Petty Officer First Class Christopher G. Buchanan, USN
Trumpeter, Naval Academy Band

Musician First Class Christopher Buchanan is from Fairfax, Virginia, where he attended James W. Robinson High School. In 2006, he graduated summa cum laude with bachelor of music degrees in both trumpet performance and music composition from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where he also received a master of music degree in 2007. During his graduate work, Petty Officer Buchanan served as a graduate assistant with the Marching Illini and the University of Illinois Basketball Band. His primary instructors have included Terrance Detwiler, Michael Ewald, and Ronald Romm.

Prior to joining the Naval Academy Band in January 2008, MU1 Buchanan served as principal trumpet of the Illinois Wind Symphony and the University of Illinois Symphony Orchestra. He also performed with the Champaign-Urbana Symphony Orchestra, Danville (IL) Symphony Orchestra, Sinfonia da Camera, and the Baroque Artists of Champaign-Urbana. Additionally, he was Director of Music at Epiphany Catholic Church in Normal, Illinois, in 2007.

Petty Officer Buchanan is an avid outdoorsman and collector of model trains. He is an active composer and has an abiding interest in sacred music.

MU1 Buchanan’s military awards include the National Defense Service Medal and the Navy Pistol Marksmanship Ribbon.

MEMBERS