Honorary Graduates 2024: Bob Christianson

The University of Chichester has awarded composer and arranger Bob Christianson with an Honorary Doctor of Music degree in a ceremony at Chichester Cathedral this week. Bob’s career began as a New York musical director and conductor, bringing his talent to musicals such as Godspell. He has featured in concerts, films and sports events around the world and his acumen in the music studio has seen him work alongside Aretha Franklin, Chaka Khan, and Dianna Ross.

As a composer he brought the magic of music to an array of films and sports events. He was the most called upon composer for the HBO series Sex And The City. He composed Emmy Award winning music for ABC Sports, as well as the NCAA Basketball Theme for CBS. The University of Chichester is forever grateful for his work A Christmas Carol – The Concert. He describes the project as a three-year labour of love, achieving an Emmy Nomination for Outstanding Original Music And Lyrics.

Bob said: “This award came totally out of the blue and it’s amazing to receive an Honorary Doctorate for the work you do throughout your life. I’ve worked with the University’s Conservatoire a couple of times on their performances of A Christmas Carol and I love what they do.”

Bob offered some advice to students graduating this week: “Ride the horse in the direction it’s going. If you’d have told me this is where I would be at this point in my career, I wouldn’t have believed it!”