Christa Van Alstine is a clarinetist, bass clarinetist, conductor, chamber musician, and educator who is committed to building new work with composers and helping young musicians discover the joy of collaboration and music making. She works with ensembles, performers, and composers internationally, and is on the faculty at New York University where she teaches clarinet, bass clarinet, and chamber music and the United Nations International School where she conducts and teaches clarinet and bass clarinet.
Christa began her musical life in Saskatchewan, Canada, where she performed with the Regina Symphony Orchestra and the Band of the Ceremonial Guard, and—naturally—played tin whistle in the vast wheat fields of the prairies. She went on to Toronto, completing an Artist Diploma in Orchestral Performance at the Glenn Gould School of The Royal Conservatory and later served as clarinetist in the Glenn Gould School’s Ensemble in Residence and as clarinetist and bass clarinetist with the National Academy Orchestra.
After completing her Master’s in Clarinet Performance at Stony Brook University, Christa began to focus more deeply on the collaborative process of building music with other musicians and composers. She has since immersed herself in the contemporary music community, premiering new works on stages and at festivals around the world and collaborating with composers, ensembles, writers, artists, and dancers. She's also collaborated and toured internationally with the genre bending/blurring superstar Joe Jackson.
In 2019, her collaboration with composer Ted Hearne and her performance of his Pulitzer Prize-nominated opera Place received a Grammy nomination for Best Performance by an Ensemble. Other close collaborations include composers from Red Light New Music, Hotel Elefant, and IPSE, as well as Ellen Lindquest, Aaron Siegel, Paola Prestini, Miguel Frasconi, Ricardo Gallo, Scott Miller, Larry Polansky, Stefan Lipwin, and many others.
As an educator, Christa brings that same spirit of collaboration into the studio and rehearsal room. She guides students through practicing, performing, and creating with an emphasis on creativity, confidence, and interpretation—and on helping each musician find their unique voice and path.