After initial training as a violinist, with Manoug Parikian at the Royal Academy of Music in London, Christopher Adey was a member of the Hallé and London Philharmonic Orchestras.  During this time he worked with many of the world's leading conductors.  His conducting debut in 1973 led immediately to his appointment as Associate Conductor of the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra from 1973 - 1976.

Apart from regular performances throughout the British Isles, Christopher Adey frequently appears in London (at both the Barbican and Royal Festival Halls) where he has worked with all the major London orchestras.  Internationally, Christopher Adey has worked in most European countries, the U.S.A., Canada, India, South Africa, and the Middle East.  He was invited by the United Nations to conduct the inaugural concert for the International Year of the Child in the UN Assembly Building, New York.  He also appeared with the London Symphony Orchestra in John Schlesinger's film, Madame Souzatska. He conducted the European Youth Orchestra at the Hannover Millennium Expo in 2000.

His extensive repertoire of more than 1500 performed works covers symphonic, chamber orchestra, choral and opera works of all periods.  He has conducted many premieres of works by composers as diverse as Constant Lambert and Iannis Xenakis.  Among the many hundreds of broadcast programmes he has recorded for both the BBC and abroad was a cycle of the complete Martinu symphonies, for BBC radio 3, a series which received great critical acclaim.  In 1986, in recognition of his services to Czech music, Christopher Adey was awarded a Commemorative Medal by the (then) Czechoslovak Government.
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Christopher Adey is in constant demand at conservatoires throughout the U.K.  One of Britain's most renowned orchestral trainers, he maintains a profound commitment to guest conducting with county, national and international youth orchestras. He was Professor of Conducting at the Royal College of Music 1979 - 1992, Conductor of the National Youth Orchestra of Wales 1996 - 2002 and Principal Conductor of the Royal Oman Symphony Orchestra from 1998-2004. Christopher Adey has been Conductor in Residence at Wells Cathedral School since 2001.  Christopher Adey has been honoured by the award of Fellowships from the Royal College of Music in 1989 as well as the Royal Academy of Music and the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, both in 2003.

His book Orchestral Performance: a Guide for Conductors and Players was published by Faber in 1998 and reissued in 2009.