Meet the Players

2022 - present

Chris Hoffman is a musician and educator with a passion for historical instruments and performance. Chris earned a Bachelor of Science in Music Education and a Bachelor of Arts in Music Theory from Penn State. From there, he earned his Master of Music in Music Theory from the University of Maryland, and pursued post-graduate studies at the University of Sydney. His graduate research at both levels was in the works of Gyorgy Ligeti. He regularly performs with orchestras, jazz ensembles, wind ensembles, pit bands for musicals, and of course, with The Gemsmen. His primary instrument is the bass trombone, but he is equally at home on any low brass: trombone, tuba, euphonium, helicon, ophicleide, and of course, the sackbut. Chris also plays piano, stringed instruments, and historical woodwinds.  Chris also has an unhealthy collection of instruments, and looks for opportunities to add to his collection, and to perform on the instruments in his collection.

2012 (founding member) - present

A sculptor, animator, director, exhibit designer, and inventor by profession, Hall has the sort of mind that likes to pursue a wide range of interests, often all at once. A lifelong love of early music spurred Hall to research the history of the gemshorn, ultimately teaching himself to make all of the gemshorns played by The Gemsmen.

Hall’s lengthy professional life has been devoted to to communicating science concepts, via natural history documentaries for major broadcasters; exhibits for major museums, science centers, and theme parks internationally; and making vital contributions to various research efforts with teams from institutions such as Stanford and MIT, supported by his many patented innovations that have helped make these enterprises possible.

2012 (founding member) - present

Trevor Rines is a voice & stage actor, musician, writer, composer, boardgame designer, occasional foamsmither of suits of armour, & a frequent & notorious punster.

As a writer, he's quoted on DNA in New Scientist magazine, The Dictionary of Canadian Quotations, & scientific journals. He's also written many orchestra programme notes, & is  currently researching & writing a book called Oddly Controversial Things: Conversational Depth Charges for Any Occasion. 

He's composed the incidental music & songs for live theatre productions, including Macbeth, As You Like It, & The Joker of Seville. Initially a pianist, flautist, & singer, he’s studied nearly every instrument of the orchestra. With the Newfoundland & Irish band, Merasheen, he sang, & played penny whistle, bodhrán, & ugly stick. 

In the world of voice acting, he relishes voicing villains, rogues, & the occasional orc. Since 2005, his low, rumbling speaking voice has been heard live onstage with orchestras, as well as on TV, radio, video games, live action & animated films, documentaries, podcasts, audio dramas, & reconstructions of lost classic radio plays. He’s performed in every one of Shakespeare's plays & was even once a podcast's guest, discussing the delightfully arcane topic of Shakespeare in Star Trek.