South Africa’s premier guitar duo, CH2, started out in 2001, primarily as a classical guitar duo. Now, 11 years, a LOT of playing and a few guitars later, their latest live album and DVD "CH2 Live with the University of Pretoria symphony orchestra" has been released. This album consists of epic orchestral arrangements woven into the compositions of CH2, creating a sound and style unique to this award-winning duo. This album won the 2013 SAMA (South Africa Music Award) for the best Instrumental / Classical album of the year! Their studio album "Ping" won the 2012 SAMA (South African Music Award) also for the best Instrumental / Classical album. This album is also available at CDBaby and on iTunes. “Ping” and "CH2 Live" was mixed and mastered by Steven A. Williams at the Chapel Studios in London, U.K. He played drums for Eric Clapton and mixes for start like Sting, Eric Clapton, Britney Spears, Seal, Vanessa May, Frank Sinatra (in the early years...) Freddie Mercury and the list goes on... He also mixes for films including The Last of the Mohicans (Daniel Day Lewis), Dinotopia, Cross Roads (Britney Spears) and From Hell (Johnny Depp). With a well balanced blend of Classical, Spanish, Latin, Jazz and a bit of Instrumental Pop, the new authentic “CH2 sound” is sure to shift a few boundaries. The album was mixed and mastered by British producer, Steven Williams, who has worked with the likes of Sting, Eric Clapton, etc. They recently returned from two successful USA trips, after performing at the 2011 Lee Ritenour Six String Theory International Guitar Competition, World Finals in Bigfork, Montana. CH2 performed in Connecticut, Montana and dropped by New York. This competition is like a “world idols” for guitar players. Their competitors were from Italy, U.K., Mexico, Ireland, U.S.A. and more. CH2 met many Grammy winners including Lee Ritenour (Fourplay), Steve Lukather (Toto and Michael Jackson), Scott Tennant (Los Angeles Guitar Quartet), Doug Smith (August Rush (Hollywood movie)) and Joe Bonamassa (Blues master) amongst others. They rubbed shoulders with the likes of masters Steve Lukather, Lee Ritenour, Scott Tennant, Joe Bonamassa and Doug Smith to name a few. They returned as winners of the World Classical / Flamenco category in August 2011. Another recent highlight for this Proudly South African outfit, is their first live DVD/CD recording with the University of Pretoria Symphony Orchestra. The DVD/CD was mixed and mastered by Steven Williams, and was released in September 2012. CH2 is entering the Grammys for the second time running in 2012, and are proud members of the Grammy Foundation. CH2 has collaborated with a number of artists over the last couple of years, including collaboration album with one of South Africa’s most loved and internationally recognized instrumental groups – The Soweto String Quartet. A new genre evolved from this collaboration that is now referred to as “African Latin”. That album received a “Rapport VONK” award in 2008. Other notable collaborations include Coenie de Villiers, and Nianell (both on the latest album), Riaan van Rensburg, Rocco de Villiers, Melissa van der Spuy, Matthys Maree and Lloyd Cele (of SA Idols fame). In the stage production that also carries the name of their latest album, CH2 and multi-award winning actress/director, Lizz Meiring, combine the elements of musical comedy, theatre and satire in a comical fine art cabaret. The production debuted at the Centurion Theatre in May 2012. CH2 has been invited to perform at the “Gentse feesten” in Gent, Belgium in July 2013, and will also undertake their first European tour over the same period. They were also part of the “Afri-Spaans” production in 2011 (directed by Sandra Prinsloo) with Steve Hofmeyr, Martha Gomez (Colombia), Anna Davel and other world-class musicians. A very mentionable and large part of CH2’s passion and effort is a new one-of-a-kind form of corporate theatre called “Discover your Music”. Here, CH2 teams up with world-renowned writer, philosopher and industrial psychologist, Jaco Boëttger, to bring companies (and many other non-profit organisations / groups) a unique and truly empowering experience, on the road to becoming “future fit”. In the 9 years since its inception, the session was delivered all over our country and elsewhere in Africa, to a large number of clients including British American Tobacco (BAT), Distell, Sanlam, TAAG (Angolan Air), Old Mutual, FNB Namibia, 4th Dimension and Capitec. “Discover your Music” sums up what CH2 passionately believes in and stands for. Since 2010, CH2 Guitar Duo has been extremely proud endorsees of the Yamaha brand. Currently they play on the Yamaha NCX1200, the GC31, and Silent Guitar models. CH2 plays on Hannabach strings. Nominations and awards list: 2008 – • Rapport VONK award for Best instrumental album. (album: “Pap & Paella”) 2009 – • Rapport VONK award for Best instrumental album. (album: “The Orange Guitar”) 2011 – • Category winners of the Lee Ritenour Six String Theory International Guitar Competition. • Placed 3rd overall in the world. 2012 – • SAMA Winners for the album: “Ping”. • Nominated for a Huisgenoot Tempo award (album: “Ping”) • Nominated in two categories, including “Best group” at the inaugural Afrikaans Ghoema awards. (album: “Ping”) Discography: • Remastered (2003) • Gut (2004) • Strings Attached (2005) • Pap & Paella (with the Soweto String Quartet) (2007) • It’s About Time (2008) • The Orange Guitar (2009) • Ping (2011) • CH2 live with the UP Symphony Orchestra, DVD and CD. (2012) Online: Website: www.ch2.co.za Facebook: www.facebook.com/ch2guitarduo Twitter: www.twitter.com/ch2guitarduo Youtube: www.youtube.com/ch2guitarduo