PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
A diverse musical journey through the keys of a piano. Featuring beloved classical works—primarily from the Romantic repertoire—some of which evoke the park’s aquatic elements and others composed for the pianist’s left hand alone, the program concludes with selections from the worlds of jazz, film music, and Latin American tango.
PROGRAM DETAILS
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F. Chopin – Ballade No. 1
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F. Schubert – F. Liszt – Gretchen am Spinnrade
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F. Schubert – F. Liszt – Aus dem Wasser zu singen
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M. Ravel – Ondine
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S. Rachmaninoff – Moment Musical No. 4
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A. Scriabin – Prelude for the Left Hand
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F. Blumenfeld – Étude for the Left Hand
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E. Morricone – Playing Love
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A. Piazzolla – Café 1930
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G. Gershwin – 3 Preludes
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W.A. Mozart – F. Say – Alla Turca Jazz
BIOGRAPHY
Born in Karditsa, pianist Apostolos Palios has been described as a “remarkable pianist” (Cyprien Katsaris) and “an unusually gifted, communicative, and dedicated musician with great finesse, expressiveness, and artistic presence” (Yonty Solomon). A Piano Diploma and Advanced Theory graduate of the Municipal Conservatory of Larissa, he pursued further studies in the Music Academies of Berlin and Leipzig with G. Sava and M. Tomas, earning a soloist diploma and master’s degree with highest honors and distinction. He also studied chamber music and orchestral conducting.
Palios has trained with distinguished artists such as Aldo Ciccolini, Murray Perahia, Cyprien Katsaris, Yonty Solomon, Roberto Szidon, and Yorgos Hadjinikos. He holds a Ph.D. with distinction from the Department of Music Studies at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA).
He has been awarded scholarships from the I. Kostopoulos Foundation, the World in Harmony Foundation, the State of Saxony, the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, and the Greek State Scholarships Foundation (IKY). He is a prize-winner of several international piano, chamber music, and composition competitions in Greece, Germany, Italy, and Spain. He has received an honorary mention from the Academy of Athens and the Gina Bachauer Award from the World in Harmony Foundation.
The Greek Association of Theatre and Music Critics has named him Best Young Artist of the Year and awarded him Best Album by a Greek Artist. As a soloist, he has performed in major festivals and venues across Greece and abroad (Germany, UK, France, Spain, Austria, Russia, Norway, Romania, Cyprus, Turkey, Egypt, Chile, USA), including some of the world’s most prestigious concert halls: Berlin Philharmonie, Vienna Konzerthaus, New York’s Carnegie Hall, Oslo Philharmonic Hall, Auditorio de Falla in Granada, and the Athens Concert Hall (Megaron).
His recordings include releases with Naxos, among others. He has performed with all major Greek orchestras and notable international ensembles, including the Berlin Symphony Orchestra and the Orquesta Ciudad de Granada. He has also premiered numerous works. A former member of the Aurora Piano Quartet (Germany) and the contemporary music group Ergon Ensemble, he currently teaches piano at the University of Macedonia and NKUA, and has served as Artistic Director of the international concert series Young Classics.
