Christopher Cortez, a Mexican-American cellist based in New York City, is a highly sought-after freelance artist in the New York metropolitan area, performing across all five boroughs and the tri-state region.

Cortez has performed under the direction of renowned conductors including Peter Oundjian, Jean-Marie Zeitouni, Alondra de la Parra, Markand Thakar, Robert Moody, Cliff Colnot, Michael Morgan, Steve Hackman, Sarah Ionnides, and Alessandro Tirotta. His performances have taken him to eminent venues such as Carnegie Hall, Alice Tully Hall, Rose Theater at Lincoln Center, Merkin Concert Hall, the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM), Chicago’s Symphony Center, Auditorium Theater, Harris Theater for Music and Dance, and Costa Rica’s Teatro Nacional. Cortez has held prominent positions as principal cellist with the International Pride Orchestra, New England Symphonic Ensemble, Ensemble 212, New Camerata Opera, and the Chicago College of Performing Arts Chamber & Opera orchestras. He has also performed as a substitute cellist with the Colorado Music Festival and served as section cellist with the Chicago Composers Orchestra, Nickel City Opera, Teatro Lirico D’Europa, Mid-Atlantic Philharmonic Orchestra, The Chelsea Symphony, and alongside the Colorado Symphony Orchestra. Additionally, he is a frequent guest performer at the Mannes School of Music and New York University. Recently, Mr. Cortez was a featured soloist at Carnegie Hall’s Stern Auditorium performing Eric Whitacre’s The Sacred Veil. As a chamber musician, he has been featured on Chicago’s WFMT radio.

A graduate of the Chicago College of Performing Arts, Cortez studied under the guidance of John Sharp and Karen Basrak of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. His musical education includes masterclasses with Daniel Müller-Schott, Alban Gerhardt, the American String Quartet, Borromeo String Quartet, and the Ying String Quartet. His mentors also include Jurgen de Lemos, Fred Hoeppner, Matthew Switzer, and additional coachings with Alban Gerhardt.