Kris Garfitt

He is a first prize winner of the International ARD Music Competition in Munich, a Courtois Performing Artist and Solo Trombonist of the WDR Symphony Orchestra. On top of this he had competition success as the Gold Medal winner of the 2019 Royal Overseas League Music Competition in London, and first prize winner of the 2022 International Soloists Competition in Grenchen, 2019 Jeju International Music Competition, 2018 International Tenor and Bass Trombone Competition in Budapest, the 2018 International Juozas Pakalnis Competition of Wind and Percussion Instruments in Vilnius and the 2019 International IPV (International German Trombone Association) Competition in Germany. As well as winning the first prize in the ARD Competition, he also won the public prize plus numerous ‘special’ awards. 

He graduated in 2015 from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London with a First Class Honours Degree. During his time at Guildhall he undertook regular lessons with Eric Crees, Peter Gane and Christopher Houlding and later with Fabrice Millischer of Freiburg Musikhochschule and Guilhem Kusnierek at the Hochschule for Music Saar.

From 2016 until 2020 Kris was working as a member of the German Radio Philharmonic, and since 2021 is the solo trombonist with the WDR Symphony Orchestra. Besides regular concerts with his orchestra, he is performing frequently as guest solo trombonist with many of Europe’s leading orchestras such as the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra in Amsterdam and the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra in Munich (plus many more). He is fortunate enough to have been a member of both the European Union Youth Orchestra and Gustav Mahler Jugendorchester and travel extensively throughout the world, performing at places such as the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, the Royal Albert Hall in London, Salzburg Festspielhaus, Hamburg’s Elbphilharmonie, the Semperoper in Dresden, Berlin Philharmonie, Prague’s Rudolfinum, Teatro Alla Scala in Milan, the Seoul Arts Center, and perform in festivals such as The BBC Proms and Salzburger Festspiele.

Alongside his orchestral career, Kris also manages to navigate a busy schedule as a solo musician. He has performed as soloist with orchestras on numerous occasions, with professional ensembles such as the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra and Munich Chamber Orchestra. Over the coming seasons he looks forward to debut solo engagements with the WDR Symphony Orchestra, the German Radio Philharmonic, the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen, the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, plus many more orchestras throughout Germany, Poland, Austria, Spain, Lithuania etc. Shortly after winning his job in 2016 Kris experienced an increased interest and love of the trombone’s wonderful solo literature, leading him to start a duo with the exceptional Korean pianist, Seri Dan. Together they perform regular concerts throughout Germany and worldwide. Their debut album, ‘Kaleidoscope’ was released in February 2023. 

Kris is also a keen educator and is ‘Visiting Professor of Trombone’ at the Royal College of Music as well as a teacher at the Universität der Künste (University of the Arts) in Berlin.

Kris Garfitt

Jest laureatem pierwszej nagrody (a także nagrody publiczności) Międzynarodowego Konkursu Muzycznego ARD w Monachium, Courtois Performing Artist i solo puzonistą Orkiestry Symfonicznej WDR.

Ponadto jest laureatem nagród na Royal Overseas League Music Competition 2019 w Londynie, Międzynarodowego Konkursu Solistów 2022 w Grenchen, 2019 Jeju International Music Competition, 2018 International Tenor and Bass Trombone Competition w Budapeszcie, Międzynarodowym Konkursie Instrumentów Dętych i Perkusyjnych im. Juozasa Pakalnisa 2018 w Wilnie oraz Międzynarodowym Konkursie IPV (International German Trombone Association) 2019 w Niemczech.

W 2015 roku ukończył z wyróżnieniem Guildhall School of Music and Drama w Londynie. Pobierał lekcje u Erica Creesa, Petera Gane’a i Christophera Houldinga, a później u Fabrice’a Millischera z Freiburg Musikhochschule i Guilhema Kusnierka w Hochschule for Music Saar.

W latach 2016-2020 grał w Niemieckiej Orkiestrze Radiowej, a od 2021 r. w WDR Sinfonieorchester. Często występuje gościnnie jako solo puzonista z wieloma czołowymi europejskimi orkiestrami, takimi jak Concertgebouw czy Bayerische Rundfunk. Wraz z European Youth Orchestra i Gustav Mahler Jugendorchester podróżował po całym świecie, występując w takich miejscach jak Royal Albert Hall w Londynie, Salzburg Festspielhaus, hamburska Elbphilharmonie, Semperoper w Dreźnie, Filharmonia Berlińska, Rudolfinum w Pradze, La Scala w Mediolanie czy Centrum Sztuki w Seulu, a także na festiwalach, takich jak The BBC Proms i Salzburger Festspiele.

Kris wielokrotnie występował jako solista z różnymi orkiestrami (np Bayerische Rundfunk czy Monachijska Orkiestra Kameralna), a w nadchodzących sezonach zadebiutuje jako solista z orkiestrami w Niemczech, Polsce, Austrii, Hiszpanii i na Litwie. Wraz z koreańskim pianistą Seri Danem koncertuje na całym świecie. Ich debiutancki album „Kaleidoscope” ukazał się w lutym 2023 roku.

Kris jest profesorem wizytującym w Royal College of Music, a także wykładowcą na Universität der Künste (Uniwersytet Sztuki) w Berlinie.