Emmelie Carlsson

I’m in total shock after the terrible news that Chris has left us. We’ve worked together at the Bayerische Staatsoper in Munich. Chris’s smile, positivity, kindness were always so heart warming. We hadn’t been in touch in years, when he randomly wrote me about a month ago to congratulate me on a performance he had…

Dear Zeke, I woke up yesterday to the devastating news that you had passed. I have spent the better part of the morning trying to wrap my mind around that fact; I still don’t understand it. It is impossible to imagine a world without you in it. And while I don’t have words, I do…

I was fortunate enough to meet Christopher in 2013 during his tenure as music director of the Munich International Orchestra. As a young student on Erasmus, the orchestra became an important social outlet for those of us struggling to adapt to a new culture and language. Christopher really embraced his role in that – switching…

Though I haven’t seen Christopher in many years, I have a memory of how he could light up a room and make you feel so special when he greeted you. Clearly an angelic force on earth recalled to the heavenly realms so abruptly to continue his work. ❤️

I only spoke to Chris a couple of times, but he struck me as a very friendly and kind person. I was surprised to find out that he was over 30 when I met him; his eagerness and cheerfulness made him come across as someone much younger.

During the two years I first knew Zeke at Dartmouth (his first and second years), he was voraciously curious, unfailingly kind, and unstoppable in his quest to learn. His extraordinary gifts spanned music and languages in particular, and he was an amazing teacher. Zeke sang in Handel Society, took conducting, and served as an assistant…