About Me
Hello! My name is Chris Jenkins, an architecture student at the University of Cincinnati (Go Bearcats!) with a passion for music. I hail from Centerville, Ohio, a small city about 15 minutes south of Dayton.
Ever since I was old enough to understand the concept of 'building,' I have built. Lego's, Tinker Toy's, K'Nex; you name it, I built it. And while my passions strayed over the years, (astronaut, inventor, aerospace engineer, and finally professional musician) I was always firmly rooted in the built environment. I now truly believe that I belong in architecture, constantly engulfed in the design and construction of spaces.
However, architecture isn't all I do. As I mentioned before, I have a passion for music. If passion is the right word...maybe it should be obsession. I first became enthralled at a young age; my grandparents had a Conn Organ in their house that I loved to play. In 4th grade, I learned the violin, and left after a year. In sixth grade, I learned the clarinet. And here is where my love took leaps and bounds. Eighth grade I briefly learned tenor saxophone, and joined the jazz ensemble at my middle school. In high school, I was a member of our Concert Band, Symphonic Band, and Wind Symphony. With the Wind Symphony, we performed at a level that was unheard of in our area. We were able to master pieces written for the absolute best college and professional ensembles, and were invited to play for the Music for All National Concert Band Festival when I was a sophomore. I was a member of the nationally recognized Centerville Jazz Band for 4 years, leading the band as one of three Drum Majors as a Junior and Senior. I was a member of the Basketball Pep Band all four years, Jazz Ensemble III and Jazz Ensemble II for a year each, and the Pit Orchestra as a Senior for my high school's production of "West Side Story," for which I became profoundly adept in a very short amount of time on the bass clarinet. I was also a member of the Ohio Music Educators Association District XII Honors Wind Symphony as a Freshman and a Junior, and as a Senior was a member of the Tri-State Honor Band held at Wright State University in Dayton, OH, under the direction of Dr. David M Booth and guest conductor Prof. Anthony J. Maiello. Finally, myself and three other top performing clarinetists at my high school formed a clarinet quartet, under the direction of Mrs. Stephanie Catanzaro and Mr. Joshua Baker, and submitted recordings to Music for All to play in their chamber ensemble festival. We were one of only eight groups nationwide to be selected to perform in the spring of 2016, representing our school with another group, a saxophone quartet. Music for me isn't just an everyday occurrence. I use it to concentrate, for fun, and to evoke emotions. I find that my best work comes from listening to music, and for this I don't believe I could ever truly leave the art of music. If architecture is a visual and living art, then music is an emotional and aural art.
Ultimately, I would like to own my own architecture firm. This is my number one goal, the top of my "To Do" list. However, I just really want to be an architect. I want to impact somebody's life in a way that other professions can't. I would like to be able to hand a young couple the keys to their first house, one that they designed and that I drew up, and know they are now truly home. Along with my dream profession, I hope to become a loving husband and a father that my kids can look up to. I can't ask for anything more, I'd rather let the road take me where it may and make do with what I have.
Ever since I was old enough to understand the concept of 'building,' I have built. Lego's, Tinker Toy's, K'Nex; you name it, I built it. And while my passions strayed over the years, (astronaut, inventor, aerospace engineer, and finally professional musician) I was always firmly rooted in the built environment. I now truly believe that I belong in architecture, constantly engulfed in the design and construction of spaces.
However, architecture isn't all I do. As I mentioned before, I have a passion for music. If passion is the right word...maybe it should be obsession. I first became enthralled at a young age; my grandparents had a Conn Organ in their house that I loved to play. In 4th grade, I learned the violin, and left after a year. In sixth grade, I learned the clarinet. And here is where my love took leaps and bounds. Eighth grade I briefly learned tenor saxophone, and joined the jazz ensemble at my middle school. In high school, I was a member of our Concert Band, Symphonic Band, and Wind Symphony. With the Wind Symphony, we performed at a level that was unheard of in our area. We were able to master pieces written for the absolute best college and professional ensembles, and were invited to play for the Music for All National Concert Band Festival when I was a sophomore. I was a member of the nationally recognized Centerville Jazz Band for 4 years, leading the band as one of three Drum Majors as a Junior and Senior. I was a member of the Basketball Pep Band all four years, Jazz Ensemble III and Jazz Ensemble II for a year each, and the Pit Orchestra as a Senior for my high school's production of "West Side Story," for which I became profoundly adept in a very short amount of time on the bass clarinet. I was also a member of the Ohio Music Educators Association District XII Honors Wind Symphony as a Freshman and a Junior, and as a Senior was a member of the Tri-State Honor Band held at Wright State University in Dayton, OH, under the direction of Dr. David M Booth and guest conductor Prof. Anthony J. Maiello. Finally, myself and three other top performing clarinetists at my high school formed a clarinet quartet, under the direction of Mrs. Stephanie Catanzaro and Mr. Joshua Baker, and submitted recordings to Music for All to play in their chamber ensemble festival. We were one of only eight groups nationwide to be selected to perform in the spring of 2016, representing our school with another group, a saxophone quartet. Music for me isn't just an everyday occurrence. I use it to concentrate, for fun, and to evoke emotions. I find that my best work comes from listening to music, and for this I don't believe I could ever truly leave the art of music. If architecture is a visual and living art, then music is an emotional and aural art.
Ultimately, I would like to own my own architecture firm. This is my number one goal, the top of my "To Do" list. However, I just really want to be an architect. I want to impact somebody's life in a way that other professions can't. I would like to be able to hand a young couple the keys to their first house, one that they designed and that I drew up, and know they are now truly home. Along with my dream profession, I hope to become a loving husband and a father that my kids can look up to. I can't ask for anything more, I'd rather let the road take me where it may and make do with what I have.