He received a B.S. in Music Education and a B.S. in Music Therapy from Duquesne University, and an M.M. and Ph.D. in Music Education from the University of Miami. His trombone teachers have included Robert Hamrick, Glen Dodson and Timothy Conner. Prior to working at UAA, Dr. Sweeney served as Assistant Professor of Music at Limestone College, Gaffney, South Carolina. In addition, he is an active clinician, having adjudicated and rehearsed bands in New Mexico, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina and Alaska. As a trombonist, Christopher currently serves as Principal Trombone for the Anchorage Symphony Orchestra and Principal Trombone for the Anchorage Opera and has performed numerous times with CrossSound, the avant garde music organization based in Juneau. With Linn Weeda and Cheryl Pierce, he is a founding member of the Chugach Brass.