Christopher Eanes

Christopher Eanes is a musician and arts leader with more than two decades of experience helping small arts organizations discover their ‘why’ and to put it into practice. Eanes serves as the executive director of the GRAMMY-nominated Cathedral Choral Society, the symphonic choir-in-residence at Washington National Cathedral. As one of the largest choirs by budget size in the United States, Eanes manages an annual budget of $2 million and works locally and nationally on issues of diversity, equity, access, and inclusion in the arts sector. Under his leadership, the Cathedral Choral Society is gaining notoriety for immersive, engaging programs that prioritize emerging as well as traditionally marginalized voices. Since coming to the Cathedral Choral Society in 2019, Eanes has overseen the development of a strategic plan and rebranding of the organization, a substantial increase in net assets, and a re-emergence from the pandemic with ticket sales that are trending 20% ahead of national averages.

Eanes is a member of Chorus America’s Leadership Development Forum and is currently finishing a term as a column editor for the Choral Journal, the American Choral Directors Association’s monthly periodical. Eanes holds a doctorate in conducting from the University of Southern California and has led strategic planning, board development, and organizational development processes for organizations that include the Cathedral Choral Society of Washington, DC, the Cincinnati Boychoir, Chamber Music Cincinnati, The Arlington Chorale, CONCORA Connecticut Choral Artists, and the Collegiate School in New York City.