Saturday 15th February 2025 1:45pm – 2:30pm
Duo Aerius
Chris Karwacinski – Violin and Chris Godhard – Guitar
Programme
Niccolò Paganini Sonata Concertata in A major
Béla Bartók Romanian Folk Dances
Will Frampton The Radiant Plan
Fritz Kriesler Preludium und Allegro
Niccolò Paganini Cantabile
Background
Duo Aerius formed at the Royal Northern College of Music in 2021 and they are already establishing themselves as an exciting new ensemble, pushing into new territory for Violin and Guitar, with unique repertoire commissions and arrangements.
Their resumé includes performances at venues such as, Forsyths Music Shop, Bolton Parish Church, Whitworth Art Gallery, Hale Synagogue, Didsbury Concert Series, Kendal Concert Series and the Enys Chamber Music Festival.
Biographies
Chris Karwacinski has a passion for all aspects of violin playing, in ensembles and as a soloist and he currently plays a 1847 Giovanni Dollenz violin, which is generously loaned to him by the RNCM.
Chris recently completed his Masters of Music in Violin Performance; with distinction, at the RNCM, studying with Benedict Holland. He is currently studying on the Quartet Studio Programme with the Aestus Quartet, under Donald Grant and Catherine Yates. He has a diverse academic background and achieved his undergraduate degree in Pure Mathematics at King’s College London, whilst simultaneously studying privately with violin professors Simon Fischer and John Crawford.
Chris also reached the Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM) Norman George Violin Prize final and was elected to perform in master classes for both Augustin Hadelich and Tasmin Little.
He enjoys a wide-ranging career in orchestral playing and has performed with the BBC Philharmonic, Manchester Camerata, Sinfonia Viva, and British Sinfonietta playing a mixture of classical, period, and modern music. Chris has performed at the Royal Albert Hall, the Royal Festival Hall, the Barbican, the Sage Gateshead, Symphony Hall Birmingham, and the Bridgewater Hall.
Chris also plays tuba and has been principal tuba of the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain, as well as principal E-flat tubist of championship section band, Redbridge Brass Band.
Chris teaches both music and maths at St. Mary’s Hare Park Private School, the Brentwood Cathedral Song School, and tutoring mathematics privately from GCSE to foundation degree level.
Chris Godhard is a classical guitarist based in Manchester. He has recently completed his undergraduate degree at the Royal Northern College of Music and is continuing his studies with a Masters Degree. Throughout his studies Chris has been under the tutelage of Craig Ogden, Rory Russle and Tom McKinney. He has attended and performed in master classes with world renowned guitarists such as Zoran Dukic, David Leisner, Gary Ryan and Steve Goss. Chris plays a Paul Sheridan classical guitar.
Born in Sheffield, Chris began playing the guitar at the age of 8 and instantly fell in love with the instrument. While in Sheffield, Chris was under the tutelage of guitarist and composer Nick Fletcher and was a member of the South Yorkshire Classical Guitar Society, where he performed works for guitar orchestra.
In September 2022, Chris won two special prizes in the Youth of Music International Competition and was given the opportunity to record in the Electrecord Studio in Bucharest as well as a solo recital at the Arcus Cultural Centre. Chris has also been awarded the Ian Spencer Fox Guitar Bursary, as well as granted financial support from the Waverly Fund and Help Musicians. In October 2022 Chris performed the piece “Unquiet” by Sally Beamish in a concert dedicated to showcasing her works. She enjoyed the performance and went on to say “Chris’s performance was outstanding, he brought a real vision to the piece”.
Chris has given solo performances in The Bridgewater Hall, Stoller Hall, RNCM Concert Hall and The Lord Mayor Suite in the Manchester Library. Chris has played in a range of ensembles such as guitar and violin duo, guitar and voice duo, guitar quartets, guitar and woodwind trios, symphony orchestras and jazz big band.
Next week’s Concert: Hot Club of Rainford – a complete change!
