Chas Barnard, a three-summer alum of the Music Academy of the West, has performed with the London Symphony Orchestra under Simon Rattle and Gianandrea Noseda after winning the LSO-Keston MAX Audition. As a versatile chamber and orchestral musician, Chas has performed on the Mariposa Series as a guest artist and held positions with the Boulder Philharmonic, Boulder Chamber Orchestra, and frequently appeared with the Colorado Symphony.

Chas was a member of the Lírios Quartet, the Graduate Quartet-in-Residence at the University of Colorado-Boulder, where he studied with the Takács Quartet and David Requiro. He is also the co-founder of the Sohap Ensemble, a soprano-cello duo, where he collaborates on innovative projects, including commissioning new works like Colorado Sky , a children's chamber opera featuring shadow puppetry.

Currently, Chas serves as the Manager of Fellow & Alumni Engagement at the Music Academy of the West, where he helps foster transformative opportunities for the next generation of musicians.