Chris Rua graduated magna cum lauda with a B.M. from the Crane School of Music at Potsdam, NY with a teaching degree and a focus in oboe. While living in Boston she became inspired by the teachings and approach to sound of Marleen Montgomery, director of The Quadrivium, an ensemble who performed Early Music in innovative and creative ways.

Chris is a multi-instrumentalist, playing recorders, historical flutes, reeds, bagpipes and percussion as well as singing. She has performed, recorded and toured with such ensembles as The Quadrivium, Libana, The Christmas Revels in Cambridge, Washington, Philadelphia and Hanover, NH, Early Music New York, Piffaro, Ex Umbris and with Anne Azema of the Boston Camerata. Chris also has performed as a jazz vocalist.

In 2016 Chris completed a 10 year tour with Cirque du Soleil's show Varekai, having performed over 3000 shows all over the World in 25 countries, from Sydney to Seoul, Rio to Russia as well as the Royal Albert Hall in London. While with Cirque she played a wide range of instruments including recorders, flutes, oboe, clarinet, shawms, bombards, bagpipes, percussion and as a vocalist.

One of Chris’ favorite ways of making music is playing for English Country dancing. She has played for dances from California to England, at dance Balls and at dance workshop weeks including Berea Christmas Week in KY, Buffalo Gap in VA and at English American Week and Early Music Week at Pinewoods.

She has taught all ages, from creative movement and music at the pre-school level, elementary music which included theatre arts, choir, instrumental music and dance for grades K-6 to private and ensemble lessons at her own studio and at workshops around New England for adults. She has taught at the Charles River School in Dover, MA, the Brookline Music School in Brookline, MA, the Indian Hill School for the Arts in Littleton, MA, at workshop settings for the American Recorder Society throughout New England, coached ensembles at recorder workshops at the Westminster Choir School in NJ, at World Fellowship Early Music Week in NH and at Pinewoods Early Music Week in MA, where she was the director for three years. She also teaches at the Mideast Early Music Workshop in Pittsburgh, PA. For a number of years Chris directed music and hiking workshops for the Sierra Club in CA, entitled “Sierra Serenades” at the Clair Tappaan Lodge, Donner Pass, CA as well as playing music with Shira Kammen for trip participants on the Rogue River.

Having settled in Vermont from Boston, MA, Chris is presently teaching at the Seven Stars Arts Center in Sharon, VT, the Upper Valley Music Center in Lebanon while exploring new musical and dance connections near her new found home including her latest project, the “Star Radio Hour,” a variety show broadcast live on Royalton Community Radio which includes music, storytelling and audience participation.