Program Description
The Journey
A melodic voyage through piano compositions by Savvas Savva, infused with the essence of Cyprus. A musical odyssey that highlights the beauty and contrasts of the island.
The journey begins at Petra tou Romiou, the Aphrodite' s Rock, and continues in the rain from the Kantara Castle, with the Macedonian Dance, closely resembling the traditional Cypriot music, and reaches the Famagusta Gate, evoking memories of Cyprus’s medieval past.
BIOGRAPHY
Savvas Savva was born in Nicosia, Cyprus. He studied piano, harmony, and counterpoint at the Hellenic Conservatory of Nicosia under Olga Mavronikola (piano) and Kostas Ioannides (theory). He continued his studies at the Hellenic Conservatory of Athens, focusing on orchestration and arrangement with Anastasios Remoundos. With a state scholarship, he pursued advanced studies at the Tchaikovsky State Conservatory in Moscow, where he studied piano with Rima Anatolyevna Khananina and composition with Albert Symeonovich Lehmann. He graduated with diplomas in composition and musicology. During his time in Moscow, he won First Prize in three consecutive national piano improvisation competitions—an unprecedented achievement in the competition’s history. He has performed extensively in Cyprus and abroad, including in Mexico, Australia, Italy, Spain, Russia, the United Kingdom, Greece, Germany, and Austria. He represented Cyprus at two Biennales of Young Artists in Bologna and Barcelona, receiving outstanding reviews for his talent and professionalism. Savva has composed music in a wide range of genres and forms and collaborated with numerous artists and composers internationally. His works have been performed by renowned orchestras and ensembles such as the Moscow Academic Orchestra, Athens Municipality Orchestra, Romanian National Radio Orchestra, Jenaer Philharmonie, Cyprus Symphony Orchestra, Bulgarian National Radio Symphony Orchestra, Duke University Symphony Orchestra, Trio Athens, Camerata Europaea, and the Choir and Orchestra of Stockholm and St. Petersburg, among others. He has composed scores for a large number of films, documentaries, and theatrical productions, and maintains an extensive classical repertoire. His compositions include 7 symphonies, 3 piano concertos, concertos for violin, cello, and clarinet, solo piano works, chamber music, 2 ballets, an opera, and a wide variety of other works. Notably, he composed the Concerto for 10 Pianos and Orchestra: Medieval Cyprus and the Dance Suite for 10 Pianos: Dances and Songs of My Homeland. He was awarded First Prize by the Cyprus Theatre Organization for his music in Alexander Pushkin’s Little Tragedies. In October 2005, he was included in the prestigious Steinway Artists roster by Steinway & Sons, an honor that reflects both his personal artistry and Cyprus’s musical presence on the global stage. Since 2005, Savvas has served as president of the Cyprus Centre of Contemporary Composers.
