Chris Thompson
Passionate About Inspiring Others
Christopher Thompson (He/Him/His), otherwise known as 'Master Christopher', is a multi-disciplined performer-composer that is sure to entertain! As an active percussionist and rhythmic lyricist, he creates innovative ways to blur the distinction between genres by merging contemporary percussion, jazz, and classical music, with rap. He has recently released his debut album “Music Desegregation” in July 2022, which featured nine unique works spanning a plethora of musical styles and instruments while collaborating with over thirty artists and musicians. Performing in venues like the John Coltrane International Jazz and Blues festival in High Point NC, the 2022 Percussive Arts Society International Convention in Indianapolis, the Eurovision Song Contest in Dusseldorf Germany, and with groups like the Greensboro Symphony and the Winston Salem Symphony Orchestras, he continually expounds on the limits of genre and creates intercultural music.
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Chris Thompson has an extensive background in teaching and motivating youth. He recently served as the director of percussion studies at High Point University, where he led a comprehensive percussion program. At HPU, Mr. Thompson directed the Panther Pulse Drumline and was the assistant conductor of the Wind Ensemble. He also worked as an Arts Integration Facilitator with Guilford County Schools, assisting teachers on how to integrate the arts into their normal curriculum. Thompson previously taught as the Percussion Instructor for the award-winning Blue Steel Drumline of Grimsley High School in Greensboro, North Carolina, as well as served as the Percussion Instructor for the B Natural Academy of Music and the Arts, where he delivered a program that provides quality and affordable music lessons to underserved children in the Greensboro Community.
Thompson is passionate about community engagement and inclusive opportunities for music performance. He is the founder and director of Motivational Arts, Performance, and Sound (M.A.P.S.), a company that teaches vision through an inspirational performance of the arts. As a Motivational Performer, he presents an inspirational message in various community settings and encourages underrepresented groups to realize their dreams while experiencing a high level of the arts.
Chris has completed a master’s degree in Percussion Performance and a post-baccalaureate certificate in Jazz Studies from the University of North Carolina Greensboro School of Music, where he also served as Principal Percussionist for the University Symphony Orchestra. He is a proud Alumnus of an HBCU, North Carolina A&T State University, where he marched for the Blue and Gold Marching Machine and served as Drum Captain for the internationally acclaimed Cold Steel Drumline.
Christopher Thompson currently serves on the board of the Alliance of Black Orchestral Percussionists, is a member of the Percussive Arts Society New Music/Research committee, and is an Endorsed Artist for Marimba One and Black Swamp Percussion.
