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Kris Garfitt is principal trombonist with the WDR Symphony Orchestra, first prize winner of the International ARD Music Competition 2022, and gold medalist of the 2019 Royal Overseas League Music Competition in London. He is also a “Courtois Performing Artist.”
He has won first prizes in many competitions, including the 2022 International Soloist Competition 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 Solo Competition for Trombone in Germany. In the International ARD Music Competition, Garfitt not only won the first prize but also the "Audience Award" and several “Special Prizes.”
In 2015, he graduated with ‘honors’ from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London. During his studies in England, his teachers included Eric Crees, Peter Gane, and Christopher Houlding. He continued his studies with Fabrice Millischer at the Hochschule für Musik in Freiburg and with Guilhem Kusnierek at the Hochschule für Musik Saar.
From 2016 to 2020, Garfitt was Wechsel trombonist with the Deutsche Radio Philharmonie. In 2021, he took up the position of principal trombonist with the WDR Symphony Orchestra in Cologne. In addition to his fixed job, Kris Garfitt has performed as guest principal trombonist with numerous leading orchestras, such as the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra in Amsterdam and the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra. His solo performances are becoming an increasingly significant part of his artistic work. As a concert soloist, Kris Garfitt has appeared with the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra and the Munich Chamber Orchestra, among others. In 2023/2024, Kris Garfitt has engagements with the WDR Symphony Orchestra, DSO Berlin, Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen, Robert-Schumann-Philharmonie Chemnitz, Hamburger Camerata, Hofer Symphoniker, Philharmonie Südwestfalen, Göttingen Symphony Orchestra, Bergische Symphoniker, Vogtland Philharmonie, Württembergisches Kammerorchester Heilbronn, as well as with orchestras in Switzerland, Spain, Austria, Poland, Lithuania, and more.
Together with his Korean duo partner Seri Dan, he has performed in many acclaimed recitals with exciting programs ranging from Baroque to Modern for trombone and piano. In February 2023, their joint CD ‘Kaleidoscope’ featuring standard works as well as new discoveries was released. Kris is also deeply committed to music education and is a ‘Visiting Professor of Trombone’ at the Royal College of Music in London.
He has been teaching as a professor of trombone at the Trossingen State University of Music since the winter semester of 2024.