Chris Anstey
violin
One of Canada’s most versatile violinists, Chris Anstey is a native of St. John’s, Newfoundland. He joined the first violin section of the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra (WSO) in 2005, and after a short stint as Assistant Concertmaster, moved to Principal Second Violin in 2022. Chris is often a featured soloist with the WSO, and has also appeared as soloist with several other ensembles including the Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra, Brandon Chamber Players, and Etobicoke Philharmonic. He also performs and records regularly with the Manitoba Chamber Orchestra.
Having a keen interest in traditional music, Chris is a four-time finalist at the Canadian Grand Masters Fiddling Championships, and winner of the Don Messer Award at the Maritime Old- Time Fiddling Contest. He also toured North America and recorded several albums with Newfoundland folk artists The Ennis Sisters. More recently, he is a founding member of The neWSOunds, a Celtic/Folk/Bluegrass band of symphony musicians who premiered their own pops show with the WSO in 2021.
In other performance capacities, Chris has performed numerous musicals at Winnipeg’s Rainbow Stage and Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre, including the world premiere of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s ‘The Boys in the Photograph’ in which he played violin, fiddle, and 5-string electric violin. He works extensively with Candlelight Winnipeg, the newly formed Prairie Sky String Quartet, and the Luminous String Quartet (LSQ). Chris can also be heard on albums with several Winnipeg recording artists including Royal Canoe, Begonia, Cara Luft, Slow Leaves, Glenn Buhr, and the LSQ.
Aside from his performing duties, Mr. Anstey is in constant demand as a pedagogue. He has given multiple masterclasses at the University of Manitoba Faculty of Music and Preparatory Studies Division. He also works regularly as a sectional coach with the University of Manitoba Symphony Orchestra and with all levels of the Winnipeg Youth Orchestras. Chris is also a long- time faculty member at the Rosamunde Summer Music Academy.
Having a keen interest in traditional music, Chris is a four-time finalist at the Canadian Grand Masters Fiddling Championships, and winner of the Don Messer Award at the Maritime Old- Time Fiddling Contest. He also toured North America and recorded several albums with Newfoundland folk artists The Ennis Sisters. More recently, he is a founding member of The neWSOunds, a Celtic/Folk/Bluegrass band of symphony musicians who premiered their own pops show with the WSO in 2021.
In other performance capacities, Chris has performed numerous musicals at Winnipeg’s Rainbow Stage and Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre, including the world premiere of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s ‘The Boys in the Photograph’ in which he played violin, fiddle, and 5-string electric violin. He works extensively with Candlelight Winnipeg, the newly formed Prairie Sky String Quartet, and the Luminous String Quartet (LSQ). Chris can also be heard on albums with several Winnipeg recording artists including Royal Canoe, Begonia, Cara Luft, Slow Leaves, Glenn Buhr, and the LSQ.
Aside from his performing duties, Mr. Anstey is in constant demand as a pedagogue. He has given multiple masterclasses at the University of Manitoba Faculty of Music and Preparatory Studies Division. He also works regularly as a sectional coach with the University of Manitoba Symphony Orchestra and with all levels of the Winnipeg Youth Orchestras. Chris is also a long- time faculty member at the Rosamunde Summer Music Academy.
