Chris Tenney is a multi-instrumentalist and vocalist who began his musical training by performing and touring nationally and internationally with The Tucson Boy's Chorus at the early age of 8. After dedicating his secondary and post-secondary training to music, he graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education and was selected as the University of Arizona School of Music’s Outstanding Senior. After several years of teaching in the secondary setting, he pursued and received Highest Honors in his Graduate studies, graduating with a Master’s Degree, also in Music Education, from Boston University.
Prior to his appointment at YC, he spent five years as the Director of Bands at Bradshaw Mountain High School in Prescott Valley, receiving multiple Excellent and Superior awards for his ensembles there. He has also served as the Arizona Band and Orchestra Director’s Association (ABODA) Northwest Region Band Chairperson and Site Host.
Along with his passion for instrumental music, he enjoys musical theatre, and has served as Musical Director for several musicals staged at Prescott’s Center for the Arts, serving as a founding member of the theatre’s Teen Summer Stock Ensemble Program. He currently serves as the PCA Scholarship Program’s Musical Theatre Chairperson and as the adjudicator for the Winds Brass and Percussion section of the program.
In his spare time, he also plays trombone and performs locally in the High Desert Brass, a brass quintet he co-founded in 2018.
While not teaching and performing, Professor Tenney enjoys participating in triathlons and spending time with his lovely wife and fellow arts educator Layla and his three beautiful children.