CHRISTOPHER REX
VIOLONCELLO
1951-2022
Christopher Rex (1951–2022) was a distinguished American cellist whose artistry and leadership left an enduring mark on orchestral and chamber music in the United States. He served as Principal Cellist of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra from 1979 until his retirement, shaping generations of musicians and audiences through his profound musicianship and commitment to excellence.
A native of Winter Park, Florida, Rex began studying the cello at age eight, completing a family string quartet. He pursued his formal training at the Curtis Institute of Music, studying with Orlando Cole, and later at the Juilliard School with Leonard Rose. Following his studies, he performed for seven seasons with the Philadelphia Orchestra under Eugene Ormandy.
In 1988, Rex shared Acting Principal Cello duties with the New York Philharmonic during its European tour. Alongside his brother, Charles Rex—Associate Concertmaster of that orchestra—he premiered Stephen Paulus’s Double Concerto with Kurt Masur. The brothers later presented a deeply personal tribute to their father, composer Charles Gordon Rex, Sr., performing an all-Rex program at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, and appeared as soloists in Saint-Saëns’s The Muse and the Poet with the Manhattan Philharmonic.
As a soloist, Rex appeared frequently with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, performing works including Strauss’s Don Quixote and concertos by Shostakovich, Victor Herbert, Dvořák, Elgar, and Saint-Saëns. He was a founding member of the Georgian Chamber Players, whose collaborations featured artists such as Emanuel Ax, András Schiff, Yefim Bronfman, Lynn Harrell, Ruth Laredo, and János Starker.
A passionate advocate for chamber music, Rex founded and served as General and Artistic Director of the Amelia Island Chamber Music Festival in Florida and was Artistic Director of the Madison Chamber Music Festival in Georgia. He also served on the Board of Directors of Chamber Music America. His festival appearances included regular performances at the Highlands Chamber Music Festival, Brevard Music Festival, Eastern Music Festival, Chautauqua Institution, the Colorado Music Festival, the Grand Teton Music Festival, and the Montreal Chamber Music Festival.
Equally devoted to teaching, Rex held faculty positions at Gettysburg College, the New School of Music in Philadelphia, Georgia State University, and the Eastern Music Festival, and later served as Cello Chair at the McDuffie Center for Strings at Mercer University. His influence as a mentor continues through the many students and colleagues he inspired.
Christopher Rex passed away in March 2022. He is remembered not only for his extraordinary musicianship, but for his generosity of spirit, leadership, and unwavering dedication to the art of music.