CHRIS JUSELL

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

An avid chamber musician, Jusell plays in the Torrey Chamber Music Festival in Utah and the Appalachian Chamber Music Festival in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia. Active in performing new music, he was a founding member of the Sphere Ensemble, Penumbra Quartet, and Boxwood Ensemble, all in Colorado.

Before joining the North Carolina Symphony, Jusell 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 Orchestra 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 for five years.

Beyond classical music, Jusell 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.

Jusell 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’s degree in music from Colorado State University, where he studied with Dr. Ron Francois; he has also studied with Dr. John Fadial.

Outside of music, Jusell enjoys making and restoring furniture as well as hiking, making cocktails, and taking mediocre photographs of lovely things.