A new recording by the Athens State Orchestra
Year Dedicated to Mikis Theodorakis
It is a great pleasure for the Athens State Orchestra to present its new recording within the framework of 2025- the Greek Ministry of Culture Year Dedicated to Mikis Theodorakis, thus completing the cycle of events for the 100-year anniversary of the composer's birth.
This new production comprises selected symphonic Theordorakis's works, highlighting the unique connection of Greekness with global music language. Conducted by Kornilios Michailidis and featuring Stathis Karapanos (flute), Titos Gouvelis (piano), Orestis Kalampalikis (guitar) and Timotheos Gavriilidis-Petrin (violoncello), the Athens State Orchestra offers a new performing approach to the great composer's work, shedding light to the broadness and the emotional power of his music. The three works presented reflect both Mikis Theodorakis's lyrical aspect and his deep relation with Greek history and tradition.
The new CD presents the first world recording of the Sinfonietta for Flute, piano and string orchestra, composed in 1948 and premiered in 1995 by the Melbourne Chamber Orchestra, conducted by the composer himself. It also includes the Rhapsody for guitar and symphony orchestra and the Rhapsody for violoncello and symphony orchestra. Rhapsody for guitar (1995) is the second version of a 1983 musical work, initially also vocalist and based on the song cycle Romancero Gitano, while Rhapsody for violoncello is the composer's last symphonic work.
The CD was recorded at the Athens Megaron Concert Hall, under the artistic direction of Johannes Endl. The CD will be soon available in physical and digital format, thus inviting the audience to meet again with Theodorakis's music, in a fresh interpretation of scarcely performed works. Its release by GENUIN classics assures the work's presence in an international distribution circuit and on all digital streaming platforms.
GENUIN classics, based in Leipzig, features among the most renowned independent companies in the field of classical music. By this collaboration, the Athens State Orchestra integrates Theodorakis's voice into a broad international audience, honoring his timeless contribution to the universal music creation.
Listen to the album that is already available at Genuin Classics.
Athens State Orchestra Special Fund for Concert Organization
Board Members
President
Linos-Alexandre Sicilianos
Vice-President
Venetia Vildiridis
Members
Alexandre Harkiolakis
Stavros Bakatselos
Christina Poulitsi
Festival «MusiKos» Southern Aegean (2016-)
Concerts and actions in the South Aegean
The Athens State Orchestra stages the ninth “MusiKos” Festival, a music festival in the Dodecanese, in collaboration with ANAX, a not-for-profit organization and “P-art of the solution”.
The Orchestra began the MusiKos Festival in order to provide high-quality artistic events, to promote a wide-ranging collaboration between local authorities and musical and educational institutions, to aid development in the Greek provinces, to reach out to socially sensitive groups, and to make culture available to society as a whole. It includes free concerts for the public, along with educational activities for students on the islands.
The repertoire performed is extremely wide-ranging, extending from classical music to operetta and film music, and is performed by prominent ASO ensembles.
In 2024, activities were held in Rhodes, Kos, Leros, Nisyros, Kasos, Karpathos, Patmos, Lipsi, Agathonisi and Halki, and attended by over 4,000 students.
The Festival could not have become a reality without the full support and patronage of the Hellenic Ministry of Culture, the General Secretariat of the Aegean and Island Policy, the South Aegean Region, the Chamber of Commerce of the Dodecanese, and the local municipalities involved.
Our especial thanks, too, to the Ephorate of Antiquities of the Dodecanese for its cooperation, which was excellent as always.
Artistic coordination: Nikos Haliassas
The Athens State Orchestra and the Department of Music Studies of the School of Philosophy
The collaboration between the Athens State Orchestra and the Department of Music at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens will be continuing this year at the undergraduate level. Following a proposal made by the Director of the Music Department, Dr Anastasia Georgaki, the Senate consented to the teaching programme with a view to students acquiring an artistic specialization in orchestral instruments. The teaching of the instruments is undertaken by members of the ASO in the capacity of visiting professors. This commendable initiative helps to raise the level of music education in Greece, while actively strengthening the link between music studies and orchestral performance. At the same time, selected students participate in the lectures that precede Athens State Orchestra concerts at the Athens Concert Hall.
Administration
DEPUTY GENERAL MANAGER
Aliki Fidetzi
ARTISTIC PLANNING AND PRODUCTION
Senior Artistic Administrator
Petros Apostolidis *
Production Administrator
Alekos Vretos *
Social & Educational Programmes Administrator
Malama Sevastou *
International & European Affairs, Sponsorships
Kyveli Kouvela *
Librarian
Eleni Anastasiou
Officers for the Athens State Orchestra’s Pilot Contemporary Music Workshop and outreach productions **
Areti Dandaki
Dimitris Kariofillis
Technical support
Thodoris Athanasiadis *
Stage Managers
Nikos Bourtzis *
Grigoris Kyriazopoulos *
PROMOTION AND COMMUNICATION
Head of Communication, Press Office & Social Media
Anna Tseimazidou *
Programme Editor & Artistic Administration
Titos Gouvelis *
Website Management
Giorgos Papasotiriou
Recordings Administrator
Manolis Lorentzos *
Press Office
Thodoris Iosifidis *
Group sales
Maria Volonaki *
Social Media
Eliza Terzidi *
ADMINISTRATION
Senior Administrator
Antonia Kakavelaki
Public Relations & Administration
Chryssa Liakopoulou
PA to the Artistic Director
Irini Giatra
Administrator
Stella Kardari
Rehearsal Hall Janitor
Spiros Argirakis-Mourlas
FINANCE
Chief Financial Officer
Sofia Sotirhou *
Cashier
Evgenia Mpizimi
Assistant Financial Officers
Katerina Mantzorou *
Konstantinos Tziritas *
* Employees of the A.S.O.’s Special Fund for Concert Organization
** The project is co-funded by the Region of Attica NSRF for 2021-2027.
Ticket information
Concerts at Megaron – The Athens Concert Hall:
• For the majority of concerts produced by the Athens State Orchestra prices are as follows: 25€, 20€, 15€, depending on the theatre zone, and 8€ for concessions.
• For some concerts prices differ.
• In any case, you are kindly requested to consult the page of each of our concerts in our website.
• Advance ticket sales for concerts at the Megaron – The Athens Concert Hall starts, for most concerts, in July.
For concerts that are produced in collaboration or by Megaron - the Athens Concert Hall, prices and advance ticket sale vary and are published on the page of each one of these concerts.
Concerts at venues other than Megaron – The Athens Concert Hall:
Prices and advance ticket sale vary and are published on the page of each one of these concerts.
Concerts at Museums:
Attendance at the concert is free, while the entrance to the Museums may require a ticket. You are kindly requested to visit each concert’s page and to contact the Museums for further information.
Concerts out of Megaron – The Athens Concert Hall:
Prices are announced on the page of each concert.
Group reservations (from 20 persons): discount 20%.
Group reservations for Schools and Conservatories: 5€ per student and free entrance for one teacher per 10 students.
Audience who is entitled to concessions ticket:
– Students
– Persons up to the age of 25 years
– Unemployed persons
– People at the age of 65 years and more
– People of multi-child families
– Persons with disabilities
– Holders of European Youth Card
The Athens State Orchestra's Pilot Laboratory for Contemporary Music (2024-)
As it continues to expand its multi-level educational work, the Athens State Orchestra inaugurated its Pilot Laboratory for Contemporary Music in Spetses in 2024. Addressing young conductors and composers, the Workshop provides participants with a complete artistic experience along with the opportunity to work in a creative environment. The Pilot Workshop of the current season will be held from the 18th to the 28th of August, with intensive masterclasses along with group and one-on-one sessions held over a truly hectic ten days.
The amazing venue, the renovated Anargyrion & Korgialenion School of Spetses, provides the ideal incubator for the project, laying the foundations for a new educational and artistic institution at which young musicians can engage in a fruitful exchange and dialogue with both their professionally established colleagues from the Athens State Orchestra and with internationally renowned conductors, soloists and composers. Participants are also given a unique opportunity to perform and conduct both new and iconic works from the repertoire, both with and without an audience. The Workshop permits the Athens State Orchestra to open up a world of collaboration and engagement, but also to facilitate live performances that allow test-runs for both compositions and conductors. The already enormous benefits are further enhanced by the professional audiovisual recordings that are made of its complete proceedings. The Conducting and Composition masterclasses are led, respectively, by the conductor Lukas Karytinos and the composer Yannis Kyriakides. The Workshop is conducted in English.
Through its Pilot Workshop for Contemporary Music, the Athens State Orchestra opens up a new world of collaboration and engagement and facilitates live performances that allow composers and conductors to test their material.
The already enormous benefits are further enhanced by the full and professional audiovisual recordings of all the workshops that are made of its complete proceedings.
The Conducting and Composition masterclasses are led by the conductor Lukas Karytinos and the composer Yannis Kyriakides.
Job Openings
The Athens State Orchestra is not proclaiming any audition at this period.
Information about previous vacancies, which are now covered, are available in the following links:
Competition to fill four (4) vacancies of permanent artistic personnel.
Applications had been submitted until May 8th, 2025. For further information, click here.
Competition to fill four (4) vacancies of permanent artistic personnel.
Applications had been submitted until January 2nd, 2024. For further information, click here.
Competition to fill six (6) vacancies of permanent artistic personnel.
Applications had been submitted until February 14th, 2023. For further information, click here.
Audition in order to cover positions of Musicians - Tutti in violins
Applications had been submitted until November 14th, 2022. For further information, click here.
Competition to fill six (6) vacancies of permanent artistic personnel.
Applications had been submitted until July 5th, 2022. For further information, click here.
Audition in order to cover the position of a Concertmaster
Applications had been submitted until Monday December 9th, 2019. For further information, click here.
Audition in order to cover the position of a Principal B’ in the family of Clarinets
Applications had been submitted until Monday December 9th, 2019. For further information, click here.
Audition in order to cover the position of a Principal A’ in the family of Cellos, with a service contract for each concert.
Applications had been submitted until November 2nd, 2018. For further information, click here.
Competition to fill twelve (12) vacancies of permanent artistic personnel.
Applications had been submitted until March 9th, 2018. For further information, click here.
Audition in order to cover the position of a Principal B’ in the family of Trombones.
Applications had been submitted until Friday, December 1st, 2017. For further information, click here.
Audition in order to cover the position of a Principal A’ in the family of Flutes.
Applications had been submitted until Monday, November 6th, 2017. For further information, click here
Administration
DEPUTY GENERAL MANAGER
Aliki Fidetzi
ARTISTIC PLANNING AND PRODUCTION
Senior Artistic Administrator
Petros Apostolidis *
Production Administrator
Alekos Vretos *
Social & Educational Programmes Administrator
Malama Sevastou *
International & European Affairs, Sponsorships
Kyveli Kouvela *
Librarian
Eleni Anastasiou
Officers for the Athens State Orchestra's Pilot Contemporary Music Workshop and outreach productions **
Areti Dandaki
Dimitris Kariofillis
Technical support
Thodoris Athanasiadis *
Stage Managers
Nikos Bourtzis *
Grigoris Kyriazopoulos *
PROMOTION AND COMMUNICATION
Head of Communication and Press Office
Anna Tseimazidou *
Programme Editor & Artistic Administration
Titos Gouvelis *
Website Management
Giorgos Papasotiriou
Recordings Administrator
Manolis Lorentzos *
Press Office
Thodoris Iosifidis *
Group sales
Maria Volonaki *
ADMINISTRATION
Senior Administrator
Antonia Kakavelaki
Public Relations & Administration
Chryssa Liakopoulou
PA to the Artistic Director
Irini Giatra
Administrator
Stella Kardari
Rehearsal Hall Janitor
Spiros Argirakis-Mourlas
FINANCE
Chief Financial Officer
Sofia Sotirhou *
Cashier
Evgenia Mpizimi
Assistant Financial Officers
Katerina Mantzorou *
Konstantinos Tziritas *
* Employees of the A.S.O.’s Special Fund for Concert Organization
** The project is co-funded by the Region of Attica NSRF for 2021-2027.
Our Musicians
DIRECTOR
Lukas Karytinos
FIRST VIOLINS*
Apollon Grammatikopoulos
(concert master)
Katerina Chatzinikolau
(concert master)
Nikos Mandilas
Giorgos Mandilas
Dimitris Agelidis
Dimitra Agelopoulou
Juleta Avetyan
Joanna Gaitani
Stella Georgiou
Nelly Ikonomidou
Anait Kanatzian
Olga Kim
Vaggelis Kosmas
Anilda Liakou
Emorfia Papadimitriou
Giannis Petrakis
Vasilis Soukas
Mirella Triantafyllou
Panagiotis Tziotis
SECOND VIOLINS*
Triantafyllos Loukas
Faidon Miliadis
Nikolaos Haliassas
Laertis Kokolanis
Marina Haralambides
Kostas Karageorgopoulos
Christoforos Karathanasis
Eleftherios Katsiferis
Nikos Kiakos
Alexandros Papanikolaou
Margarita Plesti
Elena Tavantzi
Dimitra Triantafyllou
Konstantinos Vlavianos
Petros Vlassis
Maria Zambeli
VIOLAS*
Paris Anastasiadis
Ilias-Ion Livieratos
Enkela Kokolani
Tania Charitopoulou
Alkistis Anastasiadou
Lilia Giousoupova
Manos Gouvelis
Konstantinos Karaboulat
Polina Koumi
Iris Louka
Gerta Sinai
Michail Smirnov
Antilochos Tranos
Irena Tsamadioti
Marios Tzoumanis **
VIOLONCELLOS*
Timotheos Gavriilidis-Petrin
Asterios Pouftis
Angelos Liakakis
Hristina Koutrou
Vania Papadimitriou
Ivi Papathanasiou
Ilias Sakalak
Isidoros Sideris
Olga Stratigopoulou
Dimitris Travlos
DOUBLE BASSES*
Takis Kapogiannis
Nikos Tsoukalas
Angelos Repapis
Haris Pazaroulas
Charalabos Arkatinis
Ioannis Babaloukas
Evgenios Bratouska
Viatseslav Martinkevits
Seraina Seidou
FLUTES
Chrysi Pilaftsi
Nikolaos Nikopoulos
Michalis Ramos
Evangelos Stathoulopoulos
Frank-Georg Yarke
OBOES
Dimitris Vamvas
Giannis Ikonomou
Christina Pantelidou
Stella Nikolaidi
Xenia Thomaidou
CLARINETS
Spyros Mourikis
Panagiotis-Marios Giannakas
Galinos Kiosoglou
Konstantinos Tzekos
Merkourios Karalis
BASSOONS
Alexandros Ikonomou
Vasilis Liodakis
Efstathios Martzoukos
Ioannis Evangelatos
Odysseas Bassios
HORNS
Kostas Siskos
Christos Salvanos
Dimitris Fronimos
Grigoris Asonitis
Ilias Barkas
Ioannis Gounaris
Spyros Kakos
TRUMPETS
Panagiotis Kesaris
Ioannis Karampetsos
Panagiotis Balamos
Leonidas Bairaktaris
Lucas Kerman
Fanis Vernikos
TROMBONES
Andreas Pylarinos
Kostas Avgerinos
Andreas-Rolandos Theodorou
Evaggelos Karabas
Achilleas Liarmakopoulos
Panagiotis Zafiropoulos
TUBA
Georgios-Theodoros Rarakos
TYMPANI
Spyros Labouras
Dimitris Desyllas
PERCUSSION
Andreas Farmakis
Katerina Koskina
Athina Kapsetaki
Theodoros Milkov
Charalabos Taliadouros
Stella Triantafyllou
HARPS
Gogo Xagara
Ileana Crutserou
* The string sections' tutti players rotate through all the seating positions
** Orchestra inspector