Kristian Tchetchko

Currently the Lead Recording Engineer and Coordinator of Recording Services at Carnegie Mellon University, day-to-day Kristian uses his critical ear and system design expertise to capture and share music created by students, faculty, and guest artists at the School of Music.

When he is not at CMU, Kristian frequently partners with other performing arts organizations, including Resonance Works Pittsburgh, Chatham Baroque, Pittsburgh Festival Opera, and WQED FM, to create audio recordings that reflect the beauty, creativity, and talent of Pittsburgh’s robust music scene.

Kristian also often teams up with organizations like Pittsburgh Opera as a multi-disciplinary audio consultant, designing the playback, recording, and mixing systems to facilitate an optimal experience for the production team, performers, and, most importantly, their listeners. Most recently, Kristian sound designed the world premiere of In a Grove in February 2022, composed by Grammy-nominated composer and Pulitzer-prize finalist Christopher Cerrone with libretto by Stephanie Fleischmann. The Pittsburgh Quarterly called In a Grove a “synesthetic revelation”.

In addition to technical audio and recording, Kristian also has a deep-rooted passion for creating music and sound through synthesizers. Pittsburgh Modular, a renowned and local synthesizer company, inspired Kristian’s first ventures into eurorack synthesis, and he is proud of building a system that is almost entirely Pittsburgh Modular. From time to time, Kristian lends his expertise by beta-testing new and upcoming modules.

The more Kristian learns and experiences professionally, the more he desires to find opportunities to share it back with musicians and audio aficionados of all ages. Kristian currently teaches with CMU’s School of Music Preparatory School, Summer Music Pre-College Program, and Entertainment Technology Center.

Kristian graduated from Carnegie Mellon University with Bachelor of Fine Arts in Music and Sound for Media and Master of Entertainment Technology degrees. Kristian is originally from San Diego, CA, where he grew up professionally studying both piano and violin, discovering his love for recording both classical and modern music, and enjoying authentic fish tacos. He calls North Oakland home with his wife, Hannah.