Christopher graduated from the University of Melbourne with a Bachelor of Education majoring in violin performance / pedagogy in 1991 and a Masters of Music (violin performance) degree in 1997.
He has studied the violin with Spiros Rantos (University of Queensland), Julian Quirit (University of Melbourne), Nellie Skonlakova (Indiana University) and Serge Kravchenko (Moscow Conservatorium).
As a professional violinist, he has worked as the Associate-Concertmaster of the Melbourne Chamber Orchestra and the Concertmaster of the Chamber Orchestra of Geelong and has toured extensively throughout Australia, Europe, Asia and Africa. He has also performed with artists such as Rudolf Nureyev, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Sir Harry Secombe, Jose Carreras, Mikis Theodorakis and for the Victorian State Opera and Bolshoi Ballet. He has also performed on numerous commercial soundtracks for film and television.
Christopher is currently the Conductor of the Heidelberg Symphony Orchestra. He has been a guest conductor of Nehama Patkin’s “Concerto Collection” Orchestra in association with the ABC, the Port Fairy Spring Festival, the Australian Army Band Melbourne, the Toowoomba Chamber Orchestra and is a regular guest conductor of the Kooyong Chamber Players.
He has been the recipient of the Commemorative Award for Young Artists, the Heidelberg School – The City of Heidelberg and a semi-finalist in the Young Australian of the Year Award. Apart from being an examiner for the Australian Music Examiners Board (AMEB), he lectures in string pedagogy at the University of Melbourne. He is also sought after as a freelance professional conductor, chamber musician and adjudicator. Christopher has toured to Indonesia, Malaysia and New Zealand, on behalf of the AMEB, where he has presented clinics and master-classes for young violinists and pedagogical workshops for teachers.
Concerts conducted by Christopher Kopke
Chris was Principal Conductor and Artistic Director of the Preston Symphony until 2007.
- Concert 1 2000
- Concert 2 2000
- 2000 Youth Concerto Competition
- Concert 4 2000
- Concert 1 2001
- Concert 2 2001
- 2001 Youth Concerto Competition
- Concert 4 2001
- Concert 1 2002
- Concert 2 2002
- 2002 Youth Concerto Competition
- Concert 4 2002
- Concert 1 2003
- Concert 2 2003
- 2003 Youth Concerto Competition
- Concert 4 2003
- Concert 1 2004
- Concert 2 2004
- 2004 Youth Concerto Competition
- Concert 4 2004
- Concert 1 2005
- Concert 2 2005
- 2005 Youth Concerto Competition
- Concert 4 2005
- Concert 1 2006
- Concert 2 2006
- 2006 Youth Concerto Competition
- Concert 4 2006
- Concert 1 2007
- Concert 2 2007
- 2007 Youth Concerto Competition
- Concert 4 2007