GEORGE-JULIUS PAPADOPOULOS-Piano 12-22 July Artistic Director of Municipal Conservatory of Kavala(GR)
Pianist and musicologist George-Julius Papadopoulos has appeared with various ensembles and programmes in more than 60 recitals, concerts and international festivals in Europe and the U.S.A. He has won several distinctions and awards for his studies and performances, which have been broadcast on Greek Radio & TV, the Third Programme of the Greek National Radio, the BBC World Service and other radio stations in London.
As a scholar, he specializes in the life and work of German composer Johannes Brahms, having presented papers at 10 international musicological conferences in Europe and the U.S.A., while his articles have been published in academic journals in Greece and abroad. He has given lectures at the Thessaloniki Concert Hall, the Thessaloniki Opera, the Greek National Opera and the Benakis Museum in Athens, and has been regularly contributing articles to the journal Classical Music Review. He graduated in 1992 from the New Conservatory of Thessaloniki with the Piano Diploma (achieving the highest honours in his year) and a first prize distinction, as well as the Degree in Harmony (also with the highest honors in his year). At the same time he studied at the Department of Musical Studies (Historical Musicology) of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. In September 1992 he commenced his postgraduate studies in Piano at the Royal Academy of Music, London, with a prestigious Entrance Exhibition “for the quality of [his] performance and the potential [he] displayed”. For his studies he was awarded scholarships from the RAM, the Schilizzi Foundation, the Lilian Voudouris Foundation and the British Council (British Council Fellow). He graduated in 1996 with the LRAM in Piano Pedagogy, the Diploma of Advanced Studies, and the Master of Music—a degree awarded by King’s College, University of London, jointly with the Royal Academy. As part of the academic requirements for his course, he submitted the following papers: “The Creation of the ‘Soviet Piano School’: Critique of the Rhetoric and Evaluation of Sources”; “Schumann’s Szenen aus Goethes Faust: Dramatic Oratorio or Secular Cantata?”; “Manolis Kalomiris’ Album for the Children”; and an edition with commentary of Six Songs by George Bizet. In 1996 he was offered a Recruitment Award by the University of Washington (UW), Seattle, to pursue doctoral studies in Historical Musicology (Music History). Since then, he has written papers on such topics as musical semiology, issues of Brahms scholarship, the aesthetics of music and the philosophy of art, as well as on performance practice. As a Teaching Assistant and sole Instructor, George-Julius worked on eight different courses, three of which where designed and first taught by him. He also assisted two of his professors with projects involving as diverse skills as using music notation computer software and researching Russian, German, English, and French sources of 18th-century operatic performances in Russia (both of these projects were published as books). In 2000, he was nominated by the entire Music History faculty and the School of Music for the Excellence in Teaching Award, given annually to the best Teaching Assistant at the UW. In 2003 he was awarded the annual Adelyn Peck-Leverett Prize for the best paper in Music History at the UW. His doctoral dissertation, entitled “Johannes Brahms and Nineteenth-Century Comic Ideology,” received the Karl Geiringer Scholarship of the American Brahms Society for the best American dissertation on a Brahms-related topic. Other areas of interest include the development of the piano concerto and musical aesthetics. Since September 2008 he has been the Artistic Director of the Kavala Municipal Conservatory, increasing its student body from 430 to 590 in less than 18 months.
Payam Gül Susanni-Piano 12-22 July Lecturer-International Coordinator of Yasar University-Izmir (TUR)
Payam Susanni was born in 1974, Izmir, Turkey. She received her BM degree from Dokuz Eylul University Izmir State Conservatory where she studied Piano with Dr. Nilgun Alkan. She studied Piano with David Renner and Chamber Music with Dennis Parker at LSU School of Music and got her MM degree from University of Texas at Austin where she studied Piano with David Renner, Chamber Music with Gregory Allen and Piano Pedagogy with Prof. Sophia Gilmson. She has given many solo, duo and chamber music concert around USA and Turkey.During 2000-2008 she worked as a Piano and Chamber Music teacher at Clavier Werke School of Music, Austin, TX. During her teaching career she was invited to organize and judge many music festivals and competitions. After coming back to Turkey, Mrs Susanni continues her teaching position at Yasar University Fine Arts Department Music School in Piano and Guitar Department. She holds the position of Coordinator of Erasmus and YUSEM School of Music .
GEMMA DIBATTISTA-piano 14-18 July International Coordinator Niccolo Piccinni Conseratorio -Bari (IT)
Gemma Dibattista studied piano at "Niccolò Piccinni" Conservatory in Bari and in 1984 she graduated with all the honors. After then she attended many master classes with famous piano teacher as Michele Marvulli at “ Accacademia Musicale Pescarese”, Fausto Zadra at Ecole International de piano de Lousanne, and Sergio Fiorentino, Paul Badura Skoda, Alexander Lonquich. In the 1987 she started to play piano duo with Marilena Liso and as a piano duet she was winner of several prizes in International Competition like:” International Piano Competition of Stresa”- “National Piano Competition A.Longo-A.M.A Lamezia terme”- International Piano Competition of Città di Bardolino”- “International Piano Competition of Torre Orsaia”. Since then she has continued to play as piano duo performing in Italy and abroad for several prestigious music associationsreceiving positive reception from audiences and critics which have highlighted "a deep self-confidence and an interestingversatility of interpretation" and "a remarkable ability to communicate emotions through a careful and philological musical research combined with spontaneity and improvisation". She's regularly invited to teach Master Classes in several Music Institutions and also as a judge in piano competitions. Gemma Dibattista holds a Chair in Piano at "Niccolò Piccinni” Conservatory in Bari (Italy).
MARILENA LISO-piano 14-18 July Niccolo Piccinni Conseratorio -Bari (IT)
Pianist Marilena Liso graduated “cum laude” from the “N. Piccinni” Conservatory of Bari, where she studied with Giovanna Valente. She has been a prize-winner of important competitions, such as “Città Martina”, “F.I.D.A.P.A.” in Catanzaro and the “International Piano Competition Città di Catanzaro”. She has participated in master classes by A. Ciccolini, P. Badura-Skoda, M. Marvulli, F. Zadra, A. Lonquich and S. Fiorentino. In 1989 she graduated from the triennial Master Courses of the Accademia Musicale in Pescara with M° M. Marvulli. She was also selected to attend Joaquin Achucarro’s master class at the famous Chigiana Academy in Siena. She has formed a piano duo with Gemma Dibattista. The Dibattista-Liso piano duo has won many important competitions (“Città di Bardolino”, “Città di Stresa” and A.M.A. di Lamezia Terme) and has performed in various concert venues. In November 2011 the duo played in the Italian Art Festival, held at the Russian Army Cultural Center in Moscow, and in 2013 they were invited to play again. Other appearances include Siviglia Malaga and Jimena de la Frontera. Twice they were invited to play in Izmir (Turkey), where they gave recitals at Yasar University and the American Cultural Centre. Marilena Liso is a graduate in Foreign Languages and Literatures from Bari University, where she presented her thesis on John Field and the Nocturne. In 1995 she was appointed professor of piano the “N. Piccinni” Conservatory of Bari. She is regularly invited by many musical associations to give master classes.
CHARALAMBOS AGGELOPOULOS -piano 12-17 July Municipal Conservatory of Thessaloniki (GR)
Pianist Charalambos Aggelopoulos was born in Thessaloniki. He studied with I. Simirioti (State Conservatory of Thessaloniki, Piano Diploma with the highest mark) and D. Evnouhidou. A scholarship from the “L. Voudouris” Foundation enabled him to continue his studies with Α. Kontarsky and A. Valdma at the Hochschule für Musik Köln. He graduated with the Soloist Diploma, receiving the highest mark, while concurrently attending courses of the pedagogical department. Following further postgraduate studies at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, he was awarded a Master in Performance degree (class of V. Sangiorgio). He has represented Greece in many international meetings (Algiers, Niort, Berlin, Luxembourg, Novi Sad etc.). He has also studied with important artists, such as D.Βashkirov, R. Kehrer, M. Tirimo, D. Alexeev, C. Ortiz etc. In 1992 he won the “F. Nakas” Prize, while in 1993 he was placed deputy pianist of the EEC Youth Orchestra. In 1995 he and oboist D. Vamvas won 1st prize at the 5th “Helexpo” International Chamber Music Competition. In 1998 he received the 1st prize at the Pan-Hellenic Piano Competition of the Thessaloniki Rotary Club and in 1999 he won a distinction at the Governor’s Recital Prize Competition in Glasgow. The same year he was a prize-winner at the Grand Konzerteum International Competition. Lastly, in 2002 he won 1st prize at the “G. Thymis” Pan-Hellenic Piano Competition. His repertoire includes 25 concertos for piano and orchestra, numerous pieces for solo piano and chamber music works, and extends from Bach to the contemporary composers of the 21st century.His appearances in venues such as the Athens and the Thessaloniki Concerts Halls, the Centre Cultural Portugal Paris, the Κendal Town Hall, the Wells Concert Hall, the Musashino Center Tokyo, as well as his participations in international festivals, have received positive reviews. As a soloist, he has collaborated with the Athens and the Thessaloniki State Symphony Orchestras, the Apollon Orchestra Berlin, the Orchestra of Colors, the “Camerata” Friends of Music Orchestra, the Patras Orchestra, the Athens Chamber Orchestra, the Thessaloniki City Symphony Orchestra, the RSAMD Symphony Orchestra, the Greek National Opera String Orchestra, the Athenian Youth Symphony Orchestra and the National Radio-Television Symphony Orchestra. Together with pianist Titos Gouvelis they perform frequently repertoire for four hands or two pianos. He is a member of the Piandaemonium ensemble (6 pianos, 12 pianists). He and Th. Sotiriades have recorded D. Constantinides’ works for saxophone and piano. Other recordings include a live concert of Piandaemonium and a cycle of songs by E. Riadis.Since 2012 he is manager of organization and artistic planning manager for the Thessaloniki Piano Festival – jointly with pianist Nikos Kyriosoglou.
JEAN -CHRISTOPHE CHARRON -piano, piano accompaniment 12-22 July Idee Fixe Ensemble
Jean-Christophe Charron accomplished his studies in piano, chamber music and accompaniement at the National Conservatoire of Bordeaux (France) and Boulogne-Billancout (Paris) with Alain Motard and Marie-Paule Siruguet. He graduated in orchestration and higher theory at the Superior National Conservatoire of Paris, before concluding his studies with a postgraduate degree in orchestral conducting at the Royal Academy of Music of London (Postgraduate Diploma with distinction) under the guidance of Colin Metters. He attended conducting masterclasses with Sir Colin Davis, Ilya Musin, George Hurst (London), Lothar Zagrosek (Academia Chigiana, Siena), Salvador Mas Conde (Wiener Meisterkurse, Vienna) and Jörg Bierhance (Freiburger Dirigentenakademie, Vidin).Since 2006 he appears regularly as a conductor with the Thessaloniki State Symphony Orchestra, the Thessaloniki Municipality Symphony Orchestra and the Athens State Symphony Orchestra (Greece). He has been an assistant conductor and a vocal coach at the Opera of Thessaloniki and the Thessaloniki Concert Hall from 2006 to 2013. In 2007 he conducted the production of Carl Orff’s “Die Kluge” at the Opera of Thessaloniki. He is an associate conductor at the Greek National Opera in Athens since 2012.As a chamber musician he performed in the UK, in France, Italy, Spain, Germany, Luxembourg, Greece and Taiwan. He was an accompanist for the masterclasses of Cheryl Studer, Gary Hoffman, Christa Ludwig, Gidon Kremer, Kurt Equiluz, Sonoko Numata, Christopher Henkel, Laurent Pillot (European Opera Centre), for the Pablo Casals Festival classes (Prades, France) and many others. As a pianist he was a member of the “Trio Cervantes” (1996-2003) and the “Orpheus Soloists” (2009-2013).From 2000 until 2005 he was a chamber music teacher at the National Conservatoire of Cergy (Paris) and at the “Rencontres Musicales d’Arcachon” festival in France. Since 2005 he has been a piano, chamber music and partiturspiel teacher, a conductor, a choir master and an accompanist at the “Neo Odeio” (“New Conservatoire”) of Thessaloniki, the Thessaloniki National Conservatoire and the “Idimelon” conservatoire in Polygyros (Greece). Since 2014 he is a guest teacher at the Universität der Künste in Berlin.
MEROPI KOLLAROU-Piano & Chamber Music 12-22 July Artistic Director of Municipal Conservatory of Alexandroupoli(GR)
MEROPI KOLLAROU was born in Alexandroupolis.She studied at the State Conservatory of Thessaloniki(class of G. Thimis) and received her diploma with aspecial award distinction. She studied in Belgium withRosa Sabater (Spanish music) and Noel Lee (American contemporary music) with scholarship by the international organization Music Youth. She studied for five years with Ferenc Rados, Annie Fischer (piano), Cyorgy Kurtag (chamber music) in the Ferenc Liszt Music Academy in Budapest with scholarship by the Hungarian government. She has participated in international piano seminars with Maria Cursio, Cyorgy Cebok, Tomas Vasary, Dimitri Baskiroff, etc. She has collaborated with Hungarian, Finnish and Austrian symphonic orchestras and in Greece with the State Orchestras of both Athens and Thessaloniki, the Symphonic Orchestra of Greek Radio and the Orchestra of Colors. She performed recitals and chamber music concerts in Greece, Belgium, Finland, Austria, Hungary and Bulgaria and has recorded accordingly for radio and television networks. She has performed works of B. Britten, A. Copland, K. Nikitas, K. Sfetsas, G. Sisilianos, in avant premieres in Greece with conductors such as A. Paridis, L. Chalkiadakis,S. Xarhakos, M. Chatzidakis. She has collaborated with the National Theatre of Northern Greece in the music theatrical productions «The Threepenny Opera» and «Maroula’s Luck». She has taught piano in the State Conservatory of Thessaloniki and in the Ferenc Liszt Academy, as well as in summer piano and chamber music seminars in Finland. Currently, she teaches piano in the F. Nakas Conservatory (Athens) and is the artistic director of the Municipal Conservatory of Alexandroupolis.
ERATO ALAKIOZIDOU-Piano & Chamber Music 12-22 July Artistic Director of Municipal Conservatory of Thermi /Idee Fixe ensemble (GR
She belongs to a group of fine and select musicians of Thessaloniki,actively involved incontemporary music. The last few years she has taken a special interest in the study and promote of works by 20th & 21stcentury Greek composers.She was born in Thessaloniki in 1971, and studied piano at the State Conservatory of Greece with E. Papazoglou. She received her diploma with the highest distinction in 1990.She has furthered her postgraduate studies with Julia and Constantine Ganevi (Greece, Belgium), Roberto Szidon(Germany, Switzerland) and Lilly Boyadjieva in Paris(Conservatoire de Villepinte)from where she received her «Diplome Superiere du piano» with the highest distinction and the first prize. Αlso she attended a number of master classes by distinguished artists such as: S.Dimitrova ,C.Cuidici,A.Speranza ,M.Newmann.In addition, under Macedonian Conservatory’s scholarship , she completed her advanced theory studies with D. Athanasiadis ,obtaining diplomas in Harmony, Counterpoint ,Orchestration and Fugue. One of her mentors for many years has been the distinguished pianist, conductor and composer Nikos Astrinidis ,whose works she often performs.She regularly gives recitals or participates in chamber music concerts and summer festivals of contemporary music e.g. those of Athens , Thessaloniki and other cities of Greece as well as in Switzerland, Germany, Poland,Italy,Turkey,Belgium,Serbia and Bulgaria.She has often presented work premieres as well.She has collaborated with the symphonic orchestra “Nae Leonard” Galati of Romania and with the Orchestra of Colors as a member of the “Tangos a Cuatro”quartet. She is a founder member of the ensembles “Tangos a Cuatro” and of the contemporary music ensemble “Idee Fixe”. She recorded for the Greek and Bulgarian state television and for the German southwest broadcasting corporation Her repertoire includes a wide range of important classical and contemporary works Since 2000, she is actively involved in contemporary music. She has recorded works of Astor Piazzolla with the quartet “Tangos a Cuatro” for Protasis Productions (2003-PR 1058-2) and works of Astor Piazzola based on poems of J.L. Borges in the cd “Somebody is talking to tango” with ankh productions (2007-c 2202-2).Also she has recorded works of greek composer Nikos Astrinidis “(90th birthday anniversary-Nikos Astrinidis”-subways music (2010-SM101). In collaboration with the German pianist Thomas Wellen, she has redacted the piano sonatas of J. Haydn, which are published by the Music Melody Maker editions. Also since 2000 she has been working as a accompaniment pianist (being in charge of this department) at the State Conservatory of Greece. Since 1991 she has been teaching piano at the Municipal Conservatory of Thermi and since 2002 she was appointed Artistic Director of the Municipal Conservatory of Thermi. In 2005 she founded the contemporary music festival “Synthermeia”, which being produced by the Municipal Conservatory of Thermi and is held every two years. Since 2007 she is a member of the Panel of Experts of the Alumni Association of Thessaloniki Conservatories.She has received excellent critiques for her entire presence in the artistic domain. In 2008 and while being artistic director, the Union of Greek Reviewers for Theatre and Music awarded the Municipal Conservatory of Thermi for the successful organization of the “Synthermeia” festival but also for the entire artistic activities with the “Honorary Distinction for cultural organisation, active outside the capital of Greece”.
PAOLO SUSANNI - Piano 12-22 July Assistant Proffesor at the Yasar University -Izmir (TUR)
Italian born pianist and scholar, Paolo Susanni, received his formal musical training in South Africa and the United States. There he received his B.Mus and M.Mus at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston and his (DMA) from the University of Texas in Austin. He studied with Jacob Maxin, Krassimira Jordan and David Renner.He has performed in solo, chamber music and orchestral concerts in the USA, Italy, South Africa and Turkey. He has participated in several International piano competitions, festivals and performed in master classes with musicians such as Leon Fleischer, Gabriel Chodos and Thomas Rajna. He is the head of the piano/guitar department at Yasar University Fine Arts Department School of Music where he teaches Piano, Music Theory, History and solfege as he has done at Texas State University for the past seven years. He is a published author, specializing in the music of the 20th Century and has published several papers and an English/Italian translation of the volume “The Music of Bela Bartok” by Elliott Antokoletz. He is at present working on a book on 20th Century Music analysis that will be published in the near future. He is also the editor for the new edition of the Bartok Research guide.
CHRISTOS LENOUTSOS -piano 12-17 July Municipal Conservatory of Larissa (GR)
Christos Lenoutsos was born in Larisa. He obtained his Diploma in Piano with distinction from the class of Ariadne Kalliazi at the Municipal Conservatory of Larissa, where he also studied Music Theory with John Tsanakas. He continued his studies at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Graz, on the piano concert part, with Doris Wolf-Blumauer & Elza Kolodin. He graduated with the title "Magister der Künste" (Master of Arts). During his studies, he was honored by the Academy of Athens with the "Helen Mykoniou "Prize, and has received scholarships from the "Gina Bachaouer" Foundation, the Public Benefit Foundation "Alexander S. Onassis" and the Ministry of Science and Research of Austria. He actively participated in master courses with Lazar Berman, Katerina Polyzoides - Sourvali, Lev Vlassenko, Rudolf Kehrer, Bernard Ringeissen, Patrick Cohen and Malcolm Bilson. His artistic activities include numerous solo recitals and chamber music concerts in Greece and Austria. He has performed as soloist with the Symphony Orchestra of Iasi (Romania), with the Symphony Orchestra of Nis (Serbia) and the Symphony Orchestra of the Municipal Conservatory of Larissa. He is also a member of the Piandaemonium ensemble (6 pianos-12 pianists), wherewith he has performed at the Concert Hall of Thessaloniki. He teaches piano at the Contemporary Conservatory of Thessaloniki, the Municipal Conservatory of Larisa and the Municipal Conservatory of Florina. From 1999-2012 he taught piano at the Department of Music Science and Art, University of Macedonia.
LETO THOMOU-piano, piano accompaniment 12-22 July Idee Fixe ensemble
Leto Thomou born in Athens . She began piano lessons at six years old and at seventeen she graduated from the National Conservatory (class M. Mavrikou) with First Prize and Excellence exceptional service . Then she continued her studies with Constantin and Julia Ganevi in Sofia and Bulgaria with Germaine Mounier the Ecole Normale de Musique de Paris , from where she graduated with the Diplome Superieur d'Execution de piano with the highest distinction . Her teachers were among others, Alexander Jenner and Rudolph Keher Academy of Vienna , Jenny Jacharieva, Achilles delle Vigne and Ralph Nattkemper in Brussels and Germaine Mounier in the Salzburg Summer Academy . Awarded at international piano competitions , Concorso Pianistico giovani pianisti in Marsala , Albert Roussel in Sofia and Guilde in Paris, and the competition CH.O.N in Athens . She has appeared as soloist with orchestras collaborating in chamber music and solo recitals in many European countries ( Greece , Italy , France , Belgium , Switzerland , Bulgaria , Ukraine ) wresting always very good reviews. She has recorded occasionally for the State Radio and Television of Greece , Bulgaria and Ukraine, and Vatican Radio . In repertoire belong outside of the masterpieces of the classical period and projects and other composers of the modern repertoire , much of which is present in the first Panhellenic execution. In this context she has worked with the ensemble " Skalkotas " with the Greek Composers Union , with the Orchestra of Colors , and the Camerata - Orchestra of the Friends of Music. In the spring of 2012 released the cd "metamorphosis", in collaboration with oboist Spyros Kontos , with works by contemporary Greek composers for piano and oboe , recorded the world premiere , which won honors from the Association of Greek theater and music reviews as the best cd Greek interest for the year 2012 . She teaches at the Conservatory Philip Nakas in Athens .
YANNIS KANAKIS-piano,piano accompaniment 12-22 July Municipal Conservatory of Kavala
Yannis Kanakis was born in Kavala and at the age of six he took his first piano lessons at the Municipal Conservatory. He studied here with Kalypso Kalpakidou and Zoe Samsarelou, then with Giorgos Thymis at the State Conservatory of Thessaloniki, with Anna Tsitsa-Kounio and Kosmas Galileas (chamber music) at the New Conservatory of Thessaloniki, and privately with Dimitris Sgouros.
He graduated from the New Conservatory of Thessaloniki with the Degree in Harmony (1993), as well as with the Degree and Diploma in Piano (1998 and 2000, respectively) with the highest marks. He participated in piano masterclasses with Brandt Fredriksen, Martino Tirimo and Janis Vakarelis, and attended postgraduate piano classes in Vienna with Walter Fleischmann.He has appeared in solo recitals and chamber music concerts, and as an accompanist in voice and guitar recitals in Greece and abroad. He has composed music for musical-theatrical shows, and has written original works for the 5th Symposium of Mediterranean Poetry. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Marketing (University of Ulster). Since the Fall of 2010 he has been an instructor of piano and accompanist at the Municipal Conservatory of Kavala.