MUSICIAN
   COMPOSER          IMPROVISER          MULTI INSTRUMENTALIST       EDUCATOR
   HUSBAND            FATHER                    GRANDFATHER                             GREAT                                                                                                                                                       GRANDFATHER
Christopher is a a "native" of (East) Los Angeles,
"grew up in Belvedere, between Boyle Heights and Maravilla 
in the county of (EAST) Los Angeles not the city." (California, USA)
i.e.,
same planet, different world

"A musical polyglot" with concerts in 28 countries on 5 continents
some know of his work as either a drummer/marimbist 
or
a percussionist of the north or south Indian percussion, 
or
a multi-instrumentalist who also plays breath, percussion,
and string instruments of Mesoamerica, 
or
as a composer of all of the above in the following musical circles
avant-garde
classical,
chamber and symphonic music
the indigenous and folkloric music of Mesoamerica and Mexico
Jazz - inside, outside, sideways and upside down
percussion ensemble,
Rock,
soundtracks
World Music
the MUSIC OF FRANK ZAPPA
and cartoon music 

with EAST LOS and his mentors guiding his every step….

​
MENTORS
He attributes his musical growth to his mentors 
John Bergamo
Dr. Truett Hollis
Dr. Vernon Overmyer
Pandit Taranath Rao
Leonice Shinemann 
and Swapan Chaudhuri
where he studied
western music,
north Indian tabla,
south Indian kanjira, ghatam
and western percussion,
while attending East Los Angeles College
and
California Institute of the Arts on a full scholarship for 18 months,  
where he was also a member of the (only) award winning 
Cal Arts Percussion Ensemble in 1979 under the direction of Guruji John Bergamo. 

(PLEASE VISIT TABLA/TEACHERS/LIFE LINK
in acknowledgment for those who so graciously shared
their time, talent and artistry to teach me and many others
http://christophergarciamusic.weebly.com/tabla---teacherslife.html

The experience of thousands of hours of
rehearsals,
performances,
recordings,
and tours
with a who's who of artists from very different genres
with very different vernaculars 
and
very different resonances continues to inform his performances

CLICK on the link below  for previous performances
COMPOSER
 as a composer he continues to receive commissions for
indigenous instruments of Mexico/Mesoamerica
or
percussion of India
with
classical guitar
pedal harp
percussion ensembles
piano forte
sarode
sitar
surbahar
string quartet
woodwind quintet 

​MULTI INSTRUMENTALIST/IMPROVISER
He continues to be in demand
​as a multi instrumentalist and composer 
​with
drumset,
​marimba, 
percussion instruments of  
North and South India including:
tabla,
kanjira,
and
ghatam,
along with indigenous percussion instruments
of various regions of Mexoamerica/Mexico including:
atecocolli,
ayacaxtli,
baa wehai,
huilacapiztli
tlapan huehuetl,
teponaztli
tlapitzalli
and baa wehai,
employing extended techniques
​using fingers, hands and stickings in a variety of jazz,
rock and world music settings. 
EDUCATOR
As an educator continues to give interactive informances in

composition

improvisation and its different vernaculars

breath, string and percussion instruments of indigenous  Mesoamerica/Mexico Aztec/Mexica/Mayan/Raramuri/Yaqui

percussion instruments of north and south India

rhythm and percussion instruments of the world and more

along with coaching percussion ensembles 
for chamber and symphonic performances
and as a featured soloist 

and as a resource for composers about the mechanics of composing for and playing percussion 

working with their percussion sections and sharing techniques of playing non western instruments
which do not respond the way that western orchestral percussionists are accustomed to

and sharing his experience with the beauty and the nature of the resonance and silence 
of music with all ages, ethnicities and cultures in musical and non musical settings

His website on indigenous instruments of Mexico and various YOUTUBES demonstrating 
the instruments in solo and ensemble settings continues to be acknowledged
as an excellent educational overview to these instruments,
their histories and performance practices
with 170,000 views as of this writing
and his website continues to have over 2,000 monthly visits 
His passion for music and its many facets,
composing,
cultivating,
learning,
nurturing
refining,
​and teaching it,
is always in a precarious never ending balance with his passion
for the
SUPREME,
 FAMILIA
and his
​MUSIC

by the grace of 
the CREATOR,
his mentors,
collaborators,
colleagues,
the love of music,
emotional support from his familia
and lots and lots of hard work
his work  continues worldwide .....................
​