Wednesday 8 September 2010, Rialto Theatre, Lemesos, 20:30
Thursday 9 September 2010, Strovolos Municipal Theatre, Lefkosia, 20:30
Friday 10 September 2010, Markideion Theatre, Pafos, 20:30
Conductor: Spiros Pisinos
Programme:
Spiros Pisinos (conductor)
Spiros Pisinos held the position of chief conductor and artistic director of the Cyprus Symphony Orchestra between 2005 and 2008. He has conducted orchestras including the Philharmonia Orchestra of London, Milan’s Pomeriggi Musicali, Genoa’s Carlo Felice Οpera Οrchestra, Sinfonia Finlandia, Athens and Thessaloniki State Orchestras and West Australia Symphony. He has toured with Orchestre National de Montpellier, Nuremberg Symphony and Mariinsky Young Philharmonic Orchestra. In order to celebrate the “Day of Europe” on 9 May 2009, Spiros Pisinos conceived and conducted the first performance of Beethoven’s IX symphony by the Cyprus Symphony Orchestra, along with extra leading musicians from all neighbouring countries surrounding Cyprus (mostly from Daniel Barenboim’s West-Eastern Divan Orchestra) and the Czech Philharmonic Choir – Brno. Spiros Pisinos founded and conducts the Ensemble Philharmonia composed by professional Greek Cypriot, Turkish Cypriot and other musicians from European Union member states, and has performed in Cyprus and Paris with great success. In the operatic realm, Spiros Pisinos has conducted at Dusseldorf’s Deutsche Oper am Rhein, Bremen, Cottbus and Mannheim Operas. In 1999 and 2000 he assisted Antonio Pappano in major operatic productions, and subsequently Kurt Masur at the New York Philharmonic and Orchestre National de France. In 1978, Spiros Pisinos completed his piano studies at the Ethnikon Odeon Kyprou under Loulou Symeonidou and followed up with private instruction under Enrique Barenboim. A recipient of the Leventis Foundation scholarship, Spiros Pisinos studied orchestral conducting at the Vienna Conservatory from where he graduated in 1996. In 1982, prior to devoting himself exclusively to music, Spiros Pisinos had studied Biophysics at the University of Pennsylvania and had subsequently carried out research at M.I.T. Spiros Pisinos is a recipient of the French government’s Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres.
Tasos Stylianou (composer)
Tasos Stylianou studied music in the USA at the Mannes College of Music, Jazz and Contemporary Music at the New School for Social Research, composition privately with Henry Martin and at the Aaron Copland School of Music at Queens College (MA in Composition) with Morris Rosenzweig, Thea Musgrave and Paul Levy. He also holds a Ph.D. in Composition from the University of Utah where he studied with Morris Rosenzweig. Tasos Stylianou has received awards and honours such as the Leroy Robertson Composition Prize, the Leroy Robertson Scholarship in Composition. He has received the honorary award from the ALEA III international composition competition. He has also received grants from the UTA (University Teaching Award) from the University of Utah and a scholarship from Banff Residency – Canada where he was a resident composer. He has also collaborated with Parma Recordings for a compilation CD called Mosaic, through the Society of Composers where he is a member. He has received commissions amongst others from Utah’s Classical Greek Theatre Company, from world-known flutist Carlton Vickers and the Pedagogical Institute of Cyprus. He has cooperated with various musicians such as Morris Rosenzweig, Thea Musgrave, Paul Levy, Mario Davidovsky, Johnathan Harvey, Paul Lanskey and others. His works have been performed by various musicians such as Bodil Robech and Carla Rees as well as by ensembles such as the New York Music Ensemble, Canyonlands New Music Ensemble, ALEA III, National Chorus of Moldova, University of Utah’s New Music Ensemble, Athens Trio, the Cyprus Symphony Orchestra, including performances through the Center of Cypriot Composers where he is a member. He frequently cooperates with ensembles and performers in Cyprus. Tasos Stylianou is also a full-time faculty member at the University of Lefkosia’s Music Department.
