Karl Schwonik
Karl Schwonik
Drums
"one of Canada's youngest, hardest working and most creative musicians" - Calgary Jazz Association
Blind drummer Karl Schwonik grew up in rural Alberta Canada where he was exposed to countless musical genres ranging from polka to jazz. Fresh out of high school, Schwonik embarked on a tour with 2-time Canadian Country Music Award Nominee Heather-Dawn. This was followed by an invitation to study at the Banff Centre where Schwonik was the youngest artist ever to be a part of the long-term career residency program.
2009 saw Schwonik embarking on his 4th cross-Canada tour as a leader. One of these performances was recorded by CBC Radio 2 as a part of a new series ‘NEXT: Canada’s Music Future’ and also for national broadcast on ‘Canada Live!’ Schwonik is also the 2009 winner of the VSA Arts International Young Soloist Award -- a cash award and a performance at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. Schwonik was named one of Calgary’s ‘Top 40 Under 40’ for 2009 by Avenue magazine, the youngest person ever picked for this honor.
Schwonik’s professional work and initiatives have been generously supported by The Canada Council for the Arts, The Alberta Foundation for the Arts, the Anne Burrows Music Foundation, the Royal Bank of Canada and Downbeat Magazine. In addition to this support Schwonik received the 2008 Queen’s Jubilee Award for Excellence in the Arts, the Richard Cowie Scholarship for Young Jazz Musicians, he performed at Carnegie Hall and The Kennedy Center, was named ‘Alternate Drumset’ for the Henry Mancini Institute, was a member of the Jan Jarczyk Trio and Remi Bolduc Sextet, and has received numerous scholarships to attend music workshops around North America.
Schwonik has recently become the president of the Wetaskiwin Jazz Society in Wetaskiwin, AB, and Artistic Director of the Wetaskiwin Jazz Camp. He is also the Director of the Calgary Jazz Festival’s C-Jazz Camp. In 2010, Schwonik will be releasing two CD’s on the Calgary’s Chronograph Records. Also in 2010, Schwonik’s new book ‘The Emerging Musician’ will be published.
Schwonik’s performing credits include Dave Douglas, Chucho Valdes, Dave Liebman, Sonny Fortune, David Braid, Jens Lindemann, P.J. Perry, Tommy Banks, Hugh Fraser, Remi Bolduc and many others. In addition Schwonik has been featured in over 60 newspapers and magazines throughout North America.
Schwonik is a Yamaha Performing Artist and Clinician, uses Yamaha drums and Hardware, Vic Firth sticks, Remo heads, and Paiste, Zildjian and Sabian cymbals.