Christopher Karwacinski, from London, has always had a passion for all aspects of violin playing. Especially in chamber and orchestral ensembles Chris is enjoying a wide-ranging orchestral career, performing consistently with orchestras such as the BBC Philharmonic, Hallé, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, Manchester Camerata, Opera North and Sinfonia Viva. He has also worked in Concert Master and Principle positions for orchestras such as Sinfonia Viva and the Nottingham Philharmonic Orchestra. Through his orchestral work Chris has performed at venues such as the Royal Albert Hall, the Royal Festival Hall, the Barbican, the Sage Gateshead, Symphony Hall Birmingham, Nottingham Royal Concert Hall and the Bridgewater Hall.
In chamber music Chris is a member of the Aestus Quartet. Formed by their mentor Donald Grant of the Elias quartet in 2021 at the RNCM, they are a multi award winning ensemble playing concerts across the continent. They have performed at many prestigious festivals, including; Festival Ravel (Saint-Jean-de-Luz, France), the Winchester Chamber Music Festival, Fodazione Pergolesi Spontini (Ancona, Italy), Southwell Music Festival and Lake District Music Festival. The Aestus Quartet are currently studying in Paris, at the Conservatoire Rachmaninov de Paris, with Quatuor Ebène violinist Gabriel Le Magadure.
Chris is also a member of Duo Aerius, a very successful violin and guitar duo. The duo’s resumé includes recent performances at events such as Nottingham’s Royal Concert Hall lunchtime series, the National Trust ‘Concerts in the Chapel’ series, Bollington Chamber Concerts Series, Goosfest Music Festival, the Buxton Opera House Chamber Series, Enys Chamber Music Festival and the Jackranoff ‘Live Green House Music Sessions’ on YouTube.
Chris recently completed his Postgraduate Diploma on the Hallé Advanced Orchestral Strings Programme at the Royal Northern College of Music, in the class of James Clark, where he was awarded the Sir Charles Hallé Scholarship Award. He previously studied at RNCM on the Quartet Studio Programme 2023-24, class of Catherine Yates and Masters of Music programme 2021-23, class of Benedict Holland, where he was recipient of both the Albert and Eugenie Frost Trust Award and Laurin and Arthur Glaze Award, respectively.
Chris also has a diverse academic background, holding a bachelor’s degree in Pure Mathematics from King’s College London and is also a tuba player, having previously been principal tuba of the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain and solo E-flat of championship section band, Redbridge Brass.
Chris was also a member of the England Karate Team, in the discipline of Kata, from the age of 13-25. He went on to achieve the sole British place in the World Karate 1 qualifying tour for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, from 2017-2019, before deciding to fully pursue his career in music.
Chris Karwacinski is currently playing on a Anton Posch violin, of the year Vienna 1739. Generously on loan from the Harrison Frank Family Foundation.
