Christopher Painter was born at Port Talbot in 1962 and studied music at University College, Cardiff. His composition studies were initially with Timothy Taylor and Richard Elfyn Jones and in 1984 he began to study with Alun Hoddinott with whom he studied until 1989. These studies were complemented with consultations a with Samuel Adler; George Benjamin; John McCabe; Edward Gregson; Robert Saxton; Robert Simpson and Marek Stachowski.

Christopher Painter was the first recipient of the Afan Thomas Composer's Award, won the National Eisteddfod Composition Prize and was featured in the Welsh Arts Council's Young Welsh Composer Forum in 1987.

In 1997, he was the first Welsh winner of the Gregynog Composer Award of Wales which was given for his Sonata for Harp, premiered at the 1997 Gregynog Festival by Elinor Bennett.

In 1997 Christopher was appointed as Composer-in-Association with Ensemble Cymru and wrote a number of works for this ensemble, including the children's dance work, Yggdrasil, a Millennium Commission/Techniquest commission as part of the Sounds for Science project.

In 1999 he was Composer-in-Residence with both the National Youth Orchestra and National Youth Brass Band of Wales. His work, Invisible Cities, for the National Youth Orchestra of Wales, received four performances and was released on CD.

In 2005, Christopher won the prestigious Tlws y Cerddor (Musicians Medal) at the National Eisteddfod of Wales for his chamber work, Yr Hanes Swynol (A History of Charms). He won the award for a second time in 2010 for his work for baritone, violin and harp entitled Syniadau'r Serch (Thoughts on Love).

In 2006 his Forest of Dreams was premiered with great success by the Thueringen Phiharmonie, conducted by Alun Francis, and broadcast on German television.

Alun Francis also premièred Painter's Symphony No.3 Fire in the Snow with the Orquesta de la UNAM in Mexico City in June 2010.

In 2011 his Furnace of Colours was premièred by the soprano Claire Booth with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales conducted by Jac van Steen. The performance was also broadcast on BBC Radio 3.

His works are published by Maecenas Music, Oriana Publications and Vanderbeek & Imrie.