Musical promenades at the museums - Piano Trio

Every work in this concert has been influenced to a greater or lesser degree by traditional musical idioms. The finale of Haydn's Trio is imbued with the fleet-footed feel of gypsy music, while the mournful atmosphere of the Slavic dumka weighs heavy upon the entire Dvořák's Trio. The concert closes with the great Argentine composer Astor Piazzolla's Four Seasons, a piece underpinned—like all his music—by the sensual rhythm of the tango.

19:30, Guided tour to a limited number of persons in the Collection of Islamic Art by Mina Moraiti, Curator of the Collection.

Music for/from Britain

Our every collaboration with the experienced German conductor Christoph Poppen turns out to be an unforgettable experience for the musicians and the audience alike! In this, his latest appearance with the ASO, he will be conducting Mendelssohn's melancholy "Scottish" Symphony along with the première of a new symphonic work by Dimitris Papadimitriou. The internationally acclaimed violaist Tatiana Mazurenco will play Walton's demanding Viola Concerto, which was prevented from being performed last year by force of circumstance.

19:45 Free introductory speech by Nikos Laaris for ticket holders

Side by side 2019

Being fully aware that the education of our future audience but also the training of young music students are matters of the highest importance for a historical artistic institution, members of the Athens State Orchestra make the most of each opportunity to stand by young people and to impart their love of making music. Under this perspective, the Orchestra’s collaboration with the College Symphony Orchestra, the Hellenic-American Educational Foundation’s Orchestra, is for everyone an ideal timing of a first-class opportunity for coexistence among professional musicians and young music students. For the first, the youngsters’ freshness and enthusiasm is a welcome source of energy and spirit, while the later learn in action the demands but also the joy of the disciplined musical collaboration within a professional symphonic orchestra.

After the opening of the concert by the Hellenic-American Educational Foundation’s Choir who will interpret four popular songs, members of both orchestras will perform “side by side” a rich programme that is covering a wide stylistic spectrum.

The Hellenic-American Educational Foundation’s Choir interprets songs composed by Manos Hadjidakis, Loreena McKennitt, Ed Sheeran and Michael Jackson.

 

The College Symphony Orchestra together with the Athens State Orchestra interprets pieces composed by Zimmer, Vivaldi, Handel, Sibelius and Jenkins.

 

The Athens State Orchestra interprets Beethoven's Symphony no. 7.


Musical promenades at the Museums - Music for Brass Trio from all over the world

Three vibrant and artistically curious ASO musicians present us with an interesting combination of instruments that is only rarely heard in Greece: the French horn, trumpet and trombone of the brass trio. Applying their knowledge and love of music, they have selected some of the most strikingly original works of the 20th century—works everyone deserves to hear and enjoy live.

19:30, Guided tour to a limited number of persons in the Prehistoric, Ancient Greek, and Roman Collection by Irini Papageorgiou, Curator of the Collections.

Mahler Cycle VIII

Continuing our journey through the music of the beloved Austrian symphonist, Gustav Mahler, we reach his towering Second Symphony. Its sensitive music works both as an agonized depiction of earthly tensions both within us and in the world, and as an expression of an ardent desire to access the deeper, metaphysical essence of existence. For Mahler, over and above its religious meanings, the Resurrection reveals itself primarily as the experience of an all-consuming Love...

19:45 Free introductory speech by Haralambos Gogios for ticket holders

Skalkottas and his contemporaries II

Nikos Skalkottas' celebrated Greek Dances and Dimitris Mitropoulos' revolutionary and angular Concerto Grosso bookend one of the most impressive violin concertos of recent years, which was composed by the well-known American composer of Greek descent, George Tsontakis. The solo part will be interpreted by the distinguished violinist Antonis Sousamoglou, while the orchestra will be conducted by the multifaceted maestro and academic, Leon Botstein, making his Athens State Orchestra debut.

The introductory speech that had been scheduled for the day of the concert is cancelled. Instead, one day prior to the concert, in January the 10th, Giorgos Tsontakis, composer of part of the programme, and Leon Botstein, the concert's conductor, will hold a speech to the audience. Information about the place and the time of the speeches are available on the web page of the Music Library of Greece 'Lilian Voudouri' (in Greek language).

Canadian Brass meets Athens State Orchestra

The concerts of the famed Canadian Brass quintet, which has been at the very summit of the international music scene for four decades now, are one of the key musical events of the year! Renowned for the vast breadth of their repertoire and their ability to combine uncompromising artistic quality with commercial appeal, the ensemble will treat our audience to a multifaceted programme which highlights the burnished sheen and expressiveness of the brass sound in all its glory.

With the participation of Rosarte Choir:

Charles Wesley & Felice Giardini: Come Thou almighty King
Various Composers - arr. Howard Cable: Sweet Songs of Christmas
George Ratcliffe Woodward - arr. Howard Cable: Ding Dong Merrily on High
Traditional arr. Howard Cable: Twelve days of Christmas

Canadian Brass meets Athens State Orchestra
:

Jeff Tyzik: New York Cityscapes (European premiere)
Traffic Jammin' (Time Square Day & Night)
Tango 1932 (103rd & Riverside)
African Dance (Wall Street & East River ca. 1709) 
Tarantella (Mulberry Street)

Tribute to Beatles  arr. Chris Dedrick
P. McCartney: Blackbird
Lennon/ P. McCartney: Come Together


New Year’s Gala 2018

The talented young soprano (and recipient of the most recent Maria Callas scholarship) Vasia Alati joins forces with the acclaimed baritone Tassis Christoyannis under the dynamic direction of the internationally celebrated maestro, Giorgos Petrou, to bring an especially joyous tone to the New Year celebrations with melodies from operas and operettas that have delighted generations.

Orchestral excerpts, arias and duetti from operas by:

GIOACHINO ROSSINI
(1792–1868)

GAETANO DONIZETTI
(1797–1848)

GIUSEPPE VERDI
(1813–1901)

JOHANN STRAUSS
(1825–1899)

FRANZ LEHAR
(1870–1948)


Christmas concert in the Municipality of Vari, Voula, Voulagmeni

Our Orchestra will perform samples of its repertoire to lovers of symphonic music under the baton of the rising star Pantelis Kogiamis. Needless to say, the concert is very much in the spirit of Christmas.

Audience entrance is allowed until 20:30. Later to 20:30, it will not be possible to enter to the hall. The concert is scheduled to start 30 minutes later.