Double bassist and composer Christopher Mertz, 14, lives in the Chicago area. He is a member of the Midwest Young Artists Conservatory’s Symphony Orchestra and is a regular substitute in the Highland Park Strings. Through these ensembles, he has had the honor of collaborating with performers, conductors, and pedagogues such as Gustavo Dudamel and Alex Hanna.
Christopher is active in early music performance and serves as a member and composer for his school’s historically informed performance groups, which will present at the 2025 Boston Early Music Festival. This summer, he will participate in NYO2, a National Youth Orchestra summer program. He currently studies with Chicago Symphony bassist Ian Hallas.
One of his primary goals as a composer is to expand the double bass repertoire, which has long been overlooked in solo and chamber music. In his free time, Christopher attends CSO performances, plans his next road trip, or attempts to perfect the recipe for his homemade pesto.
