Dr. Christopher Nigrelli, Professor of Music, joined Lenoir-Rhyne in 1997. He teaches music history and appreciation and applied brass lessons on trombone, euphonium, and tuba. Over the course of the past twenty-six years, he’s had the privilege of working with the jazz ensemble, brass ensemble, pep bands, concert band, wind ensemble, and wind symphony. Nigrelli has also been music director for ten musicals at Lenoir-Rhyne, including most recently FUN HOME, and the 25th ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE. He has served multiple terms as and again currently serves as coordinator of the music program.

Dr. Nigrelli is a past member of the Board of Directors for the Western Piedmont Symphony. and also served on the Board of Directors for the LHS Foundation, the governing body for the Harper School of Performing Arts, based in Lenoir, North Carolina. He was a member-at-large for the Board of Directors at the inception of the North Carolina Bandmasters Jazz Section. Dr. Nigrelli is the Camp Director for Lenoir-Rhyne Summer Youth Music, which will be in its 11th year in 2024. He regularly conducts jazz and concert band clinics and brass master classes throughout the region.

Dr. Nigrelli held the position of principal trombone in the Western Piedmont Symphony for 19 years. He enjoys performing frequently throughout the southeast, most notably in past work as founding member of the former Charlotte Brass Quintet and Charlotte Chamber Brass, and the Palmetto Posaunen. He is a past winner of the International Trombone Association’s Robert Marsteller Solo Competition.

Dr. Nigrelli received his Doctor of Musical Arts in trombone performance from the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign and his Master of Music in trombone performance at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. He completed his undergraduate degree in Music Education at Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo.