About Chris Kilian
Get to know Chris Kilian from Carlisle, PA. Chris is confident in his ability to enhance your music programs with high-quality, custom arrangements and a range of other music services. Discover his passion and commitment to music education and performance.
Chris Kilian has dedicated nearly four decades to the marching arts as a performer, arranger, educator, judge, and leader. His musical journey began in 1987 on alto saxophone, later expanding to trumpet and mellophone throughout high school and college. While earning his degree in Music Theory and Composition at West Chester University of Pennsylvania, Chris was recruited to arrange for local high school bands—an opportunity that launched his career as a respected and sought-after designer.
In 1996, Chris joined The Bushwackers Drum & Bugle Corps, where he spent 14 of the next 15 seasons performing on soprano, G baritone, and trumpet before serving ten years as drum major. His leadership and dedication earned him induction into the Bushwackers Hall of Fame in 2009, and he continues to serve the organization today as chairman of the board.
Chris’ arranging career expanded to the drum corps arena in 2008 with Fusion Core Drum & Bugle Corps, followed by three seasons with Windsor Regiment Drum & Bugle Corps. Over nearly 30 years, he has maintained a wide-ranging portfolio of design clients and served as an adjudicator across multiple circuits and captions since 2011.
Currently, Chris serves as brass coordinator and arranger for the Great American Drum Corps 2026 Project, a once-in-a-lifetime ensemble performing in Philadelphia’s Independence Day Parade to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. He also writes and composes for Quixotic Winds, a WGI and regional indoor winds ensemble based in Southern California.
Among his many accomplishments, Chris is especially proud of his work with Big Spring High School (PA), whose program recently captured the Cavalcade of Bands Liberty A Conference Championship—marking the first time Chris taught battery percussion in that capacity. Go figure!
Driven by a lifelong passion for the marching arts, Chris continues to collaborate with directors and students to create shows that inspire, challenge, and connect both performers and audiences.
