Tribute to Michalis Adamis

Alternative Stage founding donor

Alternative Stage sponsor: PPC (Public Power Company)

The Greek Composers Union presents a great tribute to composer and musicologist Michalis Adamis (1929-2013), one of the most important exponents of modern Greek music and a trailblazer in electronic music. The event will take place on the Alternative Stage of the Greek National Opera at the SNFCC on 22 and 23 May 2023, at 20.30, and admission will be free. The tribute consists of two concerts, which will feature pieces by Michalis Adamis and other celebrated contemporary composers. Additionally, there will be an announcement and award ceremony for the winning entry of the electronic music composition competition organized by the Greek Composers Union to honor this pioneering creator.

The first concert (22/5) will present Michalis Adamis’ pieces Proschimata and Paegma, as well as the works of the electronic music composition competition finalists.

The programme of the second concert (23/5) includes the presentation of Michalis Adamis’ piece Metallic Sculptures III, along with other works by composers Christos Anastasiou, Andreas Mniestris, Joseph Papadatos, and Eleni Skarkou. It will be followed by the announcement and award ceremony of the winning entry of the electronic music composition competition. The concert will conclude with the world premiere of Michalis Adamis’ piece Triplokon for saxophone and magnetic tape, to be performed by Thanasis Zervas. The concert will be preceded by an event at 19.00  discussing Michalis Adamis contribution to electronic music, with the participation of Thanasis Adamis, Anastasia Georgaki, Thanasis Zervas, Thodoris Karathodoros, Apostolos Loufopoulos, Andreas Mniestris, Dora Panagopoulou, and Joseph Papadatos.

“The pursuit of new means of expression was an inextricable part of Michalis Adamis’ creative adventure. This is confirmed by his fertile connection with electronic music. Indeed, the composer’s electronic pieces not only prove that electronic sounds are well-suited for the realisation of his musical ideas, but that they are also capable of reinvigorating his musical thought and stimulating his overall compositional perception. Adamis undoubtedly manages to create an original electro-acoustic soundscape, leaving a distinct artistic mark on contemporary art music. He explores the texture and sculpts the timbres with special sophistication, masterfully maintaining a balance between diverse sound sources. Michalis Adamis’ electronic pieces bring out the key idea and principles that define them: the enthusiastic interaction of the musical idea with the musical act, along with a groundbreaking understanding of the sound of music and its transformation throughout all the compositional stages”, notes musicologist and composer Thodoris Karathodoros.

Below you can find the tribute’s detailed programme:

Wednesday 22 May 2024

Starts at: 20.30

Opening address by Joseph Papadatos, President of the Greek Composers Union  

Michalis Adamis: Proschimata (1964)

4-6 works of the finalists of the “Michalis Adamis” Electro-acoustic/Electronic Music Composition

Michalis Adamis: Paegma (1976)

Thursday 23 May 2024

The event starts at: 19.00

The concert starts at: 20.30

Event/Discussion: With the participation of Thanasis Adamis (son of composer Michalis Adamis), Anastasia Georgaki (Professor of Music Technology – President of the Department of Music Studies at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens), Thanasis Zervas (composer – saxophone soloist – Professor at the Department of Music Science and Art of the University of Macedonia), Thodoris Karathodoros (musicologist – composer), Apostolos Loufopoulos (Associate Professor at the Department of Audio and Visual Arts of the Ionian University), Andreas Mniestirs (Professor of Electronic Music Composition at the Department of Music Studies of the Ionian University), Dora Panagopoulou (composer – music educator), Joseph Papadatos (Professor of Musical Composition at the Department of Music Studies of the Ionian University– President of the Greek Composers Union)

Concert:

Michalis Adamis: Metallic Sculptures ΙΙΙ (1972)

Christos Anastasiou: Prudentia, opus 145 (2024) for electroacoustic mixed music and string quartet in two parts

Andreas Mniestris: Free Associations: Jungle… (2013)

Joseph Papadatos: … an eternal shaping of the moment (2024)

Eleni Skarkou: Catharsis (2024)

^*Announcement of the award-winning piece

Michalis Adamis: Triplokon (2009) for soprano and alto saxophone (solo performer) and magnetic tape – world premiere

Thanasis Zervas (saxophone)

With the support of the Ministry of Culture and in collaboration with the Greek National Opera

Website: adamiscompetition.gr