Christian Carichner
Christian Carichner, originally from New York, has been surrounded by music his entire life. His father a band director and his mother a singer, Christian eventually went on to major in music education and performance, graduating Magna Cum Laude from Ithaca College in 2005. After graduating from Ithaca, Christian moved to Arizona to begin work on a Master of Music degree in tuba performance with Professor Sam Pilafian at Arizona State University, and graduated in 2007. Currently, Christian is the Visiting Assistant Professor of Tuba at The University of Central Arkansas. At UCA he instructs the tuba studio, assists with the UCA Marching Band, teaches music technology, directs the tuba-euphonium ensemble, and the UCA Brass Choir. Previously, Christian was the Instructor of Tuba and Euphonium at Northern Arizona University and concurrently, Mesa Community College where he also served as the assistant band director. He was also the Low Brass Instructor at Glendale Community College, as well as an instructor for the ASU Sun Devil Marching Band. During the summer months, Christian is the Brass Caption Head with The Academy Drum and Bugle Corps (2006 Division II World Champions) and formerly, on the brass staff with Phantom Regiment (2006 Division I Second Place). Christian is a highly sought-after clinician because of his intimate knowledge of The Breathing Gym, a pedagogy developed by his primary teachers, Sam Pilafian and Patrick Sheridan. Christian has presented clinics on breathing and various other topics at Estrella Mountain Community College, Paradise Valley Community College, the East Valley Youth Symphony, and public schools in Las Vegas, Tucson, Austin, Arkansas, Maine, Tennessee, and Ithaca. In addition to his teaching, Christian also has an active international performing career. He is Principal Tubist with the Conway Symphony and Pinnacle Brass, the faculty brass quintet at UCA. Recent solo performances include the UCA Wind Ensemble, the Natural State Brass Band, the Conway Symphony Orchestra, and a performance at the International Tuba Euphonium Conference. Christian has also performed with the Arizona Musicfest Orchestra, the Tampa Tradewinds, the Orchestra of the Southern Finger Lakes, Pinnacle Brass, Rhythm and Brass, Proteus 7, Salt River Brass, and has performed with the national tour of the hit Broadway musical Chicago. Christian is also the founder of iMarch, a partnership dedicated to improving the world of marching music. An accomplished arranger, Christian arranges all the music for the UCA Bear Marching Band, and several marching bands across the country.