical needs, commissions, and availability.
Email Christian
Schedule a 15-minute call
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