& multi-instrumentalist
Chris Knowles plays a variety of instruments; his primary instrument is
the Celtic harp, and his other main instruments are Irish bouzouki, whistle
& low D whistle.
He also often plays electric mandolin and saxophones in performances of styles
of music other than traditional Celtic music.
Chris lives in North Wales in the UK, and is available all over the UK and
beyond for public performances, and also for private bookings such as weddings,
corporate events etc.
An established solo Celtic harpist, Chris has recorded numerous albums and has worked as a freelance professional musician for over 28 years with Celtic harp as his main instrument, specialising particularly in traditional celtic music including much Irish, Welsh, and Scottish material and also some Breton , Manx and Cornish music, and also some original material and live improvised music.
For weddings & corporate bookings, Chris can also offer a selection
of popular music on the harp as an alternative to the trad. Celtic material,
or in addition to it.
He also has a set of early/medieval music.
Chris has performed in widely varied venues including arts centres, concert
halls, theatres, arts festivals, folk festivals, castles, hotels, museums, folk
clubs, restaurants, on numerous TV and radio programmes, at open air concerts,
green fairs, and 2 Glastonbury festivals. He has also played at over 1,000 private
events such as weddings.
He was the official harpist at Caernarfon Castle in North Wales for 9 years,
and during that time also played many live events at other castles in Wales
for CADW.
As well as his many solo performances, Chris has worked in a number of
duos and bands, including performances and recordings with Welsh singer Heather
Jones, fiddler Mike
Lease, acoustic guitarist
Anthony Griffiths, singer/songwriter Catrin
O'Neill, and in particular with multi-instrumentalist & singer/songwriter
Ben Walker.
He also plays fiddle, whistle, saxophone and other instruments with local
North Wales-based ceilidh band Mooncoin.
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*NEW TRAD. INSTRUMENTAL ALBUM WITH BEN WALKER: 'The Coming of Spring'
OUT NOW- on CD or DIGITAL MP3 DOWNLOAD- (see recordings page)
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CONTACT: For more info or bookings, please email
chris
chrisknowles.org
(The terms "harper" & "harpist" have the same meaning, broadly speaking- though 'harper', being the older word, is often used to distinguish a player of the styles and techniques of traditional music, as opposed to a player of classical style; rather like "fiddler" may be used to distinguish a player specialised in traditional styles of music from a classical violinist.)e
Top Image courtesy of Chris Hanley