Christopher Gilley began playing the cello in 2017 after studying piano for eight years with his mother, a professional pianist, who laid the musical foundation for his career. He quickly found that the cello offered him a depth of expression that allowed his musicianship to flourish. Under the expert instruction of Neal Cary, principal cellist of the Richmond Symphony, Christopher joined the Richmond Symphony Youth Orchestra Program, where he gained valuable experience performing orchestral, chamber, and concerto repertoire. He now studies with Julian Schwarz at Shenandoah Conservatory.