DAVID GARNER
Joint Sidmouth Folk Festival Young Musician of the Year 2006 with Brian Haitz.
All-Scotland and All-Britain Fiddle Champion.
Interviewed on the BBC's Culture Show Nov 2006 and BBC Points West June 2006.
Recently guested with James Fagan.
Touring Japan with The Blue Jays in 2007.
Born in Durham, NE East England, 1985.
Involved with Folkworks events from a very early age, being taken by my parents to workshops and concerts.
Sang in folk clubs from about age 6.
Took up the fiddle aged 9 at school.
First gig aged 10 with my brother Paul and sister Ruth and dad John.
Played with the Redheughers Ceilidh Band run by Robin Dunn in Gateshead for several years.
Moved to Scotland (Dumfries & Galloway) aged 13 and studied classical violin and piano at the Junior Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in Glasgow, between the ages of 13-17.
Joined the school ceilidh band, Celtic Caboodle, played on stage with Aly Bain and Phil Cunningham aged about 15.
Joined the Gallovidians, a Scots fiddle orchestra aged 14.
Dumfries and Galloway Young Musician of the Year 2001.
Won 2nd prize in the Junior RSAMD Strings Competition 2001.
Currently at the University of Bristol studying Engineering Design.
Busk in Bath every summer as a job.
Play in sessions around Bristol and Bath several times a week.
Currently teach the advanced fiddle class at my local Irish club, The Hibernia in Avonmouth.
Also teach students of all ages and standards in Bristol and Bath.
Play with lots of bands, mainly Black Cat, a 4-piece trad Irish band based in Bristol and the Blue Jays, a Country & Western / Americana band based in Bath.
Started duo with Pete Airey, another member of Black Cat.
Formed the band "Choonz" with Brian Haitz.BRIAN HAITZ
Joint Sidmouth Folk Festival Young Musician of the Year 2006 with David Garner.
Born and grown in Baden-Baden, SW Germany, to German mother and Irish father.
Was taken to Ireland every year since birth, have been to countless sessions
all over the country.
Brought up with Irish Trad, learned the tin whistle aged 4
and played on stage from age 8. Moved on to the flute at the age of 10 with the
occasional lesson by e.g. Eamon Cotter.
Played in traditional band "Ceolta Eirinn"
from the age 8 to 16, aswell as playing gigs with, Alsace-based, Irish band
"Ha'penny Bridge" later.
Took up guitar aged 14 under the influence of french dadgad-guitarist Patrick Duboue, though never had a guitar lesson - all self-taught.
Recorded solo-album 2004, playing the flute, tin whistle and guitar.
Taught at RVIA workshops in france.
Guitar playing varies from melody accompaniment over powerfull rhythmic strumming on to soft fingerpicking.
Influences from blues, jazz, bluegrass and rock can be heard
in chording patterns.
Style is often described as laid-back but yet aggressive as can be.
Currently studying languages at german college and working on second solo album.
Teaching guitar at RVIA workshop at Pentecost.
Also working on newly recorded album
by recently formed band "Choonz", together with David Garner.
