Chris Godhard is a classical guitarist based in Manchester. Chris has recently completed his undergraduate degree at the Royal Northern College of Music and is continuing his studies with a Masters degree. Throughout his studies Chris has been under the tutelage of Craig Ogden, Rory Russle and Tom Mckinney.

 

Born in Sheffield, Chris began playing the guitar at the age of 8 and instantly fell in love with the instrument. While in Sheffield, Chris was under the tutelage of guitarist and composer Nick Fletcher and was also a member of the South Yorkshire Classical Guitar Society where he performed works for guitar orchestra.

 

In September 2022, Chris became a winner of two special prizes in the Youth of Music international competition and was given the opportunity to record in the Electrecord Studio in Bucharest as well as a solo recital at the Arcus Cultural Centre. Chris has also been awarded the Ian Spencer Fox Guitar Bursary as well as granted financial support from the Waverly Fund and Help Musicians  to help aid him in his studies.

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In October of 2022 Chris performed the piece “Unquiet” by Sally Beamish in a concert dedicated to showcasing her works. Sally Beamish enjoyed the performance and went on to say “Chris’s performance was outstanding, he brought a real vision to the piece”.

 

Chris has given solo performances in prestigious venues across England such as The Bridgewater Hall, Wigmore Hall, Stoller Hall and The Lord Mayor Suite in the Manchester Library. As well as performing as a soloist, Chris has played extensively in a range of ensembles such as guitar and violin duo, guitar and voice duo, guitar quartets, guitar and woodwind trios, symphony orchestras and jazz big band.

 

Chris has attended and performed in master classes with world renowned guitarists such as Zoran Dukic, David Leisner, Gary Ryan and Steve Goss. These classes have deepened his understanding of the guitar and approaches to relaxation when playing and performing which has helped him improve his musicality and knowledge of the guitar.

 

Chris plays a Paul Sheridan classical guitar.