French composers have always had a fondness for Spanish music. As part of this year’s tribute to works inspired by the captivating Spanish temperament, the Symphony Orchestra of the Municipality of Athens presents the Symphonie Espagnole, the celebrated virtuoso masterpiece by Édouard Lalo, which the composer dedicated to the legendary Spanish violin master Pablo de Sarasate. The Spanish dance element dominates the most popular Suite No. 1 from the opera Carmen by Georges Bizet, which his friend, Ernest Guiraud, arranged after the composer’s death.

Program

Édouard Lalo (1823-1892)

Symphonie Espagnole for Violin and Orchestra in D minor, Op. 21

1. Allegro non troppo
   2. Scherzando: Allegro molto
   3. Intermezzo: Allegretto non troppo
   4. Andante
   5. Rondo: Allegro

Georges Bizet (1838-1875)

Suite No. 1 from the opera Carmen

Christophoros Petridis, Violin
Conductor: Andreas Tselikas

Christoforos Petridis

Born in Thessaloniki, in 2004. At the age of 16, he graduated as an exceptional talent from the State Conservatory of Thessaloniki, receiving a Diploma with the highest honors and a Special Award, under the tutelage of Prof. Kostas Kampadais.

He won 14 first prizes in national and international competitions, grand prizes and honorary prizes in memory of famous Greek artists. He was honored with a full scholarship and today is pursuing his bachelor’s degree under the renowned violin soloist and teacher Prof. Kurt Nikkanen at the University of Pennsylvania, USA. In 2023, he made his debut at the Carnegie Hall and at Merkin Concert Hall in the USA. At the age of 12, he appeared as a soloist at the Glaserner Saal-Musikverein in Vienna, having won the Grand Prize and the Special Distinction “Best Beethoven Performance” at the International Competition “Grand Prize Virtuoso.”

He has performed as a soloist at the Thessaloniki Concert Hall at the age of 12, with the Thessaloniki Municipal Symphony Orchestra (Beethoven, Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 21), with the Athens State Orchestra and the Camerata Junior (P. Sarasate, Zigeunerweisen), with the Athens Municipal Symphony Orchestra (Sibelius, Violin Concerto), and with the Thessaloniki Municipal Symphony Orchestra (Wieniawski, Scherzo – Tarentelle). A landmark concert was his musical recital (and Podcast broadcast) at Megaron-the Athens Concert Hall in 2021, at the age of 16.

He has been praised by music critics for his sensitive and emotional interpretation as well as for his exceptional technical skills. He was selected for the 2022 International Violin Masterclass of Leonidas Kavakos, and in 2021 he won an annual scholarship for private lessons.

He represented Greece at the “14th International Wieniawski-Lipinski Competition” in Poland, 2018. He has participated in several music festivals (in Aegina, Lesvos, Nafplion).

Andreas Tselikas

His winning of the “Encouragement Award” at the International Competition for Young Conductors “Jean Sibelius” 2005 in Helsinki marked the beginning of his international career. Between 2000 and 2005 he won first prizes at the “Wiener Meisterkurse” for conductors in Vienna. He has been guest conductor to famous orchestras in Greece, Germany, Austria, Finland, Denmark, Romania, Albania, Ukraine, Portugal, Bulgaria, Cyprus, and the USA, in prestigious concert halls as the Konzerthaus in Vienna, the Finlandia Hall in Helsinki, the Radio House in Copenhagen, the Kiev Philharmonic Hall, the Odeon of Herodes Atticus, the Megaron-the Athens Concert Hall, the Thessaloniki Concert Hall, the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center, the Onassis Cultural Center, among others.

He is the Principal Conductor of the Athens Municipal Symphony Orchestra after having served as Associate Principal Conductor of the Greek National Opera. He has recorded for Subways and Parma Records. He has received international praising reviews of his numerous concerts.

He studied conducting and music composition at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna (with professors Leopold Hager, Erwin Acel, and Herbert Lauermann), and at the Hellenic American University with Theodore Antoniou. He had also studied cultural management at the Open University of Cyprus, advanced music theory, as well as violin with Nancy Bargerstock.

His works have been performed in Greece and abroad by various musical ensembles and orchestras. He teaches orchestral conducting at the Athens Conservatory.