soloist: Yorgos Konstantinidis

A single concert with the famous Enesco String quartert in co-operation with the distinguished Greek pianist Yorgos Konstantinidis.

Time: October 21

Venue: Theatre of Society of Macedonian Studies

Programme

1st Part

J. HAYDN: Quartet Op. 76, No 2

A. DVORAK: Quartet Op. 96, “ American”

2nd Part

J. BRAHMS: Quintet with piano, Op. 34 in F minor

The Musicians

Enesco Quartet Constantin BOGDANAS - violin

Florin SZIGETI - violin

Vladimir MENDELSSOHN – viola

Dorel FODOREANU –cello

Internationally acclaimed “Enesco” String Quartet was founded in Paris in 1979, and has the name of the great Romanian composer George Enesco. Meeting distinguished personalities such as Sandor Vegh and Sergiu Celibidache was determinative for its development. Enesco Quartet has been internationally recognized with the famous artists it shared a privileged relationship with.

The Quartet has been awarded important prizes, such as the Grand Prix du Disque Premier de l’Academie Francaise du Disque, Grand Prix du Concours International de Musique de Chambre, Paris.

Their recordings comprise an important corpus and their repertory includes about 250 works (many of which were composed specifically for the quartet) by composers such as Philippe Hersant, Serge Nigg, Henri Sauguet, Jean-Jacques Werner, Pierre-Max Dubois, Nicolas Bacri, Nicolas Philippot, Jesus Guridi, Xavier Montsalvatge, Jose Peris Lacasa, Carmelo Bernaola, Josep Soler and Jose Garcia Roman. Their CD with works by Franck and Chausson won the invaluable prize «Diapason d’ Or» 1994.

“Enesco Quartet” has appeared in some of the most important festivals, such as those of Besancon, Prades, La Chaise-Dieu, Monpellier, Paris, Sully, Cannes, Barcelona, Santander, Granada, Stavelot, Echternach, Guildford, Basel, Bucharest, with great artists, such as Luis Claret, Jean-Philippe Collard, Olivier Charlier, Patrice Fontanarosa, Ivry Gitlis, Regis Pasquier, Michel Lethiec, Paul Meyer, Aurele Nicolet, Jean Pierre Rampal, Marielle Nordman, Gabriel Tacchino, e.t.c

The Quartet has appeared in some of the most famous halls in the world, such as the Salle Gaveau, Salle Pleyel and Theatre des Champs-Elysees in Paris, Teatro Real and Auditorio Nacional in Madrid, Fondation Gulbenkian in Lisbon, Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, Wigmore Hall in London, Library of Congress in Washington, DC, etc.

The Quartet has the rare privilege of being invited and regularly playing with the unique Stradivarius quartet instruments that belong to the Royal Court of Spain. It is often invited to Master Classes in France, Belgium, Spain and Switzerland.

They have made recordings in France with: Arion, Pierre Verany, Forlane, Rem; in Spain with Claves and Ensayo; in Switzerland with Novalis; in Germany with CPO. They have recorded works by Schubert, Schumann, Dvorak, Boccherini, Cherubini, Debussy, Ravel, Franck, Chausson, Enesco, Vierne, Janaceck, Bartok, Guridi.

In 1986 in Spain, the recording of quartets by Guridi was nominated as Best Record of the year. In 1989 their record with «Three quartets of contemporary French music» by Serge Nigg, Philippe Hersant and Nicolas Philippot received the Grand Prix de l’Academie Francaise du Disque. The Diapason d’Or 1994 Prize was awarded to ENESCO QUARTET for recording works by Franck and Chausson with famous pianist Gabriel Tacchino.

In an article entitled: “Rewarding Music” appearing in Manchester Evening News, Robert Beale writes: «Their performance is unusually powerful and mellow and these are definitely the qualities that make the difference. ».

In an article in Figaro, famous music reviewer Pierre Petit, calls the members of the Quartet «messengers of poetry» and after praising their virtuosity he concludes: « Enesco Quartet is definitely a truly great quartet».

Yorgos Konstantinidis, Pianist

He was born in Thessaloniki in 1971, where he also received his first piano lessons. He continued his piano studies at the State Conservatory of Thessaloniki. From 1986 to 1993 he attended the class of Prof. G. Thymis and received his diploma with a UNANIMOUS TOP CLASS AND FIRST PRIZE DISTINCTION. He also attended an advanced theory course and was awarded a TOP CLASS Diploma in Harmony.

In November 1993 he passed the necessary examinations and entered the Conservatoire National in Paris to attend the classes given by famous pianist Bernard Ringeissen and distinguished teacher Jaques Rouvier; in June 1994 he graduated and was awarded his Excellence with Premier Prix Diploma; in June 1996 he was awarded his Perfectionement with Premier Prix de Virtuosite Diploma and completed his studies in the class preparing students for international competitions.

He has attended as an active member seminars given by famous artists, such as Paul Badura Skoda, Bruno Leonardo Gelber, Martino Tirimo, etc. He has been awarded various distinctions, such as 1st Prize in the third Chamber Music Contest organized by HELEXPO in 1993 and a prize in the Panhellenic Piano Contest of 1998. He has appeared with the State Orchestra of Thessaloniki (Concert Hall) and the Symphony Orchestra of the Municipality of Thessaloniki. He has repeatedly appeared at Dimitria Festival; his last appearance was with famous pianist Cyprien Katsaris, when they performed Mozart’s double concert.

Yorgos Konstantinidis has appeared as a soloist as well as with chamber music groups in the USA, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Cyprus, Bulgaria and Romania, with orchestras such as Philharmonia of Greensboro Orchestra, USA, Philharmonic Orchestra of Bacau, Philharmonic Orchestra of Ploiesti, Sinfonia Bucharest Orchestra, Romania, Οrchestra of Pazargic, Bulgaria, as well as the National Orchestra of Moldavia when they appeared at Catania International Festival in Italy.

Recently, he appeared at an international chamber music festival in Cairo, Egypt along with distinguished violinist Simos Papanas. He has made numerous recordings for Greek state television.

Yorgos Konstantinidis is also a graduate of the Law School of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and holds a post-graduate degree in Commercial Law; he is a Ph.D. candidate.