Christopher Van Hof
Chris Van Hof is the Associate Professor of Trombone at Ball State University and an active freelance trombonist in a variety of styles. He also is the Principal Trombone of the Carmel (IN) Symphony Orchestra, the trombonist and arranger in the Emerald Brass Quintet and the Assistant Manager of the International Trombone Festival. Chris is an official Performing Artist for S. E. Shires Custom Brass Instruments.
As a freelance performer, Chris is fluent in a variety of musical vernaculars. Recent engagements have included the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, The Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra, lead trombone in the 2022 International Trombone Festival Big Band, Los Adolescentes Orquesta (salsa), Kanola Band (traditional New Orleans), and various one-off engagements throughout Indiana and Michigan. As a soloist, Chris has recently been featured with the Eastman Wind Ensemble and the Ball State University Symphony Orchestra, as well as presenting solo recitals throughout the midwest. His trombone duo Make More Noise (along with bass trombonist Evan Conroy of the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra) has commissioned ten new works for tenor and bass trombone duo since 2018, and recently performed a full recital of their material at the 2021 International Trombone Festival in Columbus, GA.
Chris studied at Western Michigan University with Steve Wolfinbarger for his Bachelor’s, at the Eastman School of Music with Mark Kellogg for his Master’s, and at the University of Wisconsin-Madison with Mark Hetzler for his Doctorate. He is a native of Grand Rapids, Michigan, and now lives in Indianapolis with his wife Andrea and their two boys Dexter and Fritz.