Sofia Celenza
He was a person that put faith in me, brought out the best of myself and made me believe in it.
Fond memories of Christopher as a member of the Eurythmy troupe in high school. Lovely and sensitive young man.
Christopher was to have joined us in Norfolk to conduct the Yorke Trust’s summer opera production of Handel’s Jephtha this year after a stunningly successful Come & Sing Mozart’s Requiem day in February, and Jennifer Hamilton’s memorable production of Purcell’s The Tempest last July. Members of our community chorus, seasoned amateurs and those new to…
In 2018 I was asked to play for a carol concert for SKY and asked my colleague Peter Stark if he could recommend someone to lead this – ‘someone warm, kind, inclusive, communicative and joyful’ – Peter said ‘I have the very person – Chris McMullen-Laird’. And he was all these things, and more.
I met Chris in Munich. I was walking from the S-Bahn from the airport with two big suitcases. It had started snowing heavily and Chris, seeing me struggling to cross the road in time, came over to help me. During our short walk to my godfather’s apartment, where I was staying, we realised Chris and…
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…
On behalf of The Royal Ballet Music Department I am sending all our condolences and sadness at the loss of Christopher. He had attended a lecture on ballet conducting at the Royal College of Music given by our Principal Guest Conductor Barry Wordsworth and had started to observe our work at the Royal Opera House….