Devine-Nix Duo

Chris Devine: Violin, Viola, Mandolin. Guitar, Flute

Michael Nix: Guitar, Mandolin, Banjar, Banjo

Imagine a Bach Cello Suite prelude as a Celtic jig, an allegro from the Sonatas and Partitas as a Tango, and a section of the immortal Ciaconne as a jazzy Latin rock anthem, interspersed with banjo compositions based on 17th century transcriptions, themes from Asia, novelty pieces from the Ragtime banjo era, a Bluegrass string duel, and occasionally, fiery jazz violin.  It’s a wild musical ride as genres and styles are meshed, blended and served up with energy, style and wit.

Chris Devine and Michael Nix are innovative multi-instrumentalists, composers, and arrangers who perform programs that combine classical, folk, international, jazz, and bluegrass influences on violin, viola, five- and seven-string banjos, guitars, mandolins, and other instruments.  Equally at home in recital halls, small theaters and in festival settings, eschewing the more typical and formal classical performance conventions, their shows are replete with warmth, humor, stories, and audience engagement. 

Devine and Nix bring together years of international concert touring, recording, and composing in many genres. They are founding members of world chamber music trio The Pioneer Consort.

"Felicitous music making… radiant… subtle…" Joseph Marcello, The Recorder

“Lively, full of energy, high octane; the spirit is infectious” Marvin J. Ward, Classical Voice of New England

Chris Devine is a musician of diverse talents, performing on electric and acoustic violin, mandolin, guitar, flute, saxophone, and keyboard. He received his Bachelor of Music degree in violin from the University of Massachusetts, where he studied with internationally known concert violinist Julian Olevsky. 

As a session musician he has appeared on over 100 CDs in many different styles of music, including classical, jazz, pop, country, and folk.

 As a composer, he is a contributor to the Fresh Music Library, an international commercial music supplier and has written the music and lyrics to three musicals sponsored by the Massachusetts Arts Lottery. His compositions and performances have been aired on Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, and PBS. Chris toured Europe and Russia as a featured soloist with Blackmore's Night, starring the influential guitarist Ritchie Blackmore of Deep Purple, and also appeared on their gold CD "Fires at Midnight". He has also been appearing with The Bobby Darling Show, a Northeast-based music and comedy quartet.

Michael Nix performs on classical guitar, Banjar, banjo, and mandolin, throughout the United States and Asia; has recorded for the PBS series, "American Experience," several independent documentaries, numerous CD projects; and his compositions are performed internationally. His music has been heard on "Weekend Edition," and other NPR programs. His new solo Banjar album of compositions and commissions, Aperçu was released on PARMA Recordings Big Round Records and distributed by NAXOS. 

A banjo innovator, Nix designed the Banjar; a modern seven nylon string banjo combining elements of the five-string banjo and classical guitar; bringing the classic finger-style banjo of the late 1800's into the twenty first century. His instrumentals, songs, and compositions draw from classic finger style banjo and guitar, infused with folk, jazz and world music traditions.

In 2017 Nix performed his compositions for New Classic Banjo at the Smithsonian Museum of American History in Washington, DC.

Nix participated in Seegerfest 2014, and other concerts commemorating the life of Pete Seeger. In 2012 Nix performed at the Surin International Folkore Festival in Thailand with the Sorvino Dance Project.

He founded The NixWorks Ensemble, a flexible chamber ensemble, to explore multiple creative influences and genre. Nix formed The Pioneer Consort in 2005, with violinist Chris Devine, and cellist Greg Snedeker to play World Chamber Music. He currently performs with Chris Devine as the Devine-Nix Duo.

As a member of the Monadnock Classical Guitar Duo, and as a soloist he was on the New Hampshire Touring Program for four years from 1979-1983. Throughout the 1980’s he was a featured performer for the Connecticut Classical Guitar Society’s Andres Segovia outreach program, "The Guitar About Town." In 1988, he performed at the Bushnell Hall in Hartford CT, commemorating a 1931 Andres Segovia performance with Madam Emilita Segovia as the honored guest.