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Chris Hernandez

Piano

Chris began his piano studies at the age of nine, receiving guidance from his grandmother, Rosemary Carswell, a respected figure in the Southern California music teaching community. He firmly believes that the foundational skills and principles instilled by her continue to influence his approach to music and teaching today. Chris strives to pass on the same solid foundation he received to his own students. As he puts it, “I’ve made it a point to absorb as much as possible from every musical experience, and I find great joy and fulfillment in sharing my knowledge with others.”

His musical background encompasses a diverse range of performance and composition experiences. Chris has participated in numerous events, including the Music Teachers’ Association of California (MTAC) State Conventions, MTAC San Fernando West Valley Branch recitals, festivals, and competitions. Additionally, he was featured as a piano soloist in school performances annually from the 4th grade through his senior year of high school. Reflecting on his journey, he shares, “...getting to be a featured soloist was what opened the door to me being the classical-music-kid that got to play in the jazz bands, which was great because that’s what opened the door for me to start working as an accompanist for singers and solo instrumentalists from highschool and all throughout college, and all of it was a blast.” 

In his downtime, Chris actively nurtures his musical abilities and passion by exploring a wide range of genres on the piano. He frequently arranges his favorite pop, rock, and jazz songs, studies jazz standards and piano techniques independently, maintains his technical proficiency, and continually seeks out new musical challenges to pursue.

Outside of his academic pursuits, Chris has accumulated a diverse range of professional experiences. Over the past ten years, he has taught piano, while also collaborating with various churches as a pianist, guitarist, music director, and arranger. Additionally, Chris has had the privilege of performing with the Jaman Laws Group at UCLA and working in Japan as an accompanist and lyricist with Teichiku Records, becoming their first non-Japanese hire.

Reflecting on his career, Chris shares, “My musical knowledge has opened many doors and provided me with invaluable experiences. I feel truly fortunate to have these opportunities and take great joy in sharing the knowledge I've gained throughout my musical journey. I hope to inspire and support others in pursuing their own musical endeavors.”