Christopher Adkins, violoncello 
Christopher studied with Adolfo Odnoposoff at the University of North Texas and with former Dallas Symphony principal Lev Aronson. After completing a master's degree at Yale with Aldo Parisot, he was named assistant principal cellist of the Denver Symphony. In 1986, he was appointed principal cellist of the Milwaukee Symphony, and the following year returned to Dallas to take over the principal chair once occupied by his teacher.

Christopher quickly became a favorite, not only of audiences, but of the critics. After his memorable performance of the cello solos in the Strauss Don Quixote last season, Dallas Morning News critic Scott Cantrell declared: "I can't imagine that any orchestra has a finer principal cellist than the DSO's Christopher Adkins, and he brilliantly personified the score's knight errant." He has also been quite active in chamber music, for a number of years as a member of the contemporary ensemble Voices of Change, then as a founding member of the Walden Piano Quartet, and now as artistic director of the Adkins String Ensemble.

Christopher made his family a real Dallas Symphony family by marrying DSO violinist Sasha Shtarkman. Much of his non-musical time is spent helping Sasha with daughters Rachel, Rebekah, Theresa, and Carmen, as well as a son Christian.

He has developed quite an enthusiasm for vintage opera posters, as Dallas Opera patrons may remember who viewed the beautiful display of original French posters in the foyer of the opera hall during a production of Massenet's Manon.