Christopher Hayles is a passionate music educator and advocate for the powerful role music can play in developing young people’s enthusiasm for life long learning. For 15 years he was Head of Woodwind, Brass & Percussion at MLC School before taking up his current position at Cranbrook School in 2015.

Christopher studied flute and conducting at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, was awarded a Big Brother Scholarship to the Royal Academy, London and has a breadth of skills and performance experience in a range of ensembles and musical genres. 

Performance highlights include being a member of the SYO senior ensemble as a student, performing at the HSC’s Encore Concert, leading tours internationally to perform in Chile, Cuba, Italy and touring at home in Australia to the Four Winds Festival in Bermagui and Relief Concerts in Mungindi.     

Christopher has been previously been invited to be a guest conductor or presenter for the SYO group, Sydney Conservatorium, Sydney University, countless schools and community groups and maintains there is still much for him to learn from by meeting and working with other like minded musicians. He very much looks forward to meeting everyone involved in the upcoming SYO Winter School.