Collaborative Pianist
Gershwin & Co.
July 9, 2026
5:30 p.m., St. John's On The Lake
1840 N Prospect Ave, Milwaukee, WI
A program of music by the legendary George Gershwin. Featuring vocalists Kathleen Monson and Aaron Wardell.
Organist | Composer | Pianist | Teacher
Christopher Powell
Christopher Powell
Organist, Pianist, Composer
Based in Chicagoland
Welcome to my website! I'm a professional musician based in Chicago's north shore region. Please see below for a list of services I offer:
Private lessons in piano, organ, composition, improvisation, and church music.
Wedding services as an organist, pianist, composer, and music coordinator.
Solo recitals showcasing a variety of musical styles.
Collaborative Pianist for recitals, concerts, choirs, educational programs, university performances, and more.
Rehearsal pianist for singers and instrumentalists.
Guidance for aspiring composers.
Custom music compositions crafted for both formal and informal events.
Recording artist services for vocalists and instrumentalists specializing in audition recordings for educational institutions and professional auditions.
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Rates
Rates are negotiable and based on the work you need me to do for you.
Discounts available for music lessons if students pay on a monthly basis.
Inquire for customized rates for weddings, coaching, recitals, composition commissions, and recording sessions, etc.
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Set up your free consultation
Contact Chris to set up your free consultation! Use this button to send an email inquiry for any of the services listed on this page.
Christopher Powell
Performances
Organist
Transcendent
October 16, 2026
12:10 p.m., Fourth Presbyterian Church
126 E Chestnut St., Chicago, IL
Music for brass & organ at one of Chicago's most famous venues. Featuring Mark Fry on bass trombone and Rachel Velvikis on French horn.
Conductor/Organist
Franciscan Crown
October 23, 2026
National Shrine of St. Maximilian Kolbe at Marytown (time TBA)
1600 W Park Ave, Libertyville, IL
A concert celebrating the 800th anniversary of the death of St. Francis of Assisi. Music will highlight the seven mysteries of the Franciscan Crown rosary. Featuring the Marytown Shrine Choir, cantors, and guest instrumentalists.
Organist
Organ Concert
November 15, 2026
4:00 p.m., North Shore Congregation Israel
1185 Sheridan Rd., Glencoe, IL
Festive concert with three organists!
Biography
Updated January, 2022
Christopher Powell’s musical journey is like that of many musicians. He started playing at an early age and has never stopped.
Christopher is the Director of Sacred Music and Organist at the National Shrine of St. Maximilian Kolbe in Libertyville, IL, and the Organist at North Shore Congregation Israel in Glencoe, IL. From 2014 to 2021, he served as Music Director and Organist at Christ Church Cathedral in Mobile, and from 2009 to 2014, he was Director of Music Ministries at Saint Paul Catholic Church in Pensacola, Florida, where he oversaw the restoration and installation of the last surviving pipe organ (1868) by Moritz Baumgarten, Jr. Other previous church positions include St. James Episcopal in Queens, NY, St. Andrew's By-the-Sea Episcopal in Destin, FL, Holy Cross Episcopal in Pensacola, FL, and others. Also active in the world of Jewish music, Christopher was the Anthony and Alma Fisher Music Director at Springhill Avenue Temple in Mobile, AL, from 2017-2021. Prior to this, he was Temple Musician at Temple Beth-El in Pensacola, FL, from 2005-2007.
Christopher studied organ performance at The Juilliard School with Paul Jacobs and at the University of West Florida with Lynne Lauderdale. He has also performed in masterclasses and lessons with Alan Morrison, Ken Cowan, Wilma Jensen, and Stephen Roberts.
Also a composer, Christopher holds a diploma with honors in harmony from the European American Musical Alliance’s Nadia Boulanger Summer Institute, as well as silver and bronze medals in composition from the Global Music Awards competition. in 2023, he premiered the chamber opera, "Immaculata: the Passion of St. Maximilian Kolbe," in Illinois. Other compositional ventures include song cycles, string quartets, concert Masses, choral works, and functional liturgical music.
As a collaborative pianist, Christopher has worked with singers and instrumentalists in rehearsal and recital and served on faculty at Oakwood University in Huntsville, AL. Previously, Christopher was a collaborative pianist at the University of Mobile and with Mobile Opera.
in 2025, Christopher joined the roster of KJR Studios Productions, a company that produces concerts in Chicagoland and around the United States, as a collaborative pianist. He is also a member of the chamber ensemble, Trio de Chats Noirs, a brass and organ/piano ensemble based in Chicago.