Originally educated as a theoretical physicist at MIT, Mr. Champlin switched to music at the age of 21. He studied guitar with Luis Garcia Renart and composition with David Loeb and Robert Cuckson.
He has written widely for all mediums, from orchestra to solo classical guitar. His music has been performed around the world by such artists as Evangelos and Liza, David Starobin, The Woodstock Chamber Orchestra, The Highlands Symphony, Capitol Chamber Artists, The Christ the King Seminary Choir, Hae Qwon Oh and the Amorphous Consort, among many others. His pieces “My Mind was a Mirror” and “Answering Emma” can be heard on Pete Seeger’s Grammy-nominated Storm King.
His pieces have been described as “Celebrating the human potential…. An anomaly among contemporary compositions, it’s a score you want to hear again the minute it’s over.” { Daily Freeman }
“Haunting” { Albany Gazette }
“Thoroughly attractive, idiomatic, and fluently wrought.” { Albany Times Union }
“Enticing and unpredictable…his taste in texture and sonority is acute.” { Poughkeepsie Journal }
“Rhythmically challenging and melodically rewarding…Champlin incorporates Andalusian motifs with original results in this satisfying tribute.” { Times Herald Record }
“Those who are standoffish regarding 20th century music should try Champlin’s… without reservation, he achieves his goal.” { Albany Times Union }
“Beautiful, inspired, and honest.” { Luis Garcia-Renart, Conductor }
Mr. Champlin has performed in the “Hear America First” series in Carnegie Recital Hall, at Lincoln Center’s Avery Fischer Hall, with the Concord String Quartet, at the Bar Harbor Music Festival, and in the Fairbanks Music Festival. Several of his recordings of David Loeb’s guitar works have been released on the “Vienna Modern Masters” label. He has been frequently featured on “Around New York” on WNYC, where he has presented many of his own works. He was named Best Individual Artist in the 2015 Dutchess County Executive’s Arts Awards.
His performances have been described as “Spellbinding” { Miscellany News (Vassar College) } and “having exquisite dynamic and coloristic subtleties.” { Poughkeepsie Journal } “A formidable talent…, Mr. Champlin left no doubt that he is a virtuoso”. { Albany Times Union }
As an arranger and editor, Mr. Champlin has worked with (among others) Alan Hovhaness, William Schuman, David Amram, Robert Cuckson, Peter Stearns, and David Loeb. He has had arrangements published by Peers International and Peters.
Mr. Champlin is on the faculties of Vassar College, where he teaches Classical Guitar, and the Mannes College of Music, where he developed and teaches the course on figured bass realization for guitar and runs the guitar chamber music program.
He currently performs his music with a group consisting of Helen Avakian, voice and guitar, Sabina Torosjan, violin, Vilian Ivantchev, guitar, and Chris Connors, percussion. He plays the peerless guitars of Nicholas Ioannou.