Flutist and piccoloist Christian Lampkin is widely commended for his "terrific style, sound projection, and commanding stage presence" (Sound Espressivo Global Competition). He serves on the music faculty at Christopher Newport University as Artist in Residence and Adjunct Professor of Flute, having previously held faculty appointments at Hampton University, South Carolina State University, and Claflin University.
Chris performs with the United States Air Force Heritage of America Band and serves as Music Director of Air Force Winds, which tours the Eastern Seaboard performing for international dignitaries and audiences. He performs regularly with the Virginia Symphony Orchestra, Opera in Williamsburg, Northern Neck Orchestra, Long Bay Symphony, Rock Hill Symphony, and the Colour of Music Festival. He is proud to be an original member of the National LGBTQ+ Flute Choir, which has performed at notable venues including the National Gallery of Art and the Library of Congress Coolidge Auditorium.
An avid flute choir conductor, musical activist, and champion of equity in the arts, Chris co-founded the Melanin Rhapsody professional flute choir, leading their inaugural performance at the 2024 National Flute Association (NFA) Convention in San Antonio, TX. He will also conduct the National LGBTQ+ Flute Choir at the 2027 NFA Convention in Minneapolis, MN. In addition, he is a founding member of the Umoja Flute Institute. In 2025, he and his colleagues gave the first-ever performance by HBCU professors and students in the history of the National Flute Association in Atlanta, GA. Within the NFA, Chris serves on the Board of Directors, the Career & Artistic Development Committee, and as a mentor for the Emerging Artist Mentorship Program.
An active soloist and clinician, Chris is an endorsed featured artist for Altus Handmade Flutes and Azumi Flutes. Chris has been a prizewinner in competitions including the Schubert Club of Minneapolis, the Upper Midwest Flute Association, the Colorado Flute Association, and the Colorado Flute Artists Competition. His graduate research interests focused on private pedagogy for students who identify as LGBTQ+ and the flute repertoire of 20th-century gay composers. He has received fellowships from prestigious programs including the United States Air Force Band in Washington, D.C., the Miratone Festival and Academy in Budapest, Hungary, the Curtis Institute of Music Mentor Network Program, and the Hot Springs Summer Music Festival. He has presented masterclasses and recitals at the University of Virginia, UNCG, Syracuse University, Ithaca College, and SUNY Potsdam's Crane School of Music. He is a pioneer in expanding the flute repertoire, having commissioned and premiered over 15 works since 2020 by composers including Herman Beeftink, Frank Ticheli, Allison Loggins-Hull, and Kei Slaughter.
Chris holds degrees from the University of Northern Colorado and the University of Iowa, where he made history as the first student to earn two concurrent Master's degrees in Music Education and Flute Performance. His principal teachers include Aaron Goldman, Nicole Esposito, Eric Lamb, Sonora Slocum, and Brook Ferguson, with additional mentorship from Marina Piccinini and Dr. Virginia Broffitt-Kunzer.