Chris Acquavella

Christopher Acquavella started playing guitar at the age of ten. He studied guitar with Robert Hoth and Peter Pupping. Since the early 1990s Chris has performed as a classical guitarist/mandolinist and also with many rock bands playing both electric guitar and bass. He has released three albums for Why? Distro, Facedown Records and Tooth and Nail/Solid State Records. In 2001, Chris directed all of his attention to the classical mandolin. Chris Acquavella graduated First Class Honours with a BMus (Hons) degree in Performance from Trinity College of Music, London, England. He studied under the instruction of Alison Stephens and participated in Master Class with German virtuoso, Caterina Lichtenberg. In 2004, Chris won the Wolfsan Foundation Music Award and in 2006 he was awarded the TCM Trust Silver Medal for String Studies. In 2004, Chris premiered a new work for mandolin and orchestra, In Response to Spring, by Denise Mangiardi, conducted by Nicholas Pendlebury. Chris also performed in 2004, Concerto in G, Diana of the Uplands by R. Chadwick at Bolivar Hall, London. Other concerti performance include Mandolin Concerto in C and Double Concerto in G by Vivaldi; also Concerto in C by G. Paisiello in 2006. Orchestral work in the last two years includes Elegy for Young Lovers and Judgement of Calliope by Henze as well as The Three Penny Opera by Kurt Weill. Chris Acquavella has performed at major venues across Europe both in a solo and chamber music capacity. He currently performs with guitarist, Alexander Meyers and is in his second season as Artist in Residence for the Encinitas Guitar Orchestra.