Karl Schwonik

Karl Schwonik studied violin in the Suzuki program for 10 years as a child, while living on his family farm near Gwynne.

However, he then became restless and convinced his parents to support a major musical switch by buying him a drum kit. The rest, as they say, is history.

Almost immediately after graduating from high school he started out on a tour with Canadian country music artist, Heather-Dawn, which led to an invitation to study at the Banff Centre.

At that time he was the youngest artist ever accepted into the school’s long-term career residency program.

Since then he has toured all over Canada and the US and has performed at both Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy Centre.

On top of those achievements, he is the President and Founder of the Wetaskiwin Jazz Society and the Artistic Director of the Wetaskiwin Jazz Camp.