About Me
Greetings! My name is Austin Charnis and I am a classical and contemporary acoustic guitarist from Westchester, NY. My mom bought me my first acoustic guitar at age 6, and I literally played it until it broke into pieces. After that I switched to electric guitar, which I studied throughout high school until I discovered and fell in love with classical and Brazilian guitar. I received my BA in music business from SUNY Fredonia in 2009 where I also studied guitar performance. Ever since, I have been performing at weddings and events in Westchester, Hudson Valley, New York City, New Jersey & Connecticut.
While many of my classmates had dreams of touring the world, I always envisioned myself playing at weddings and events in the region I grew up in. I love getting to know the beautiful people I am playing for, and I’m thankful for every gig that allows me to do just that. Playing music is an honor and a privilege to me, so you can bet I take each and every aspect of planning and performing very seriously. From arriving early and dressed for the part, to nailing each song on cue, it is my job to make sure the music at your event is flawless and unforgettable.
Style/Influence
Over the years I have developed an eclectic repertoire, largely attributed to the unique requests of my clients. I absolutely love learning special requests for wedding ceremonies and other occasions. While my main style is classical with a Brazilian/Spanish focus, I am also heavily into classic rock, bossa nova, jazz, blues and a lot more.
My mother was a gifted classical pianist, and when I was 18, she played me an LP of Brazilian classical composer, Heitor Villa-Lobos. I immediately fell in love with its warm tone and percussive nature, and from there I stemmed to other South American and Spanish composers such as Antonio Lauro, Agustín Barrios and Francisco Tárrega.
Seeing YouTube videos of virtuosos Tommy Emmanuel and Chet Atkins in my 20s immersed me into the world of steel string acoustic and electric finger-style guitar, and my classical background allowed me to pick up this style with ease. Sprinkle in a bit of George Harrison and Jimmy Page, and that pretty much sums up my style.
Equipment & Requirements
I provide my own professional grade instruments & equipment.
My primary setup includes an LD Maui 5 GO P.A. & iPad Pro.
For larger events, a multi-speaker system can be added.
Shure wireless microphones are available for speaking elements.
For most events, I can provide my own electricty.
