Dimitris Papadimitriou
biography
Dimitris Papadimitriou (1959-) is a Greek composer. Brought up in Alexandria, Egypt until the age of 7 (1966) when his family moved back to Athens, Greece. Then he started music lessons at the Athens Conservatory, followed by the Conservatory of Pireaus and finally the National Conservatory. At 1997 he was a “Fellow” in the composition class, at Boston Symphony’s Tanglewood summer courses. There he had as teachers Henri Dutilleux, George Perle, John Williams, Steve Reich among others. His main instrument (Diploma) being classical Guitar he also followed academic studies of piano and violin, as well as Theory, Harmony, Counterpoint and Composition. Although he always preferred to compose rather than perform as a soloist, he had a short career as a child-soloist and then as a musician in recordings playing both classical and ethnic instruments.
The first (nine-years) period of his professional career he also composed film music for 30 feature-film productions winning fifteen times national and international awards. International and Greek poetry based song-writing followed, giving him a wider national popularity and recognition. He has also composed music for Ancient Drama and international theatrical plays of literally all periods. Dimitris Papadimitriou “Classical” music, include both chamber and symphonic compositions, two modern operas, incidental suites and two concertos, some of them being internationally performed, recorded or released.
World acknowledged tenor Rollando Villazon sung six of his “Cavafy” songs at the Avery Fisher Hall, NY and in the UN General Assembly Hall. Conductors such as Christof Popen , George Petrou, Lucas Karytinos, George Balatsinos,, among others have performed his music in many countries such as Germany, France, U.S.A, Japan, Italy, Egypt, Greece etc.
For more than a decade he was a professor of music composition at the Nakas Conservatory of Athens. He also serves at the Greek National Radio and Television (ERT) as Director of the (Classical) Third Program, General Director of Music Radio Channels, the two Symphonic Orchestras and the Choir. He currently is a Member of the Board of ERT, and “Composer In Residence” of the Onassis Stegi Cultural Center in Athens.
Among other pieces his classical work also contain: Piano Concertos No 1 and No 2 Herman Melvil ‘s “Moby Dick” as a modern opera “Dreams Errants”, Symphonic Miniatures “Kinderkrutzzung” A Symphonic song on the poem by Berthold Brecht “Days of the Epitaph”, a Byzantine Symphonic Oratorio for Chanter, Soprano and choir Satyricon, an Oratorio based on Petronius book. “Chronicle of an Early Automn”, A Symphonic Poem “Tales of Aesopus” A Shadow theatre opera, for smaller Orchestra, and 5 singers. “…that for an Alexandrian it is an Alexandrian who writes” symphonic songs on poems of C. P. Cavafy. William Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” an opera “The Man whose shadow was stolen” Symphonic Songs on some of George Seferis’ poetry (Nobel Prize) “Variations on a Beam” Songs on Odysseus Elytis poem (Nobel Prize) “In the name of Helen” Symphonic Songs on all times poetry for contentious Helen of Troy. Two Violin and Piano Sonatas.
Dimitris Papadimitriou
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