Trombonist Gunnery Sergeant Christopher Reaves of Colorado Springs, Colo., joined “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band in February 2013.

Gunnery Sgt. Reaves began his musical instruction on piano at age nine and trombone at age 11. He graduated in 2003 from Widefield High School in Colorado Springs where he studied with Sondra Bell. He earned a bachelor’s degree in music from The Juilliard School in New York in 2007 where he studied with Joe Alessi, principal trombone with the New York Philharmonic. He also studied with Jan Kagarice in 2010 while pursuing an artist certificate at the University of North Texas in Denton.

Prior to joining the band, he performed with the Harlem Symphony Orchestra and the Manhattan Symphony, both in New York, and freelanced in Colorado Springs, New York, and in the Dallas/Fort Worth area.

Gunnery Sgt. Reaves performs with the Marine Band and Marine Chamber Orchestra at the White House, in the Washington, D.C., area, and across the country during the band’s annual concert tour.