CD's
Les mystères, portrait CD, Das Neue Ensemble, 2019
https://toccataclassics.com/product/nicolas-tzortzis-les-mysteres/
Luminoso per uno, Muchele Bianchini, 2019
http://www.arspublica.it/cd_grido_notes.html
Incompatible(s) III-b, Lisa Cella, 2018
https://www.amazon.com/Shine-Lisa-Cella/dp/B07GHS8TP8/
Mnésique, Ergon Ensemble, 2017
https://www.discogs.com/fr/Various-Contemporary-Music-From-The-Sus%C3%A5...
Dehors, Ensemble Artéfacts, 2014
http://www.puzzlemusik.com/el/release/artefacts-ensemble-thiva-km102/
Biography
Nicolas Tzortzis was born in May 1978 in Athens and has been living in Paris, France since 2002. Their music is characterized by great vivacity, a musical and visual polyphony, the organic incorporation of extra-musical elements and the controlled presence of technology. Awarded and played throughout the world, Nicolas Tzortzis has been following an autonomous path for years, constantly experimenting, questioning mainstream ideas and practices, while avoiding belonging to any particular “school”. They find inspiration in their philosophical and political readings (Castoriadis, Delphy, Kondylis, Rumsfeld), pop culture (television series, rock music, documentaries), but also sports and 1920’s surrealism.
They studied instrumental and electronic composition with Philippe Leroux at the CRD de Blanc Mesnil and at the University of Montreal (PhD, April 2013), musical theatre composition with Georges Aperghis at the Hochschule der Kunste in Bern, Switzerland and Computer Aided Composition at the University of Paris 8 under the direction of Horacio Vaggione and José Manuel Lopez-Lopez. In 2009-2010 they attended the CURSUS 1 of composition and computer music at the IRCAM and was later selected for the CURSUS 2 for the years 2010-2012, where they presented “Incompatible(s) V” for silent piano and live electronics, premiered by Pavlos Antoniadis.
They have taken part in master classes with Karlheinz Stockhausen, Brian Ferneyhough, Beat Furrer and François Paris, as well as computer music seminars at the IRCAM. In 2010, they were selected for the 6th New Composers Forum of the Ensemble Aleph.
Their music has been performed in France, Greece, Bulgaria, Slovenia, Italy, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Great Britain, Spain, the Netherlands, the USA, Canada, Argentina, Peru, Japan, South Korea and Australia, and has been selected and awarded in competitions worldwide (USA, Japan, South Korea, Germany, France, Austria, Greece, Italy, Great Britain, Argentina).
They have worked with ensembles such as Divertimento Ensemble, Proxima Centauri, Linea, Arditti Quartet, Tokyo Simfonietta, Arsenale, ECCE, Earplay, ACME, NOISE, Nouvel Ensemble Modern, Binoculaire, Nouvel Ensemble Contemporain, Juventas New Music Ensemble, Kairos Quartet, Mantegna Quartet, EnAccord Strijkkwartet, Aleph, Klang, Cairn, Ergon, Dissonart, Trio IAMA, Texture and Vertixe Sonora and soloists Aleksander Gabrys, Quentin Darricau, Lisa Cella, Krista Martynes, Lorna Windsor, Julian Boutin and Spyros Thomas.
Selected by Peter Eötvös, they were composer-in-residence at the Herrenhaus Edenkoben for the second semester of 2013, they were resident at the Villa Ruffieux in Sierre, Switzerland, from February to April 2014. In 2015, they were a Fulbright visiting scholar at the CNMAT in UC Berkeley, working on a new piece for the Ensemble Earplay, and had a two-month residency at the Akademia Schloss Solitude in Stuttgart.
Awards/Residencies
- Residency at the Akademie Schloss Solitude October-December 2015
- Fulbright Grant, residency at the CNMAT, December 2014-May 2015
- Residency at the Villa Ruffieux, February-April 2014
- Residency at the Herrenhaus Edenkoben, August-December 2013
- 1st Prize at the 2013 "Wär ich ein Ton" Composition Prize, Germany, with "De l'intérieur, éternel, terrestre"
- 1st Prize at the 2012 Composition Competition of the Thessaloniki State Symphony Orchestra with "Court métrage"
- 1st Prize at the 2012 Irino Prize, Japan, with "Voiceless"
- 1st Prize at the 2011 Dutch Institut Composition Competition, France, with “Femme - tête - temps”
- 1st Prize at the 2010 SoundON festival Call for scores, USA, with “Mnésique”
- 1st Prize at the 2010 “Franco Donatoni” Competition, Italy, with “Mnésique”
- 1st Prize at the 2010 DuoSolo Emerging Composers Competition with “Incompatible(s) III”
- 1st Prize at the 2009 “Atahualpa Yupanquì” Competition, Argentina, with “Désaxé”
- 1st Prize at the 2008 “Viotti” Competition, Italy, with “Four Flash Fear”
- 1st Prize at the 2008 “a Camillo Togni” competition, Italy with “Mnésique”
- 1st Prize at the 2008 “Donald Aird” Competition, USA, with “Amenable”
- 1st Prize at the 2008 Composers Competition “Cità di Udine”, Italy, with “Four Flash Fear”
- 1st Prize at the 2008 Composers Competition of the CNR Boulogne with “L’accordage du menteur”
- 1st Prize at the 2007 Music Today 21 competition in Seoul, South Korea for “Amenable”
- 1st Prize at the 2006 “D.Dragatakis” Composition Competition, Greece, for “Fictif”
- 2nd Prize at the 2017 eviMus Composition Competition, Germany, with “Ossia”
- 2nd Prize at the 2013 "Ossia New Music" prize, USA, for "Court métrage"
- 2nd Prize at the 2011 “Zeitklang” Competition, Austria, with “Femme-tête-temps”
- 2nd Prize at the 2011 “Josef Reinl - Stiftung” Competition, Austria, with “Rop”
- 2nd Prize at the 2009 “Egidio Carella/ Val Tidone” Competition, Italy, with “Femme-tête-corps-temps”
- 3rd prize at the 2005 “Y.A.Papaioannou” competition, Greece, for “Immune”
- Winner of the ECCE ensemble/ l’arsenale Call for scores, with « What the wave meant »
- Selected for the “Ensemble 2010” Call for scores of the International Summer Course, Darmstadt, Germany
- Selected for the 2010 International Composers’ Puramid Call for Scores, Sounds New festival, UK
- Selected for the 2010 Ergon Ensemble Call for Scores, Greece, with “Mnésique”
- Honourable Mention at the 2008 “Clef Works” competition, USA, with “Four Flash Fear”
- Honourable Mention at the 2008 “Zeitklang” competition, Austria, with “What the wave meant”
- Honourable mention at the 2006 “Egidio Carella/ Val Tidone” Competition, Italy, for “Amenable”
- Finalist at the 2010 DuoSolo Emerging Composers Competition with “L’assemblage du menteur”
- Finalist at the 2009 Dutch Institut Competition of Paris, with “Quintette”
- Finalist at the 2009 Ensemblia Competition, Germany, with “Four Flash Fear”
- Finalist at the 2009 “Synthermia” Competition, Greece, with “Occid”
- Finalist of the «Robert Helps Prize 2009», USA, with “L’accordage du menteur”
- Finalist at the 2008 “Henri Dutilleux” competition, France, with “Amenable”
- Finalist at the 2006 ALEA III International Composition Prize, USA, with “Senza Memoria”
- Finalist at the 2006 Lamia Mediterranean Music Center, Greece, with “Fictif”
- Participation it the 2010 ISCM World Music days in Sydney, Australia, with “Mnésique”
- Participation in the 7thForum de la jeune Création of the ISCM, (2008) with “L’accordage du menteur”
- Participation in the 6thForum de la jeune Création of the ISCM, (2007) with “Sama”
- Participation in the 4thForum de la jeune Création of the ISCM, (2005) with “Immune”
- Participation at the Young composers forum at the Athens Megaron with “Alliance – Collision”
Contact
News
29/05/2022
World premiere of "Croquis Strideurs", by the Birmingham Contemporary Music Group, in Birmingham, at the CBSO Centre:
https://www.bcmg.org.uk/event/music-maths
26/03/2022
"A tribute to Georges Aperghis", curated by Nicolas, organized by the Athens Conservatory and the Onassis Cultural Center
https://www.onassis.org/whats-on/tribute-georges-aperghis/tribute-george...
11-13/3/2022
Nicolas will be in Athens for the premiere of "A user's manual", a dance performance by Konstantinos Papanikolaou, at the Onassis Cultural Centre, for which they have written the music.
https://www.onassis.org/whats-on/onassis-new-choreographers-festival-9-o...
10/3/2022
Italian Premiere of "...de ce qui est en lutte", by Das Neue Ensemble, at the Centro di Ricerca Musicale – Teatro San Leonardo in Bologna
https://fontanamix.it/blog/do-we-need-a-new-compass-inghilterra-italia-g...
3/2/2022
Premiere of "Forgé sous la forme que tu portes", by the Pythia Trio, at the Athens Conservatory
https://www.athensconservatoire.gr/%CE%BF-%CF%8C%CF%81%CE%BA%CE%BF%CF%82...
24/1-4/2/2022
Maria Paz Santibañez makes her tour of Chile with the project "Resistencias femininas", including "Reportage", for pianist and cooking pan
https://mariapazsantibanez.com/2021-2022/
11/12/2021
The Quatuor Béla will present "Femme-tête-temps" at the Philharmonie de Paris
https://philharmoniedeparis.fr/fr/activite/musique-de-chambre/23026-grec...
21/11/2021
Nicolas will be in Athens, for the premiere of "Vents Contraires", at the Athens Opera
https://www.nationalopera.gr/en/alternative-stage/es-concerts/item/3662-...
13/11/2021
Premiere of "No one new around you" by the ensemble Artéfacts, at the espace K in Strasbourg
https://www.espace-k.com/class/ensemble-hanatsu-miroir-3ns3mbl3s?wcs_tim...
19/10/2021
Greek premiere by Emak Bakia with the Ergon Ensemble.
https://www.megaron.gr/event/o-epanapatrismos-tis-diasporas-iii-gallia/
28/09/2021
Reprise of the concert of September 19 with the Ensembles Court-Circuit and Das Neue Ensemble, in Paris
https://dasneueensemble.de/veranstaltung/wiederholungskonzert-conservato...
19/09/2021
Nicolas will be in Hanover, for the concert premiere of "...à une main, hommage à Roger Federer" and "Gravitationnel", with the Ensembles Court-Circuit and Das Neue Ensemble.
https://dasneueensemble.de/veranstaltung/kestnergesellschaft-soli-ensemble/
09/09/2021
Nicolas will be in Hannover, for the premiere of "Infiniment plus large que l'amour", with Das Neue Ensemble
https://dasneueensemble.de/veranstaltung/faust-e-v-hannover-kollektiv/
15/05/2021
Ensemble Court-Circuit will premiere "...à une main, hommage à Roger Federer" at the Salle Cortot in Paris. Concert without audience, to watch on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uI990XUd4uU
25/11/2019
Nicolas will be in Cologne, Germany, for a portrait concert with Ensemble Musikfabrik, that will be playing their entire "Man Ray Trilogy"
https://www.musikfabrik.eu/de/kalender/montagskonzert-25112019?pager=2019
11/11/2019
This week saw the release of two CD for Nicolas:
Les mystères, a portrait chamber music CD with Das Neue Ensemble on Toccata Classics:
https://toccataclassics.com/product/nicolas-tzortzis-les-mysteres/
And Michele Bianchini's "Grido", where you can listen to "Luminoso per uno"
https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/michelebianchini
3/11/2019
"Immobilités" is now available at France Musique's website, at Anne Montaron's radio show "Création mondiale".
https://www.francemusique.fr/emissions/creation-mondiale-l-integrale/imm...
29/10/2019
Nicolas was in Pamplona in Spain, for the premiere of their stereo acousmatic piece "No means No"
https://www.facebook.com/events/1423449047806992/
27/09/2019
Recording of "Immobilités" at the Radio France studios in Paris, for Anne Montaron's Création Musicale radio show, with singer Muriel Ferraro and Ensemble TM+
http://www.tmplus.org/projet/immobilites/
24/09/2019
At 21:00 CET, on the NDR Kultur Radio, you can listen to a significant part of the portrait concert dedicated to Nicolas' music last April in Hannover, played by Das Neue Ensemble
https://www.ndr.de/ndrkultur/epg/Nicolas-Tzortzis-surrealistische-Myster...
29/06/2019
"Incompatible(s) IV", for bass clarinet and live electronics will be performed by Ambroise Daulhac at the small Hall of the Centre Pompidou in Paris, France, on the last day of the Manifeste Festival 2019.
For more information:
https://manifeste.ircam.fr/agenda/concert-de-latelier-des-musiques-elect...
26/06/2019
Nicolas was the guest at Arnaud Merlin's radio show of France Musique "Le portrait contemporain".
You can listen to the show here: (in French)
https://www.francemusique.fr/emissions/le-portrait-contemporain/le-portr...
Selected performances
- - 2023 -
-
Reportage, by Maria Paz Santibañez, Santiago Municipal theatre, December 10th 2023
Les mystères du Château du Dé, by Das Neue Ensemble, Altes Rathaus Göttingen, November 23rd 2023
Reportage, by Maria Paz Santibañez, Conservatoire Debussy de Paris, November 10th 2023
Reportage, by Maria Paz Santibañez, Hôtel de Ville de Paris, October 10th 2023
Forgé sous la forme que tu portes, by the Pythia Trio, La Fabrique de Théâtre, Strasbourg, March 11th 2023
- - 2022 -
-
Forgé sous la forme que tu portes, by the Pythia Trio, Kulturmomente, Zurich, November 27th 2022
Reportage, by Maria Paz Santibañez, Teatro la Cúpula, Parque O’higgins, Santiago, Chile. UTEM, Seremi de cultura, November 24th 2022
Forgé sous la forme que tu portes, by the Pythia Trio, het Koorenhuis, The Hague, Netherlands, November 16th 2022
Forgé sous la forme que tu portes, by the Pythia Trio, Brick 15, Vienna, Austria, November 15th 2022
Forgé sous la forme que tu portes, by the Pythia Trio, Art Base, Brussels, Belgium, November 14th 2022
Forgé sous la forme que tu portes, by the Pythia Trio, Capitol Hall, La Philharmonie de Timisoara, Romania, November 12th 2022
Forgé sous la forme que tu portes, by the Pythia Trio, Université National de Musique, Bucharest, Romania, November 11th 2022
Forgé sous la forme que tu portes, by the Pythia Trio, Cornaro Art Institute, Limassol, Cyprus, October 2nd 2022
Forgé sous la forme que tu portes, by the Pythia Trio, Cyprus European University, Nicosia, Cyprus, October 1st 2022
Reportage, Maria Paz Santibañez, CENART, Mexico City, September 24th 2022
Croquis Strideurs, by the BCMG, CBSO Centre, Birmingham, May 29th 2022.
Forgé sous la forme que tu portes, by the Pythia Trio, Museum of Contemporary Art, Thessaloniki, May 14th 2022
Forgé sous la forme que tu portes, by the Pythia Trio, Nakas Conservatory, Athens, April 14th 2022
…de ce qui est en lutte, by Das Neue Ensemble, centro Ricerca Musicale, Teatro San Leonardo, Bologne, Italy, March 10th 2022
Gabriel reflété, Myrto Akrivou, Thalia Papadopoulou, Athens Conservatory, Greece, February 5th 2022
Reportage, Maria Paz Santibañez, GAM, Municipal Theatre of Valparaiso, Chile, February 4th 2022
Reportage, Maria Paz Santibañez, GAM, Amphitheatre of the Pablo Lemebel Library, Santiago, Chile, February 3rd 2022
Forgé sous la forme que tu portes, Pythia Trio, Athens Conservatory, Greece, February 3rd 2022
Reportage, Maria Paz Santibañez, GAM, Santiago, Chile, January 30th 2022
Reportage, Maria Paz Santibañez, GAM, Santiago, Chile, January 29th 2022
- - 2021 -
-
Femme-tête-temps, Quatuor Béla, Philharmonie de Paris, December 11th 2021
Reportage, Maria Paz Santibañez, L’impromptu, Bordeaux, November 23rd 2021
Vents Contraires, A. Rivera, Athens Opera Ensemble Niarchos Cultural Center, November 21st 2021
No one new around you, Ensemble Artéfacts, EspaceK, Strasbourg, November 13th 2021
Emak Bakia, Ergon Ensemble, Megaron d’Athènes, October 19th 2021
À une main, Court-Circuit/Das Neue Ensemble, Auditorium Landowksi, CRR Paris, September 28th 2021
Gravitationnel, Court-Circuit/Das Neue Ensemble, Auditorium Landowksi, CRR Paris, September 28th 2021
À une main, Court-Circuit/Das Neue Ensemble, Kestnergesellschaft, Hanovre, September 19th 2021
Gravitationnel, Court-Circuit/Das Neue Ensemble, Kestnergesellschaft, Hanovre, September 19th 2021
Infiniment plus large que l’amour, Das Neue Ensemble, Faust e.V. Hanovre, September 9th 2021
Tangences, with Laure Samama, Chapêlemele, Alençon, May 29th 2021
- - 2020 -
-
-Reportage, by Maria Paz Santibañez, Théâtre du Châtelet, Paris, February 1st 2020
- - 2019 -
-
Les mystères du château du Dé, by Ensemble Musikfabrik, Studio des Ensemble, Cologne, November 25th 2019
Emak Bakia, by Ensemble Musikfabrik, Studio des Ensemble, Cologne, November 25th 2019
L’étoile de mer, by Ensemble Musikfabrik, Studio des Ensemble, Cologne, November 25th 2019
No means No, Teatro Gayarre, Pamplona, Spain, October 29th 2019
Incompatible(s) IV, by Ambroise Daulhac, Centre Pompidou, Paris, France, June 29th 2019
Les mystères du château du Dé, by Das Neue Ensemble, NDR, Hannover, Germany, April 16th 2019
« …de ce qui est en lutte », by Das Neue Ensemble, NDR, Hannover, Germany, April 16th 2019
L’étoile de mer, by Das Neue Ensemble, NDR, Hannover, Germany, April 16th 2019
What the wave meant, by Das Neue Ensemble, NDR, Hannover, Germany, April 16th 2019
L’étoile de mer, by Das Neue Ensemble, Deutsches Theater Göttingen, Germany, March 24th 2019
Incompatible(s) VIII, by ensemble Artéfacts, Istanbul, Turkey, February 28th 2019
« …de ce qui est en lutte », by Hand Werk, Alte Feuerwache, Cologne, February 25th 2019
(Running a) Business, hommage à Tony Soprano, by Aleksander Gabrys, Vienna, Alte Schmiede February 20th 2019
Luminoso per uno, by Michele Bianchini, Moscow, Center of Electroacoustic Music, February 9th 2019
- - 2018 -
-
Arbitraire, by ensemble Vertixe Sonora, Santiago de Compostella, CGAC, Spain, October 30th 2018
Les mystères du château du Dé, by Das Neue Ensemble Hannover, Hanovre, Hauskonzert, October 28th 2018
Incrusté/Eingelegt, by the Ensemble Soundinitiative, St. Merry, Paris, October 19th 2018
Lumineux, by Ensemble du Bout du Monde, Talin, Estonia, September 22nd 2018
L’étoile de mer, by Das Neue Ensemble, Hannover, August 19th 2018
Sobre o amor perdido do laúde, by the ensemble Suono Giallo, Teatro Communale, Città di Castello, July 15th 2018
Arbitraire, by the ensemble Vertixe Sonora, Teatro Communale, Bologna, July 14th 2018
Arbitraire, by the ensemble Vertixe Sonora, Soundscape, Cesena, July 13th 2018
Lumineux, by Ensemble du Bout du Monde, Hochschulgemeinde, Zurich, April 15th 2018
Lumineux, by Ensemble du Bout du Monde, Saxfest, Palma de Mallorca, March 24th 2018
Lumineux, by Ensemble du Bout du Monde, Maison Selmer, Paris, March 22nd 2018
Lumineux, by Ensemble du Bout du Monde, Maison des Etats-Unis, Paris, March 20th 2018
Tâtonnement, by the trio IAMA, Pallas, Thessaloniki, March 4th 2018
Lumineux, by Ensemble du Bout du Monde, Panteion University, Athens, February 13th 2018
Lumineux, by Ensemble du Bout du Monde, Hochschule der Musik, Zurich, February 8th 2018
- - 2017 -
-
Contre tous, by Pavlos Antoniadis and the Thessaloniki State Symphony Orchestra, APTH, December 8th 2017
- Lumineux, by Ensemble du Bout du Monde, Baumstrasse, Athens, November 25th 2017
-
Lumineux, by Ensemble du Bout du Monde, Baumstrasse, Athens, November 24th 2017
-
Lumineux, by Ensemble du Bout du Monde, Institut Françaus, Athens, November 22nd 2017
- Lumineux, by Ensemble du Bout du Monde, Six Dogs, Athens, November 21st2017
-
Les mystères du château du Dé, by Das Neue Ensemble, Sprengelmuseum, Hannover, August 20th 2017
- Emak Bakia, by Das Neue Ensemble, Sprengelmuseum, Hannover, August 20th 2017
- L’étoile de mer, by Das Neue Ensemble, Sprengelmuseum, Hannover, August 20th 2017
- Incompatible(s) III-b, by Lisa Cella, 45th National Flute Association Congress, Minneapolis, USA, August 11th 2017
- Illusoire, by the ensemble Suono Giallo, Auditorium of the Città di Castello Conservatory, Italy, July 15th 2017
- Treillis, by the ensemble Artéfacts, Onassis Cultural Foundation, Athens, May 26th and 27th
-
Stroemen I, National Kubus Gallery, Hannover, April 28th- May 7th 2017
-
Ossia, by Quentin Darricau, festival Saxfest, Zurich, March 4th 2017
-
Tâtonnement, by the trio IAMA, unerhörte Musik, Berlin, February 21st 2017
-
Dehors, by the ensemble artéfacts, Átlátszó Hang Újzenei Fesztivál, Budapest, Hungary, January 7th 2017
-
- 2016 -
-
(Running a) business, by Aleksander Gabrys, Clermont-Ferrand, festival Musiques démesurées, November 3rd 2016
-
Tâtonnement, by Ulrich Isfort, Emily Wittbrodt and Matthieu Acar Herrenhaus, Edenkoben, May 29th 2016
-
Tâtonnement, by Ulrich Isfort, Emily Wittbrodt and Matthieu Acar, Villa Musica, Mainz, May 28th 2016
-
Tâtonnement, by Ulrich Isfort, Emily Wittbrodt and Matthieu Acar, Club Ebene Eins, Schifferstadt, May 27th 2016
-
L’assemblage du menteur, by Hayk Melikyan, Greek Embassy in Yerevan, Armenia, May 23rd 2016
-
Ossia, by Quentin Darricau, CRR de Boulogne-Billancourt, May 12th 2016
-
Gabriel reflété, by the ensemble Pianorizons, Athens, Goethe Institut, April 21st 2016
-
Incompatible(s) VIII, by the ensemble Artéfacts, Athens, Onassis Cultural Center, April 13th 2016
- “…de ce qui est en lutte…”, by Das Neue Ensemble, Hannover, Germany, March 6th 2016
- L'étoile de mer, by Das Neue Ensemble, Hannover, Germany, March 6th 2016
- “…de ce qui est en lutte…”, by Das Neue Ensemble, Strawinsky Saal, Donaueschingen, Germany, March 5th 2016
- Dehors, by the Ensemble Artéfacts, Reims, Scènes d’Europe, February 9th 2016
- “…de ce qui est en lutte…”, by Das Neue Ensemble, Hannover, Germany, January 1st 2016
- - 2015 -
- Sobre o amor perdido do laúde, by Vertixe Sonora, Centro Galego de Arte Contemporánea, September 22nd 2015
- My condition exempts me, by Vincent Daoud and Ensembles Linea and Proxima Centauri, SaxOpen festival, Strasbourg, July 11th 2015
- "...de ce qui est en lutte...", by das Neue Ensemble, at the Opus 52 Festival in Nizhniy Novgorod, Russia June 27th 2015
-
"...de ce qui est en lutte...", by das Neue Ensemble, Theaterhaus, Stuttgart, Sommer in Stuttgart Festival, June 14th 2015
-
Emak Bakia, by Earplay,Castro Theatre, San Francisco, San Francisco Silent Film Festival, May 31st 2015
-
Emak Bakia, by Earplay, ODC Theatre San Francisco, May 18th 2015
-
Dehors, by the Ensemble Artéfacts, Goethe Institut, Athens, March 30th 2015
-
What the wave meant, by Das Neue Ensemble, NDR, Hannovre, March 5th 2015
- - 2014 -
- L'étoile de mer, by the Boston New Music Initiative, Longy School of Music’s Pickman Hall, November 14th 2014
- Tropfblut, by the Ensemble Sequenza 9.3, Cité de la Musique, Paris, November 9th 2014
- Dehors, by the Ensemble Artéfacts, Thebes Women's State Prison, October 3rd 2014
- L’étoile de mer, by the Ensemble Alternance, Festival Pontino, Sermonetta, July 3rd 2014
- L’étoile de mer, by the NEC, Musée international de l’horlogerie, La-Chaux-de-Fonds, March 30th 2014
- What the wave meant, by the NEC, Musée international de l’horlogerie, La-Chaux-de-Fonds, March 30th 2014
- Incompatible(s) VII, by the Collectif Binoculaire, Musée de international l’horlogerie, La-Chaux-de-Fonds, March 30th 2014
- Incompatible(s) I, by the Collectif Binoculaire, Musée de international l’horlogerie, La-Chaux-de-Fonds, March 30th 2014
- Incompatible(s) VII, by the Collectif Binoculaire, Pasqu’art, Biel/Bienne, March 21st 2014
- Incompatible(s) I, by the Collectif Binoculaire, Pasqu’art, Biel/Bienne, March 21st 2014
- Incompatible(s) VII, by the Collectif Binoculaire, Pasqu’art, Biel/Bienne, March 20th 2014
- Incompatible(s) I, by the Collectif Binoculaire, Pasqu’art, Biel/Bienne, March 20th 2014
- Incompatible(s) IX, by the Athens State Orchestra, cond. Vassilis Christopoulos, Onassis Cultural Center, Athens, February 17th 2014
- What the wave meant, by Das Neue Ensemble, Kestner Gesellschaft, Hannover, January 1st 2014
- - 2013 -
- Digression, by the ensemble Sixtrum, Salle Bourgie, Montreal, December 8th 2013
- Incompatible(s) VIII, by the ensemble Artéfacts, Strasbourg, Hall des Chars, November 30th 2013
- De l'intérieur, éternel, terrestre, by Ensemble Phoenix Basel, Tonhalle Zurich, November 17th 2013
- Incompatible(s) III, by Lisa Cella, University of San Diego, San Diego, November 13th 2013
- Femme-tête-temps, by the ÖENM, World Music Days, Bratislava, November 12th 2013
- Incompatible(s) III, by Lisa Cella, Unruly Music festival, Milwaukee, October 4th 2013
- Incompatible(s) VI, by the ensemble Wild Rumpus, San Francisco, September 27th 2013
- De l'intérieur, éternel, terrestre, by the Ensemble Phoenix Basel, Hall-in-Tirol, September 13th 2013
- Fictif, by Elena Andreyev and Spyros Thomas, auditorium of the F. Chopin Conservatory, Paris, June 22nd 2013
- Bande Annonce, by the Ensemble Aleph, Théâtre du Dunois, Paris, June 4th 2013
- L'étoile de mer, by the Ergon Ensemble, "Dimitri Mitropoulos" Hall, Athens Megaron, Athens, May 14th 2013
- - 2012 -
- Court métrage, by the Ensemble DissonArt, "Solon Michailides" Hall, Thessaloniki, December 15th 2012
- Incompatible(s) V, by Pavlos Antoniadis, Hauskonzert, Konzertreihe von Freddy Knop and Andrew Noble, Berlin, December 9th 2012
- Incompatible(s) V , by Pavlos Antoniadis, at Trinity College, Dublin, November 15th 2012
- Incompatible(s) V , by Pavlos Antoniadis, London, Goldsmiths, University of London, center for Contemporary Music studies, November 13th 2012
- Femme - tête - temps, by the EnAccord String Quartet, Gaudeamus Music Week, September 4th 2012
- Incompatible(s) IIIb, by Lisa Cella, La Jolla, California, The athenaeum music & Arts Library, June 15th 2012
- Incompatible(s) V , by Pavlos Antoniadis, Dresden, Hochschule für Musik Carl Maria von Weber, June 13th 2012
- Incompatible(s) V , by Pavlos Antoniadis, IRCAM, festival Manifeste, June 8th 2012
- Incompatible(s) V , by Pavlos Antoniadis, Institut Français d'Athènes, Athens, March 5th 2012
- Femme tete temps, by the Arditti Quartet, St. Gilles church, London, January 25th 2012
- - 2011 -
- Femme – tête – temps, by the EnAccord Quartet, Institut néerlandais, Paris, December 8th 2011
- Incompatible(s) III, by Francesco Tomezzoli, Auditorium de France 3 Alsace, December 4th 2011
- Fast Forward, by the Texture Ensemble, Bergamo Musica Festival, November 26th 2011
- Amenable, by the Juventas New Music Ensemble, Old South Church in Copley Square Boston, September 11th
- Amenable, by the Juventas New Music Ensemble, The Boston Conservatory, Boston, September 10th 2011
- Incompatible(s) III, by Lisa Cella, auditorium of the city of Maccagno, July 14th 2011
- Mnésique, by the Divertimento Ensemble, Sermoneta, July 1st 2011
- What the wave meant, by ensemble l’Arsenale, Cloître de Santa Caterina, Treviso, June 23rd 2011
- Incompatible(s) IV, by Krista Martynes, About concert hall, Athens, Greece, May 28th 2011
- Incompatible(s) IV, by Krista Martynes, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Canada, May 17th 2011
- Four Flash Fear, by the ACME Ensemble, MATA festival, le Poission Rouge, New York, May 10th 2011
- Illusoire, by the Ensemble Proxima Centauri, Lopez de Ayala theatre, Badajoz, Spain, May 9th 2011
- What the wave meant, by the ECCE ensemble, Fenway Center, Boston, May 3rd 2011
- Ient, by the Divertimento Ensemble, Auditorium San Fedele, Milan, May 2nd 2011
- Illusoire, by the Ensemble Proxima Centauri, Villa Elisabeth, Berlin, Germany, April 9th 2011
- Femme – tête – temps, by the Kairos Quartet, Musikschule, St. Veit, March 13th 2011
- Femme – tête – temps, by the Kairos Quartet, Schömer Haus, Klosterneuburg, March 12h 2011
- Femme – tête – temps, by the Kairos Quartet, Jakob-Kirche, Berlin, March 9th 2011
- Illusoire, by the Ensemble Proxima Centauri, Bordeaux, Le Rocher de Palmer, March 2nd 2011
- - 2010 -
- Femme – tête – temps, by the ICP ensemble, Dunkerque, December 5th 2010
- Femme – tête – temps, by the ICP ensemble, Canterbury, December 4th 2010
- Sama, by the Ensemble Phorminx November 21st, 22nd , 23rd 2010, in Tübingen, Darmstadt and Nürtingen
- Amenable, by the Ensemble Aleph, Ljubljana, Slowind festival, Slovenska filharmonija, October 9th 2010
- What the wave meant, Juventas New Music Ensemble, Boston, MIT's Killian Hall, September 18th + 19th 2010
- Mnésique, by the Noise Ensemble, San Diego, June 19th 2010
- Mnésique, by the Divertimento Ensemble, Milano, May 26th 2010
- Mnésique, by the Divertimento Ensemble, Monza, May 22th 2010
- Amenable, by the Ensemble Aleph, Paris, Théâtre Dunois, May 22th 2010
- Mnésique, by the Ensemble Offspring, Sydney, ISCM World Music Days May 6th 2010
- Incompatible(s) IV (2010), by Valérie Guéroult, IRCAM, Espace de projection, Paris, April 2nd 2010
- Four Flash Fear, by the Hellenic Contempory Music Ensemble, Goethe Institut, Athens, January 21st 2010
- - 2009 -
- Quintette, by the Ensemble Klang, Gaudeamus Musik Week, September 9th 2009
- Incompatible(s) I-II-III, Volkshaus, Biel/Bienne, June 5th 2009
- Amenable, by the Ensemble Earplay, Herbst Theatre, San Francisco, May 20th 2009
- Occid, by Angelica Cathariou and the ensemble Idée fixe, Thessalonica, April 26th 2009
- Selon Elle, by Estelle Harbulot, Kreuz, Biel/Bienne, April 23rd 2009
- - 2008 -
- L’accordage du menteur, by Ancuza Aprodu, Auditorium St.Germain, Paris, December 6th 2008
- Mnésique, by the dédalo Ensemble, Brescia, November 24th 2008
- Four Flash Fear, by the InterEnsemble, at the Contemporanea festival, Udine, October 18th 2008
- Sama, by Keiko Murakami, Bern biennale, September 19th 2008
- Quintette, by the OENM, stART festival, Salzburg, June 13th & 14th 2008
- Mnésique, by the ensemble Cairn, Paris, June 13th 2008
- Selon Elle, by Julian Boutin, Paris, June 13th 2008
- Occid, by Carola Schlüter and the ensemble Abstraï, at the ZKM, Karlsruhe, April 25th 2008
- L’accordage du menteur, by Panos Demopoulos, in Thessaloniki, April 19th 2008
- Incompatible(s) I, by Megumi Tabuchi and Eloïse Labaume, in Bern, April 11th 2008
- L’accordage du menteur, at the centre Georges Gorse, by Spyros Thomas, April 5th 2008
- Sama, by Marilena Dori, at the Benaki Museum, Athens, March 16th 2008
- Amenable, by the soloists of the Orchestre de Tours, March 14th 2008
- What the wave meant, by the “Ensemble XX Jahrhundert”, cond. Peter Burwik, in Austria March 9th 2008
- L’accordage du menteur, at the Orléans Piano Competition, by Spyros Thomas, February 26th 2008
- Sama, by Sylvain Millepied, at the TNT theatre in Bordeaux, February 9th 2008
- Four Flash Fear, at the Kingstion University, by the Arditti String Quartet, February 15th 2008
- - 2007 -
- Sama, by Sylvain Millepied, at the 6th Forum de la jeune création, Paris, December 14th 2007
- Selon Elle, by Biliana Voutchkova, Auditum Festival, Sofia, Bulgaria October 2007
- Désaxé, by the Nouvel Ensemble Modern, cond. Lorraine Vaillancourt, Domaine Forget, Canada, August 2007
- Fictif, by Panos Demopoulos and Matthew Barney, University of York, UK, ICMSN conference, July 2007
- Amenable, by the Hwaun Ensemble, Seoul, South Korea, March 2007
- Fictif, by Alexandros Haralampous (cello) and Peggy Valma (piano), Athens, March 2007
- Ossia, by Pedro Bittencourt, at the ZKM (Kubus) in Karlsruhe, Germany, February 2007
Studies
Completed
- PhD in Composition, University of Montreal, class of Philippe Leroux and Denis Gougeon
- CURSUS 2 of computer music at the IRCAM. October 2010 – June 2012
- CURSUS 1 of computer music at the IRCAM. September 2009 – April 2010
- Master 2 in Music, university of Paris 8 (2009)
- Master in musical theatre composition, class of Georges Aperghis, at the Haute École des Arts, Bern (2009)
- Electro acoustic composition, class of Philippe Leroux, Blanc-Mesnil Conservatory (2009)
- Diploma of Composition, class of Philippe Leroux, Blanc-Mesnil Conservatory (2008)
- Master 1 Degree in Music, university of Paris 8 (2006)
- Bachelor’s degree in Computer-Aided Composition, university of Paris 8 (2005)
- Diploma of composition (2003), Ecole Normale de Musique de Paris, class of Michel Merlet
- Diploma of fugue (2002) Athens musical society conservatory, class of Yiannis Ioannidis
- Guitar soloist diploma (2001) Athenaeum conservatory, class of Evangelos Assimakopoulos
- Diploma of counterpoint (2000) Athens musical society conservatory, class of Yiannis Ioannidis
- Diploma of harmony (1998) Athens national conservatory, class of Yiannis Paraskevoudakis
Publications
Works
Croquis Strideurs, for eight instruments
(2022)
Written for the Birmingham Contemporary Music Group in May 2022, the work draws its inspiration from two sources:
‘croquis’ refers to the synesthesia drawings presented to me by the BCMG and that guided my whole approach, and ‘strideurs’ is taken from a poem by Arthur Rimbaud where he, in a synesthetic manner, describes all the vowels in the French alphabet.
Written for the same instrumentation as Iannis Xenakis' "Anaktoria", the piece pays homage to the great Greek composer, for the 100th anniversary of his birth.
Recording available here:
https://soundcloud.com/nicolastzortzis/croquis-strideurs-2022-for-eight-...
Sur Gaïda, for solo piano
(2022)
Written in July 2022, the work is dedicated to François-Bernard Mâche, since it is based on material from his electronic work "Gaïda". Written for the IMS Congres in Athens, for pianist Lorenda Ramou
Étude N.1, for solo piano
(2022)
Written in August 2022, this first Étude for piano is an attempt to experiment on fluidity and different aspects of it, while trying to apply the same methodology on pitch and rhythm material.
After they’d fled from their duty to fight, for bass flute
(2021)
Written between October 2020 and February 2021, the piece draws its inspiration from the current political situation around the world, that sees many “leaders” arrive at high positions of power in order to serve their personal interests for a short period of time, not caring about the vast majority of society and its long-term well-being.
The music imagines a situation where these “leaders” are no longer revered and the people try to come up with a new idea of what a government could be: Ideas are discussed, some are developed, some are rejected. There are conflicts, disagreements, alliances, contradictions, and the end result is in no way guaranteed, the essence of the whole procedure being the will to take a risk and try out something different, even if it were to lead to a failure.
Written for and dedicated to the great flutist that is Lisa Cella, whom I deeply thank for her support and dedication.
Infiniment plus large que l’amour, for flute, clarinet, violin, cello, piano and conductor
(2021)
Collective work, written for and with Das Neue Ensemble Hannover
Gravitationnel, hommage à Karl Schwarzschild, for eight instruments
(2021)
A tribute to the physicist Karl Schwarzschild, for his contribution to the study of black holes. Musically, the idea is to imagine a piece of music passing through a black hole and slowing down considerably, since time is greatly dilated.
Commissioned by Court-Circuit and Das Neue Ensemble Hannover
Tangence, electronic music for a performance/installation with photographer Laure Samama
(2021)
Vents Contraires, for male voice and instruments
(2021)
Written for the Athens Opera's "A Greek Song Book" project to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the Greek revolution against the Ottomans, the piece sets to music five letters from the country's first governor, Ioannis Kapodistrias. Dedicated to Kornilios Selamsis and Marcin Habela
Identités B, for eight instruments
(2021)
A short piece written for the Dissonart ensemble, intended for the JNF/NFT market
No one new around you, for clarinet, saxophone and percussion
(2020)
Written between May and July 2020, the piece describes a journey through fleeting moments, ideally fun but that do not leave their mark, a person running around in circles without any real will to break out, up until the moment when they feel fed up and also find an actual good reason to do so.
Dedicated to the ensemble Artéfacts and to Georges Aperghis
Appui, for solo trombone
(2020)
Forgé sous la forme que tu portes, for three pianists on a piano
(2020)
A study of piano playing and how to sculpt the resonance of the instrument with one's own fingers.
Written for the trio Pythia, Mytro Akrivou, Iro Menegou, Thaleia Papadopoulou.
Identités, for cello and piano
(2020)
A study of the notion of identity as a fluid, ever-changing and ambiguous entity that has no interest in settling.
Written for Konstantinos Sfetsas and Stefanos Thomopoulos
Reportage (2019) for piano and cooking pot
(2022)
Dedicated to Maria Paz Santibañez, as a way to support the struggling people of Chile
Member, for baritone saxophone without mouthpiece
(2019)
Written for Don-Paul Kahl, the work explores the possibilities of playing the saxophone without a mouthpiece, while telling a story of a person that losts its limb in an accident
Immobilités, for female voice and five musicians
(2019)
Written between June and July 2019, the work is based on five poems by Camille Bloomfield, written especially for the occasion. The texts speak about the real, symbolic, psychological or imaginary “immobilities” that a woman goes through today, whether in her personal, professional or emotional life.
The music “stages” the texts, creating the framework that will allow for a better comprehension of the situations described, like a sound theatre made for the radio.
Intended for Muriel Ferraro, Laurent Cuniot and the ensemble TM+, the work is dedicated to them and to Anne Montaron, whom I deeply wish to thank.
Reportage, for piano and pan
(2019)
Written for Maria-Paz Santibañez, the work denounces the police brutality in Chile during the protests in 2019, asking for more liberty and dignity
No means no, for fixed sounds
(2019)
Written for the After Cage festival in Pamplona, the work is a cry against rape culture.
Luminoso per uno, for one saxophone player and electronics
(2018)
The piece takes the material of "Lumineux", this time for one player. Written for and dedicated to Michele Bianchini, for his debut CD
Arbitraire, for flute, saxophone, violin and cello
(2018)
Written for the Ensemble Vertixe Sonora, the piece is an arbitrary, nihilistic collage of pre-existing materials.
...à une main, hommage à Roger Federer, for violin and six musicians
(2018)
Written between August and December 2018, the work is inspired by the playing style of tennis player Roger Federer, to whom my music owes a lot, over several years.
Written for the extraordinary Alexandra Greffin-Klein, this music is dedicated to her and to Philippe Hurel, director of the ensemble Court-Circuit.
Lumineux, for saxophone quartet
(2017)
Inspired by a recording of Georges Aperghis’ “Signaux”, the work wants to recreate the same ambiance using only acoustic means, which explains the generalized use of multiphoncs.
Written between July and September 2017 for the Ensemble du Bout du Monde, the piece is heartedly dedicated to the musicians of the ensemble and to Georges Aperghis, without whom this music would have never existed
Contre tous, hommage à Nikos Galis, for piano and orchestra
(2017)
Written between June and November 2017, the piece is a tribute to Nick Gkalis, the legendary Greek basketball player, whose presence overturned the hierarchy of his sport on a global level and inspired a whole generation, myself included.
Stroemen I, for Fixed media, live electronics and video
(2017)
Treillis, for six musicians and video projection
(2017)
Commissionned by the Onassis Cultural Center for the ensemble Artéfacts, the work explores the history of the Dourgouti neighborhood in Athens, from the 1920's to the present day.
(Running a) Business, hommage à Tony Soprano, for solo double bass
(2016)
A man fighting against his demons, his multiple roles, his fears, depression, society. Written between November 2015 and June 2016, the piece is dedicated to Aleksander Gabrys
Les mystères du château du Dé, for five musicians, video projection and a plate of cheese
(2016)
Based on an analysis of Man Ray’s film of the same name, the piece presents a music whose link to the images is rather hidden, if not incoherent, respecting the film maker’s surreal approach.
Written between July and November 2016, the piece is dedicated to Stephan Meier and the musicians of Das Neue Ensemble
Incrusté/eingelegt, for five musicians, video projection and stage actions
(2016)
Music based on a video by artist Sascha Hahn, written for the ensemble soundinitiative.
Emak Bakia, for five musicians, video projection and a man in a suit
(2015)
Based on the 1926 Man Ray film of the same name, the work tries to recreate the surrealist environment of the images. The music is at certain moments accompanied by a text, and also by some on-stage actions, without an apparent relation between the various elements. Commissioned by the ensemble Earplay, for its 30th anniversary.
Watch on youtube
"...de ce qui est en lutte...", for flute, clarinet, violin, cello and piano
(2015)
“…de ce qui est en lutte…” is inspired by a fragment by Heraclitus on harmony, where the philosopher claims that the best consonance comes from elements that are in discord with each other. The piece can be listened to as a theatrical game, where three actors take turns performing two roles, leaving always one on the side, charged with the task to act out the décor. As each role passes from one actor to the other, it is adapted to the actor’s voice, physique and personality, while, at the same time, it keeps evolving as a character, regardless of who the actor is. Based on a recent very intense personal experience, the piece is written for and dedicated to Stephan Meier and the Neue Ensemble Hannover.
Tâtonnement, for violin, cello and piano
(2015)
An erotic game that ends differently…
Written between July and August 2015, the piece is dedicated to Natassa Chintzoglou.
Sobre o amor perdido do laúde, for flute, saxophone, violin, percussion, harp and piano
(2015)
A piece based on "Apolesi Laoutou Erota", written for the Ensemble Vertixe Sonora
Incompatible(s) IX, hommage à Nikos Mamangakis, for large orchestra
(2014)
Written between October 2013 and January 2014, it is the last of the “Incompatible(s)” and “transcribes” to the orchestra some ideas found throughout the whole cycle, while adding some new ones, especially as far as orchestration and construction of timbre are concerned. Homage to Nikos Mamangakis, a personality that has influenced me in a profound way, both artistically and personally. The piece was written, for its most part, during my residency at the Herrenhaus in Edenkoben, and is dedicated to Konrad Stahl and Peter Eötvös who offered me this remarkable opportunity.
Alk for female voice, 14 musicians and live electronics
(2014)
A woman in a country ar war. She prays to God, but he is not responding. Written between February and March 2014, the piece is based on a text by Kelly Partsounidou and on fragments taken from the Bible, the Torah and the Quran.
Dehors, for six musicians and live electronics
(2014)
Within a limited space, repeated actions close in on themselves, while elsewhere, life goes on…Written between June and August 2014, the piece is dedicated to the Artéfacts ensemble.
Απόλεση Λαούτου Έρωτα (Apolesi Laoutou Erota), for solo guitar
(2014)
A couple that has trouble communicating, an internal conflict that eventually comes out in the open. Started in August 2013 but mainly written between August and September 2014, the piece is dedicated to two friends that I’ve met thanks to the guitar, Andreas Karakatsanis and Nikos Avramopoulos.
My condition exempts me, hommage à Rahsaan Roland Kirk, for tenor saxophone, ensemble and electronics
(2014)
Written for saxophone soloist Vincent Daoud, the work is inspired by the legendary jazzman Rahsaan Roland Kirk
Bande Annonce, pour clarinette, violon, violoncelle, percussion et piano (2013)
« Bande Annonce » is a miniature, written for the 30th Anniversary of the ensemble Aleph. It must be played at the beginning of the concert, as it is a trailer of what will follow.
L'étoile de mer, for flute, bass clarinet, violin, cello, piano and video projection (2013)
Incompatible(s) VII, for flute, bass clarinet, violin, viola, cello and harp
(2013)
A portrait of Eva and Maria, along with thoughts on happiness and other various subjects.
Tropfblut, for 16 voices
(2013)
Based on texts by German poet August Stramm, who died at the front during the first World War.
Incompatible(s) VIII,for bass clarinet, violin, viola, vibraphone and a flutist
(2013)
The final chapter od the musical theatre performance "Incompatible(s)". The voice of a dead man and the insincere excuses of a housewife
L'étoile de mer, pour flûte, clarinette basse, violon, violoncelle, piano et projection vidéo (2013)
Bande Annonce, for clarinet, violin, cello, percussion and piano (2013)
|
“Bande Annonce” is a miniature written for the ensemble Aleph to celebrate its 30th anniversary. The piece, which must be played at the beginning of the concert, gives the audience a summary of what will follow, in fast forward mode. |
L'accrochage du menteur, pour piano seul (2013)
Short piano piece, based on ideas on finds in "Court métrage" and the 2nd version of "Incompatible(s) V"
Incompatible(s) VI, for bass clarinet, violin, cello and harp (2013)
A teacher, a student and the evolution of their relationship is the heart of the piece. Other “characters” appear along the way, most of them just passing by, as if on was watching several television shows at the same time, but without losing the thread of the basic storyline.
Incompatible(s) V, for silent piano and live electronics
(2011-2012)
Incompatible(s) V, for silent piano and live electronics
(2011-2012)
Dissociating action from result, image from sound. New approach to polyphonic complex writing. An instrument whose sound changes constantly. An open form decided by the computer. Parasite sounds revealed thanks to technology. Orchestration by microphony. Machine looking to devour man.
Recording of version 1.1.
Duration: 16 - 40 min.
...de l'intérieur, éternel, terrestre, for 13 musicians
(2012)
Based on the following citation from the German poet Jean Paul:
“If the past and the future of the heart now run together in the tones, and the present, which separates the two, is missing, then they are the earthly echo
of eternity, and we hear nothing outside of ourselves, but only our own inner and eternal selves.”
Court métrage, for seven musicians (2012)
Inspired by the techniques of film editing and the speed at which the shots follow each other, the piece is a rapid succession of contradictory, complementary, premonitory or explicatory images, like a story unfolding, but not from beginning to end.
Incompatible(s) V, for silent piano and live electronics
(2011-2012)
Digression, for six percussionists (2012)
The piece simulates the physical modelling timbre changes of "Incompatible(s) V" onto purely acoustical instruments, using unconventional beaters.
Ient, for voice and 12 musicians
(2011)
A woman. She sings her absolute love for an absent, distant and unavailable man. Written between January and April 2011, the piece is based on the female part from the “Song of Songs”, in a French, Italian and English translation. Commissioned by the Divertimento Ensemble. Published by Editions Suvini Zerboni.
Duration: ca. 13 min.
Illusoire, for bass flute, baritone saxophone, percussion and piano
(2011)
A magician waves a hand in front of his audience, doing a conjuring trick with his other hand. The work, written between May and October 2010, seeks to create illusions by disguising some actions and surprising the audience with their outcome, or by drawing attention to red herrings that mislead and dazzle.
Commissioned by the French government for the ensemble Proxima Centauri.
Published by Editions Suvini Zerboni.
Duration: ca. 11 min.
Femme-tête-temps, for string quartet
(2010)
Written between January and February 2009, and then between August and October 2010, the work is inspired by the speed at which the human mind thinks, especially when one is in an alarming state.
Published by Editions Suvini Zerboni.
Based on "Femme-tête-corps-temps" for violin and cello, and on "Trio à cordes".
Duration: ca. 9 min.
Incompatible(s) IV, for bass clarinet and electronics
(2010)
Composed between January and March 2010, the piece is the forth part of a series of pieces that deal with the question of incompatibility. How to make things that are not supposed to belong together, coexist, how does one make playable, things that are a priori contradictory, how does one create links between independent textures, all that as part of a polyphonic discourse, that allows every voice to be heard?
Duration: ca. 7:30 min.
Rop, for female voice and five musicians
(2009)
A woman. Her boyfriend hasn’t called for several days. Now she talks to her best friend and wonders why.
Based on a text proposition by actress Kelly Partsounidou, who I thank deeply.
Commissioned by the Ensemble Phorminx
No recording available
Duration: ca. 12 min.
L'assemblage du menteur, for solo piano
(2009)
Written in December 2009, the piece is a collection of three miniatures of very contrasting character, that mostly focus on the issue of articulation, with or without the help of the pedals.Especially in the 2nd miniature, the fingers act as a pedal, helping the instrument’s resonance evolve in time, at specific rhythms, so that the resonance has a phrasing of its own. In addition, and in order to achieve the legatissimo required without the use of the pedal, silent finger changes are necessary at several points. Attention is also drawn to the way keys are released, thus making the end of the sound an important element of the music. Commissioned by the Val Tidone Music Competitions. Published by Berben.
Duration: ca. 5 min.
Incompatible(s) III /IIIb, for flutist
(2009)
Written between March and April 2009, the work is a musical theatre piece around one female flutist, tortured by something in her head that she needs to reveal, since she can no longer hold it in.
The whole work is based on the idea of “going towards something else”, coming back each time, leaving again, and so on, before reaching the moment of the revelation, getting rid of the “load” she’s been carrying, but thus entering another vicious circle.
Duration: ca. 11 min.
Incompatible(s) I, for bass clarinet and harp
(2008)
Written between December 2007 and March 2008, the work is a musical theatre piece inspired by press conferences of a famous American politician.
A harpist, placed in the middle of the stage, and a clarinet player, standing right behind her, form a two-headed instrument, of often contradictory natures, and work on their complementary aspects, as well as their points of disagreement.
The voices and the sounds are mixed, the music changes gradually, while the harpist, freed from her instrument, invites us to stay and watch a much larger show. Or maybe not…
Dedicated to Megumi Tabuchi and Eloïse Labaume
Duration: ca. 10 min.
Quintette, for alto saxophone, baritone saxophone, percussion, electric guitar and piano
(2008)
Written in 2008 for a dance project, Quintette is a sort of study of textures and ways to connect different elements together, vertically or horizontally. The rhythmical writing sets the character for each section, moving from dense cluster-like polyphonies to multi layered gestural patterns that run through the whole ensemble.
Commissioned by the stART festival of Salzburg.
Duration: ca. 11min.
Occid, for female voice and five musicians
(2008)
(fl/Gfl, Cl, BarSax, Perc, Vlc)
Written between January and February 2008, based on a text by Elpis Tzortzi, the piece deals with a woman that has trouble getting out of an abusive relationship with an alcoholic partner. This incapacity to move forward is the main idea of the music that, even if it sometimes gives the impression of moving towards something different, always comes back to its starting point, although changed every time.
Commissioned by the ZKM, Karlsruhe
Duration: ca. 8 min.
Mnésique, for five musicians
(2008)
(flute/bass flute, clarinet/bass clarinet, violin, cello and piano)
Written between March and May 2008, the work is inspired by the notion of short-term memory and tries to put some of its characteristics into music.
A large amount of small musical objects succeed one another rapidly, without having the time to fully establish themselves. These objects come back eventually, always changed, like distorted and uncertain memories.
Published by Editions Suvini Zerboni.
Duration: ca. 7:30min.
Incompatible(s) II, for bass clarinet, percussion, double bass, flutist and two violinists
(2008)
Incompatible(s) II is the second part of a musical theatre performance that deals with things that are not supposed to be together, but that find (?) their way to coexist, despite their differences.
The instrumental playing, the spoken text, the body movements and the entering and leaving of the musicians search for an explanation in a constant back-and-forth between linear narration, heterogeneous juxtapositions and contradictory actions. Promises are not always kept, answers are not always precise, and we don’t know whether the end is definite or whether the work could go on.
Duration: ca. 10 min.
Désaxé , for ten musicians
(2007)
(Cl/BCl, Bsn, Hrn, Trp, Trb, Prc, Vln, Vla, Vlc, Cb)
Written between May and July 2007, the work is an almost uninterrupted flow of different sound events that follow each other at great speed, like a person that tries to think but is constantly troubled and disturbed by its surroundings and its own anxieties.
Duration: ca. 7 min.
Four Flash Fear, for string quartet
(2007)
Written between September and October 2007, the work is inspired by the idea of fear and the various some human reactions that one can attribute to it.
Commissioned by the Greek Composers Union
Duration: ca. 9 min.
What the wave meant, for six musicians
(2005-2007)
(Fl/GFl/Picc, Cl/BCl, Vln, Vla, Vlc, Pno)
Written between September 2005 and August 2007, after many interruptions, the work is first of all homage to the Canadian composer Andrew Svoboda, who died in 2004, at the age of 27 years old.
The music tries to deal with the subject of death and some of the reactions caused by the loss.
Duration: ca. 15 min.
L’accordage du menteur, for solo piano
(2005-2007)
« L’accordage du menteur » is a series of piano miniatures, a “work in progress” in the form of a journal, where are notated the ideas that interest me at different times. The first three miniatures, written in 2005, are basically a research on rhythm, while the 4th focuses more on harmony and its resonances. The 5th, up to now the last one, is an almost uninterrupted chain of small musical gestures, like promises that are sometimes kept, but sometimes not.
Dedicated to Spyros Thomas
Duration: ca. 8:30 min.
Selon Elle, for (electric) violin and electronics
(2006)
Written between October and December 2006, the work is based on a poem by Kleio Lappa, whose voice we hear on the CD. The music is built upon the organic succession of some physical and instrumental gestures, just like in a text, where words follow one another to form ambiguous phrases. The violinist plays sounds of constant evolution, in a continuous game between the two hands, the fingers and the strings, the man and the machine.
Duration: ca. 5:30 min.
Ossia , for one saxophone player and electronics
(2006)
Written between May and September 2006, Ossia is dedicated to Pedro Bittencourt, who gave the first performance, in the ZKM, in Karlsruhe.
Duration: ca. 11 min.
Amenable, for clarinet, violin, cello and piano, with or without percussion
(2006-2008)
Convictions/ thoughts developed around them/ and then /doubts/one questions himself/pushed by the will to change opinion/ to learn/open to everything/maybe going back to the starting point/but changed/richer/and always open…Commissioned by Densité 93
Work selected for the 6th Forum of the ensemble Aleph
Duration: ca. 11 min.
Fictif, for cello and piano
(2004)
Written between February and April 2004, the work finds its inspiration in the way some film directors tell their stories, true or fictional.
Four sections, all of which use a common “theme”, succeed one another and try to create completely different situations, by always transforming this “theme”. In each section one hears elements that foretell the music that follows, like in a movie where independent stories meet for a few seconds and then go on their way.
Duration: circa 8:30 min.
Senza Memoria , for trumpet, trombone, tuba, percussion and piano
(2005)
Written between February and May 2005, the work is the uninterrupted succession of five miniatures, all of which vary in character, but derive from one basic idea, that of the gesture of the pianist’s hand moving up or down on the keyboard.
This gesture is the nucleus of the whole piece and takes various forms, giving birth to different musical situations: Dense polyphony, constant fluctuations on repeated notes, chord interpolations that start homorhythmically to gradually move towards a generalized hetero-rhythmic texture, and granular passages on the upper register that become descending arpeggios covering the whole range of the piano. The use of noise is also a part of the work, especially in the fourth miniature, where the main gesture takes a completely abstract form and becomes a series of breathings by the brass players.
The title refers to the rapid succession of ideas that takes place during the piece. No idea has the time to “settle down”, the work constantly moving towards new directions. Everything seems “passing by”, like things that we see everyday, but don’t get the opportunity to spend more time with, and finally forget.
Duration: ca. 6:30 min.
Immune, for solo cello
(2004)
Written in August and September 2004, the work is inspired by the lyrics of Eddie Vedder in the song “Indifference”, and closely related to my previous work, « Fictif », for cello and piano. “I will swallow poison, until I grow immune” sings Vedder, and the piece takes this image to create extreme situations using noise, highly dense passages, but also moments of absolute immobility, like a body that is no longer affected by its surroundings, or even by its prior suffering.
My thanks to Séverine Ballon, for her help during the composition of this work.
Duration: ca. 10min.
Sama, for solo flute
(2003)
Written in October 2003, “Sama” (alone, in polish) could be considered a « theme with variations », the first two systems being the theme. Based on its elements, we later hear different sequences that try to bring out the flute’s vast possibilities.
Emphasis is given on the opposition between noise and pure sound, on the confrontation of registers and dynamics and on the gradual transition from one state to the other
Duration: ca. 6 min.
Gabriel reflété, for two pianos
(2003)
Written between March and May 2003 for Maria Paz Santibañez, the work deals with the coexistance of independant layers, foretelling ideas that would be developped in later works.
No recording available
Duration: ca. 9 min.
Alliance – Collision, for flute, cello and piano
(2002)
Written in 2002, the work is divided into three parts, the first and the last being aggressive, percussive and full of movement, while the middle one is static, calm and almost suspended.
During the whole piece the instruments either collide, contradicting one another, or form alliances, by using the same musical material, giving birth to homogenous sections.
Commissioned by the Athens Megaron
Duration: circa 9 min.
Four Sylvia Plath songs, for mezzo soprano and viola
(2001-2002)
Written between November 2001 and January 2002, after a suggestion by Theodor Antoniou, these four songs, written for an uncommon duo, bring together two melodic “instruments” that try to create musical situations directly related to the used texts.
The strong imagery in Sylvia Plath’s poems forms the basis for the material of the viola. The voice plays the role of the narrator that tells the stories, while the viola player incarnates the depicted personas. Anxiety, loss of memory, disappointment, tranquillity, insomnia, acquiescence and loss of balance are some of the emotional states that the instrumentalist goes through, while the singer remains often inconsiderate towards his suffering. The interpreters operate independently; the viola rarely accompanies the song, thus creating great contrasts that finally bring out the few moments of unity.
Duration: ca. 17 min.