Cancelled: Martha Argerich concert
Due to serious health issues, the internationally acclaimed soloist Martha Argerich will be unable to perform at the Athens State Orchestra concert that was scheduled to take place on July 15, 2017, at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus. Consequently, the Athens & Epidaurus Festival and the Athens State Orchestra have decided to cancel the concert, hoping to reschedule at some point in the near future and wishing the artist a speedy recovery.
The audience is entitled to a refund as follows:
For tickets purchased with cash: Please visit the Festival central box office (Panepistimiou 39, inside the Pesmazoglou arcade, work days 09:00-16:00 and Saturday 10:00-15:00).
For tickets purchased with credit or debit cards: Cancelled tickets are automatically refunded.
Visual Communication Contest of A.S.O.
The Pink Box (of Solidarity)
Thus, the next step of our cultural synergy will take place during this period: Taking advantage of the first revenue gathered in our “Pink Box”, music ensembles of the Athens State Orchestra will be visiting schools of Attica region hosting young refugees, so as to give mini concerts and music workshops. Besides, Music is a magical “Esperanto”, a common language which is not subject to separations and barriers of any kind. Musical contribution, listening and performing is a way of communication more than direct; it’s genuine and free. Only a few notes are enough to turn Greek kids and Refugee kids, under the same baton and the same scores, in one soul, one coordinated breath. This is what we want. To offer the most direct bridge of communication and delight and, perhaps, to add a tiny link to the big chain of Solidarity and Hope.
Let us remind that the first contribution for our “Pink Box” came from the revenue of the event we organized in collaboration with the Fluxum Foundation and the Flux Laboratory on November 27th, at the Athens Concert Hall. There was a projection of Charlie Chaplin’s movie “The Immigrant”, accompanied by the original music of the Greek-French composer Stefanos Tsapis, interpreted by the Athens State Orchestra with the participation of the first students of the recently founded Young Musicians’ Academy of the Athens State Orchestra as well as of a Jazz ensemble (Dimitris Tsakas-saxophone, Dimitris Korontzis-electric guitar, Marc Buronfosse-electric bass and Arnaud Biscay- drums). Prior to this event, one of our music ensembles had visited the Refugee Reception Center in Lavrio and gave a concert for, but also with children hosted there. In the afternoon of the very same day, Charlie Chaplin’s film “The Immigrant” was projected, under the same musical “conditions”, at the Lavrion Technological and Cultural Park where refugees’ families were invited.
The essence of the experience gained from this co-organization was so touching for all of us that we decided to “turn on official” our cultural synergy with the Fluxum Foundation and the Flux Laboratory, planning much more to come besides our visits to schools…
May we have a nice trip!
Symphony of Sorrowful Songs, Henryk Górecki
Co-production with documenta 14 and Megaron-The Athens Concert Hall Organization.
Ticket information at 210 72 8
Athens String Quartet in Romania
The Concert Hall of Ateneul Roman in Bucharest, Romania.
AUDITIONS
The Athens State Orchestra is announcing a competition to fill six (6) positions for full-time artistic personnel (instruments). Applicants must submit their applications between Wednesday 6 April 2016 and 5 May 2016 (within thirty days).
The Athens State Orchestra is announcing competitions to fill six (6) positions for full-time artistic personnel (instruments).
A. Category III
a. One (1) position for Principal First oboe
b. One (1) position for Principal First French horn
B. Category IV
a. One (1) position for Assistant Principal viola
b. One (1) position for Assistant Principal in 2nd – 4th clarinet with obligatory bass clarinet
B. Category V
Two (2) positions for Musicians in the First Violins
Prospective candidates must:
1. In terms of citizenship:
a) Be Greek citizens or
b) citizens of EU member states or
c) Northern Epirotes, Greek Cypriots or ethnic Greeks from Istanbul, Imvros or Tenedos; certificates of Greek ethnicity are not required, given that the Greekness of their descent and consciousness can be demonstrated in other ways (Legislative Decree 3832/1958 – F?? 128/?/1958).
d) Naturalized Greeks who have been Greek nationals for over a year by the submission deadline can also apply.
2. Be aged 21 or over or, in the case of musicians whose talent is recognized, over 15.
3. Be healthy and physically capable or undertaking the duties that come with the position for which they are applying.
4. Not have any criminal convictions or legal proceedings pending against them or to have been partially or fully unfit to represent themselves in court (Article 1, clause 8 of Law 3528/2007).
5. Hold a diploma or degree in their instrument from a recognized music education institution in Greece or an equivalent diploma from an institution abroad.
The competitions will be held in Athens, in the Athens State Orchestra Rehearsal Room at the Athens Megaron Concert Hall.
The starting date for the auditions is 6 June 2016. The precise schedule for the auditions will be announced after the close of submissions.
Applicants must submit their applications between Wednesday 6 April 2016 and 5 May 2016 in one of the following ways:
• By submitting their application in person at the Athens State Orchestra offices (Vasilissis Sofias 86, 10 am-2 pm)
• By mailing their application to the Athens State Orchestra (Vasilissis Sofias 86, 115 28 Athens) on or before May 5, keeping the date-stamped post office receipt as prove of dispatch
• By emailing their application to the following email address: papostolidis@koa.gr
Printed application forms are available from the Athens State Orchestra offices; electronic forms can be downloaded here.
Prospective candidates should submit a CV along with their application, along with a copy of their diploma or degree in their area of specialization (instrument) from a recognized Greek music education institution or an equivalent diploma from an educational establishment abroad, along with any other material which sheds light on their artistic personality and abilities.
Any candidate applying as a recognized musical talent must submit evidence justifying this status along with their application.
According to the law, it is the Examination Committee that makes the final decision on whether an applicant can be considered a recognized musical talent or not. Having examined the supporting documents submitted by each candidate in this category (talent), the Committee in question will determine whether there is adequate evidence in this regard to permit the candidate to take part in the auditions
.
Failure to submit these documents together along with the application to take part in the competition means that any later claims to the status in question will be rejected.
Examination Material
According to decision ????/??????/?/35836/22-7-1999 of the Minister of Culture, the examination material per family of instruments and category of artistic personnel is as follows:
OBOE
Principal first violins
a) Concerto: STRAUSS, all movements
b) MOZART Concerto in C major KV 314 first movement with cadenza.
c) Extracts from orchestral works.
d) Sight reading.
FRENCH HORNS
Principal first horns
a) STRAUSS: Horn Concerto No. 1 or 2, all movements
b) MOZART Concerto No. 3 KV 477 or Concerto No. 4 KV 495, 1st movement with cadenza.
c) Extracts from orchestral works.
d) Sight reading.
VIOLAS
Principal second violas
a) Third and fourth movements from one of REGER’s suites.
b) Either the HOFMEISTER or STAMITZ concerto, first movement.
c) Extracts from orchestral works.
d) Sight reading.
CLARINETS
Principal second clarinets
a) WEBER: Concerto No. 2 op. 74 in E flat major, 1st and 2nd movements
b) MOZART Concerto in A major KV 622 1st movement with cadenza (on bass clarinet)
c) Extracts from orchestral works.
d) Sight reading.
VIOLINS
Musicians
a) One of the concerti WIENIAVVSKY No. 2, MENDELSSOHN, BRUCH, first movement with cadenza
b) MOZART: one of Concerto ?? 3 (in G), ?? 4 (in D), ?? 5 (in A), first movement with cadenza
c) Extracts from orchestral works (without the solos)
The orchestral excerpts will be available from the Athens State Orchestra offices from Tuesday 17 May (10 am-2 pm). They will also be posted on the Orchestra’s website.
Should a candidate be auditioning for two (2) positions, the examination for the second position will include only those parts of the examination material on which the candidate has not already been examined for their first position.
Candidates will be examined by the Examination Committee; there will be no audience present save members of the orchestra from the section being examined.
Successful candidates will receive a letter from the Administration Department of the Ministry of Culture & Sport, inviting them to submit all the documentation required by law.
From the Management of the Athens State Orchestra
“Right to Music”
Our popular “Right to Music” music program will be continuing for a second year thanks to the generosity of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation.
Our Athens-based activities began in December and are now fully underway, while the program for the regions has just got underway.
First stop this year was the city of Preveza, where we worked with around 150 music students and the municipal conservatory. The Athens State Orchestra’s (K.O.A.) “Enodon” chamber ensemble gave a series of seminars and, in addition to the final concert, a further two open concerts/classes for local music lovers.
Within Athens, a number of A.S.O. ensembles—from duos to chamber orchestras—have been busy performing free concerts in special schools, children’s institutions, schools in depressed areas, children’s hospitals, correctional facilities for minors and therapeutic communities.
At the same time, small, flexible groups continue to pack their bags and visit cities in mainland Greece to perform concerts and offer free seminars to students from local conservatories and music schools.
Because here at the Athens State Orchestra, we never forget that access to music is a right everyone should enjoy.
The new Director of A.S.O.
Stefanos Tsialis is the new Director of A.S.O.
Mr. Stefanos Tsialis has been appointed as the new Director of the Athens State Orchestra by the Minister of Culture and Sports, Mr. Panos Panagiotopoulos, after the expiration of Mr. Vassilis Christopoulos’ term of office on May 9th 2014.
Following the announcement of his appointment Mr. Tsialis said: "I am greatly honored and pleased to take up the Artistic Direction of the Athens State Orchestra. The notion of serving my homeland after many years of work abroad fills me with pride and sense of responsibility. I take over the Orchestra on a very good level after the significant accomplishment of the outgoing Artistic Director. I hope that, with the support of the Management Board of the A.S.O.’s Special Fund for Concert Organization, my colleagues in A.S.O. –musicians and all other officials – and our friends from the audience, I will contribute with new ideas to further promotion and progress of the first orchestra of Greece".
Music for life
Music escorts ordinary people through their everyday life even unconsciously.
That’s the gist for the Athens State Orchestra’s campaign for the season 2013-2014, an inspired concept of the G Design Studio creative team which has successfully been in charge of designing its entire promotional material (leaflets, posters, banners, website) for three years.
“We merely observed people at work and focused on their hands just performing instinctive gestures; they automatically resembled professional musicians in action!” said the designers, explaining how they came up with this idea which is quite similar to what John Coltrane used to say “You can play a shoelace if you’ re sincere”.
The lens of the camera focuses on movements and expressions of ordinary people who mechanically make music; while in fact these are instant photos of air traffic controllers, dentists, bakers, cooks or school bus drivers, whose freeze-frames, isolated from their monotonous work routine, bring to mind pianists, brilliant violinists, winds performers and, most definitely, conductors. “And since”, adds the designing team, “our hands are the batons and our actions the percussion, let’s just enjoy this relentless orchestration of our personal music”.
Welcome
Dear friends,
Welcome to the Athens State Orchestra’s brand new website!
We hope you’ll find it both functional and pleasing to the eye, and we look forward to receiving your feedback!
First off, why not sign up for our bulletin and be the first to hear about our news and plans, as well as the whole range of superb events we stage, from special offers to prize draws, invitations to open rehearsals and so much more.
Of course, the site still has a lot of growing to do, and it won’t be long before visitors can get acquainted with our musicians, explore the 70 years of music history stored in our archive, and view and listen to samples of our work.
The Athens State Orchestra has entered a new era, facing up to one of the most testing times in our long history with outwardness, creativity and quality. We invite you to join us, to get to know us and to support us. In return, we promise we’ll always give you 110%!
Your orchestra
P.S. You can follow us on Facebook and Twitter, too!