Christopher Penrose

When Christopher was 17 years old, his high school marching band got to parade through Disneyland's Main Street USA in Anaheim, California. Christopher was out of step for only 3 or 4 bars of the chosen march, National Emblem. His band director did not notice the temporary lapse, as he was taken with his band's unusually triumphant espirit de corps they delivered to the quizzical crowds that beautiful day. Christopher played an embellished version of the oboe part on his marching xylophone at his usual fortissimo. His mother would have been rightfully proud should she been able to stand with the others lining Disney's 3/4 scale streets.

As a reward, the entire marching band was allowed free entrance into the park. Christopher and some friends ventured onto the Jungle Cruise in the early evening. Toward its end, Christopher was mortified: an agitated tour guide produced a handgun and began shooting indiscriminately at a hippopatamus. He couldn't believe that they would shoot such an innocent and playful creature as that noble hippo. Outraged, Christopher tried to stop the injustice but his lurching for the gun was thwarted by a conspiring tour guide who leaped from behind.

Though the wounded hippo disappeared in the depths of the lagoon, Christopher managed to break free and escaped the mad men on the boat. They had not lost all touch with reality -- they did not fire into the frightened, panicking crowd. To this day Christopher has given generously to animal rights organizations.

For his heroism, Christopher was hired as a researcher in 1997 and as professor in 1999 at Keio University Shonan Fuijisawa's Media Design Program. Christopher is currently a visiting professor of Brown University's Computer Music and Multimedia Program headquartered in the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations.