Easter concert
Two masterpieces of the 20th and 19th century correspondingly hold the dominant position at the annual Easter concert organized by the Athens State Orchestra together with Megaron - the Athens Concert Hall: on one hand, Benjamin Britten's Sinfonia da Requiem, that harmonize religion sentiment, awe facing death with anguished anti-war messages; on the other, the great Austrian, Anton Bruckner's Te Deum which, as most of his works, gifts the music's unfolding with the stature and awe caused by the big European cathedrals. Schubert's famous Unfinished Symphony, a universal example of expressive simplicity, spiritual depth and stylistic perfection. The promising conductor, Konstantinos Terzakis is at the head of the select lyrical singers, the choirs and the Athens State Orchestra, in his second collaboration with the latter, following an impressive debut last year.
Rachmaninoff's Concertos
The marathon performance of all five compositions for piano and orchestra written by Sergei Rachmaninoff in two consecutive concerts by the same soloist is not something that everyone can achieve; on the contrary, there are very few pianists who possess the intellectual, mental and virtuosic qualities to achieve such an exploit and –if not more important– to leave a substantial interpretative imprint on these five gigantic works. The Russian pianist Denis Kozhukhin undoubtedly belongs to the elite of virtuosos who belong to this elite; this makes his two concerts within the framework of the Spring Festival destined to be an extraordinary and unforgotten soiree, which no auditor should miss!
Rachmaninoff's Concertos
The marathon performance of all five compositions for piano and orchestra written by Sergei Rachmaninoff in two consecutive concerts by the same soloist is not something that everyone can achieve; on the contrary, there are very few pianists who possess the intellectual, mental and virtuosic qualities to achieve such an exploit and –if not more important– to leave a substantial interpretative imprint on these five gigantic works. The Russian pianist Denis Kozhukhin undoubtedly belongs to the elite of virtuosos who belong to this elite; this makes his two concerts within the framework of the Spring Festival destined to be an extraordinary and unforgotten soiree, which no auditor should miss!
Concerts for two, from Bach to Martinů
His extreme mastery, expressiveness and communicativeness, have rendered the violinist Daniel Hope one of the most recognized ambassadors of violin (and literary music in general) all over the world. Our own Simos Papanas, equally gifted and inspired by whatever he sets to do, has been one of Hope's permanent collaborators over many years. The meeting of their passionate approaches always produces something ecstatic and ardent that is worth to experience at a live performance! Together with the above, performs the Polish lead musician, Andrei Koshediak, one of the main figures of his country's musical life, who comes to remind us once more how irresistibly charming Joseph Haydn's symphonies are and how fairly he has won the title of the "father of symphony" for ever and ever.
Mozart & Mahler
Gustav Mahler's symphonies' world is indeed unlimited as for the thoughts and emotions it generates, as for the way it always makes us confront our self’s most profound aspects, with our visions and fears, our metaphysical anxieties and our worldly passions. The Fourth is one of the most beloved symphonies of the Austrian Romanticist- maybe the most ideal ouverture to his musical world than any other and an inexhaustible source of beauty, sensitivity and drama. At the same concert, the renowned Greek pianist, Alexandra Papastefanou, under Lukas Karytinos's baton, interprets the diachronically famous Mozart's Concerto for piano in D minor.
Tribute to Odysseas Dimitriadis
The Athens State Orchestra honors the memory of the great conductor Odysseas Dimitriadis with a concert - tribute to his long and manifold career. From the podium of the Bolshoi to the Tchaikovsky Conservatory, Dimitriadis stamped his work on the 20th century as a composer, arranger and conductor of international prestige. With 19 appearances on the podium of the Athens State Orchestra, he contributed decisively to the presentation of important works of the Russian and Greek repertoire. The concert also includes his orchestration of “Samiotissa”, paying a musical tribute to an emblematic figure.
Journey to the center of the Music – Valse
A series of interactive concerts aiming to shed light to all this that connects the modern audience with timeless symphonic music, bringing the latter closer to those who are not acquainted therewith, as well as to its most fanatic audience.
Videos, Speeches and Music interact by dramatizing each time the portrait of a different symphonic musical genre. Known and unknown historical information, personal stories, concealed symbolisms and patterns and the magic of the works' structure, presented in a delightful way.
Journey to the center of the Music - Valse
A series of interactive concerts aiming to shed light to all this that connects the modern audience with timeless symphonic music, bringing the latter closer to those who are not acquainted therewith, as
well as to its most fanatic audience.
Videos, Speeches and Music interact by dramatizing each time the portrait of a different symphonic musical genre. Known and unknown historical information, personal stories, concealed symbolisms and patterns and the magic of the works' structure, presented in a delightful way.
Claire Huangci performs Chopin
The American pianist of Chinese origin, Claire Huangci was found at the center of international interest when awarded the 1st prize at the Zurich Geza Anda contest in 2018 - to be added to many more important awards that she started to receive when she was still a child. Since that moment, the pianist is having one of the most active and successful soloist careers of our times. For her debut in Athens, she chose to take on Chopin's Concert No. 1, a work of enormous lyricism, but also requiring pianist mastery! It's with particular emotion that the Athens State Orchestra receives for the first time the distinct Georgian lead musician, Vakhtang Kahidze, son of the late conductor Jansug Kahidze, who for several consecutive years was found at the Orchestra podium, leading it in some of its most beautiful concerts of its long story...
Christian Lindberg for the first time at the Athens State Orchestra
In 2016, the reputed British classical music radio station, CLASSIC-FM, previous voting of the public, declared the Swedish trombonist Christian Lindberg as the greatest brass player of all times! Indeed, we wouldn´t exaggerate by saying that Lindberg means for trombone the same as Paganini for violin or Lizst for piano: the absolute, incontestable "emperor" of his instrument, the man who revealed by his practice innovative possibilities of the trombone and inspired several new works to important composers of our times! His first performance with the Athens State Orchestra - especially with a concerto of his own! - is one of this year's artistic period's highlights, that you shouldn't miss!