About

Dr. Christian Ontos studied piano under Linda Jiorle-Nagy from the age of 4, and developed an acuity as a pianist and organist by the age of 12. He gained proficiency in wind instruments by the age of 17, while concurrently training in theory and composition under the tutelage of Rudolph R.A. Schramm. Studies in vocal music that followed with Michael Kirkjian, Jane Paul, Dr. Howard Swan, David Thorsen, and the Seth Riggs Vocal Studio led to a recording contract during the early years of Frontline Records, a rich career singing for choral directors such as Dr. Gary Bonner, Dr. Jerry McCoy, Rene Clausen, and Andre Thomas, and solo opportunities in opera, musical theater, and backup singer roles for a number of performing artists. Continued instrumental studies with Richard Hoffman, a student of Claude Gordon, led to contract performance opportunities with orchestras and wind ensembles around the US. Theory lessons under David Headlam at the Eastman School of Music (NY), and under conductor Takayoshi 'Tad' Suzuki, a student of Leonard Bernstein, afforded a rich slate of published compositions, arrangements, and transcriptions in all genres of music. Still an avid composer and arranger while actively involved in the production of several CDs, Dr. Ontos is currently working on new, age-relevant compositions and arrangements inspired by the hymnody of the early Methodist, Nazarene, and Pentecostal movements in the USA.

Outside of musical studies, Dr. Ontos achieved the necessary training to become a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), and received an honorary Ph.D. in Biblical Psychology and Counseling while serving as a Civilian Chaplain at Nellis Air Force Base (LV) from 2006-2011. Specializing in crisis-related counseling, he has worked with agents of Child Protective Services (CPS) who struggled with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), individuals who were coerced into sexually abusive settings by priests of the Catholic Church, and a diverse field of convicted criminals. Over time, his work transitioned into a lifelong service to pastoral families in crisis, teaching leadership teams and their congregation how to embrace both mercy and forgiveness in times of trauma.

Academic Degrees Awarded

Doctorate of Education (Ed.D.) in Educational Psychology (2023)
Doctorate of Education (Ed.D.) in Curriculum and Instruction, Music (2017)
Doctorate of Musical Arts Performance (ABD), Conducting (2015)
Master of Arts (M.A) in Counseling (2009)
Master of Music (M.M.) in Performance, Conducting (2005)
Master of Arts (M.A.) in Education, Music (1997)
Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Music Performance, Voice/Trombone (1995)

Teaching Philosophy

Philosophical ideals regarding education are grounded in the fundamental belief that 'all educational experiences should seek to nurture and develop students to embrace a higher calling of responsibility to better the world and its participants. Dr. Ontos believes that collaborative methodologies and student-centered scholarship should encourage learning goals and parameters, while favoring a classroom setting that encourages dialogue and fosters students' personal discovery. Dr. Ontos also believes that classroom settings should move beyond one-on-one to form a community, allowing students to learn in smaller groups that talk, think, experience, and write together, while at the same time formulating personal philosophies. He is an avid researcher, and encourages both research and discussion opportunities in lessons and to prompt students to grow in the knowledge of something beyond their current comprehension, while applying their discoveries with a sense they have gained a practical understanding of the world that is meaningful and lasting.

Dr. Ontos believes teaching must compare and contrast what others may have discovered, looking for purpose and meaning. And, it must also consider the possibilities of truth for the student and those that will be impacted as they move forward in their endeavors. Such truths, however they are derived, must be discussed collaboratively, with the teacher offering insights that can point the student to a clear understanding of their ideals, while allowing for new understandings of truth that impact their performance, integrity, and character. It is here, Dr. Ontos believes, that the education process becomes community at its best.

Personally, Dr. Ontos believes that teachers are required to impart students with responsibility. This is effectively accomplished by teachers finding ways to become a servant leader to their students as well as the student population at large. Teacher leadership, therefore, should include the ability to influence and empower students through an unselfish desire to see them grow in the direction they seek for their own lives. And, the teacher as leader, should do every action with humility, consistently seeking that which is in the best interest of their students without self-aggrandizement.

Finally, Dr. Ontos believes in the value of mentor-relationships. It is important all ages of students learn to impact the lives of other performers with the measurable level of given abilities. Opportunities to serve within the group and outside the group to the community at large will also be fundamental to strengthening confidence, self-awareness, and future growth as a contributing member of society.

Recent Employment

• Composer, Arranger, Producer (1995–present)
  • Hal Leonard Music Publishing
• Senior Editor, Vamos Publications (2020–2024)
• Adjunct Faculty, Course Developer, Park University (2012–2024)
• Licensed Professional Counselor (2005–2026)
• Educational Psychologist (2023–present)
• Chaplain, Nellis Air Force Base (2006–2011)

Adjudication, Clinician, & Conducting

. . . continuous, across middle-, high-school, undergraduate and graduate collegiate, conservatory, and church music settings.
35+ years of service.

Published Works

• Choral: 30+ works
• Instrumental:
  • Wind Band - 40+ works
  • Orchestral - 20+ works
• Commercial: annually

Professional Memberships (Past and Present)

American Choral Directors Association (ACDA)
American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP)
Music Teachers National Association (MTNA)
National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS)

The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi
Golden Key International Honor Society

Association on Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD)