Chris Jusell

Chris Jusell joined the second violin section of the North Carolina Symphony in September of 2023. He is also the Principal Second Violinist of the Philadelphia Ballet Orchestra and Assistant Principal Second of the Central City Opera Orchestra in Colorado, where he spends his summers.

Chris previously lived in Denver for fifteen years, where he was hailed by the Westword for his “acrobatic and robust” playing. He served as Concertmaster of the Greeley Philharmonic for ten years, held long-running positions with the Opera Colorado and Colorado Ballet Orchestras, and performed frequently with the Colorado Symphony. He also conducted the Summit Youth Orchestra in Dillon, CO for five years.

Beyond classical music, Chris is a multi-instrumentalist member of the experimental quartet Fuubutsushi, releasing five albums since 2020 to critical acclaim from Pitchfork and NPR. He has toured and recorded with Nathaniel Rateliff, performed with Stevie Wonder, and recorded for Rosalia, Lizzo, and Silk Sonic, among many others.

Chris began playing violin in the public school system of Lee’s Summit, Missouri under the influential instruction of Maria Maxwell and Russ Berlin. He holds a Bachelor of Music degree from Colorado State University, where he studied with Dr. Ron Francois; he has also studied with Dr. John Fadial.