Director of Programs | Creative Education and Innovation Steward

@PHER510PHER bioPher, the Oakland native and global singing phenomenon formerly known as Chris Turner, is a rare artist fully versed in both the jazz tradition and classic soul, and equally comfortable in either universe. He gained invaluable experience in the Bay Area scene before decamping to New York, studying at the New School, and working with a staggering list of major jazz, soul, R&B and Hip Hop artists. Pher joined the faculty of his alma mater in 2013, the New School University Jazz program teaching voice, ranging from beginner singers to college students to pop artists that include Sean Kingston, 070Shake, and WolfTyla. 
Pher’s 2013 debut LOVElife is a Challenge was a wildly successful mixtape documenting the evolution of his life as a man and as a father. He made a standout appearance on Snarky Puppy’s 2016 release Family Dinner Volume Two, performing his smash single, “Liquid Love.” PHER’s latest single, “Murky,” is close to surpassing 2 million streams on Spotify. It is an audio representation of a light at the end of the tunnel. It embodies the faith that it takes to continue on the journey of unconditional love. Pher is honored to be apart of 3 Grammy awards as a vocalist, 2 awards on Esperanza Spalding’s “Radio Music Society” album and 1 Grammy award for Jon Batiste’s “Hollywood Africans.”He has also toured and recorded internationally with his own group, as well as with music industry legends like Usher, The Roots, Robert Glasper, Stevie Wonder, Kanye West, Bootsy Collins, Sam Smith, Disclosure, Mike Posner, Bilal, Harvey Mason Sr., Eddie Palmeri, Eric Harland, Kris Bowers, Sean Kingston, Chrisette Michelle, Consequence, Lupe Fiasco and many more.

I served as the Program Director who, as the head of the organization’seducational programming, implemented its curriculum with a clear eye toward musical andnon-musical social outcomes. I helped recruit and oversee theprogramming staff and the team of Teaching Artists and their professional development;oversee the performance season; cultivating educational and artistic aspects of the organization’sprogramming partnerships; and administering the inventory of programming resources, includingthe musical instruments and equipment. The position allowed me to oversee and manage the flagshipsummer workshop series program as well which was a huge success. A sell out crowd at the Crocodile in Seattle. Macklemore was in attendance and personally told me how impressed he was!