KC Gates

I was blessed to include Christopher as one of my group of friends while studying abroad in Mainz in 2004. I remember his smile and laughter…he was always up for an adventure. While I have not seen him in person since, I have enjoyed watching him succeed and accomplish so much. His love of music…

Christopher was a shining example of Brene Brown’s “wholehearted living.”  He was love!  He was an influential person in my life who opened the doors of understanding to the world around me.  Thank you for teaching me about feminism, social activism, and the opera.  He has inspirationally packed so much life into his tragically short…

I only met Christopher a few times, through my aunt Rebecca, but it was immediately clear what a wonderful person he was. Most recently – December 2019 – we had breakfast in London with my Italian relatives, and I remember thinking ‘this man is so nice… like seriously 𝒔𝒐 nice!’ Earlier in 2019, after a bad…

I’m so shocked to hear of your death, Christopher. We met briefly in Munich when I revived George Benjamin’s opera Written on Skin, and your bright energy was utterly engaging. Your warmth, fun and clear talent shone at every moment and I can’t believe your light has been extinguished so soon. RIP