Composition
My curiosity and interest in various music genres keep me too “distracted” to compose music that can be categorised in a particular movement or aesthetic. However, I believe that different influences can mold one’s personal language without disturbing its homogeneity and identity. I am fascinated by the ideas of deconstruction, “subjective interpretation”, distortion, and fusion of pre-existing material. My latest pieces are more concept-oriented and include text, hybrid vocal techniques, and multimedia. Each piece is constructed in the philosophy of a small universe, with its internal rules and balances. Composition is my internal need to communicate ideas or feelings, with the hope that they might add a tiny stone to the grand mosaic of the existing musical heritage.
Biography
Orestis was born in 1993 in Sitia and grew up in Edessa (northern Greece) where he took his first musical steps at the municipal music school with degrees in harmony, counterpoint, and clarinet. Traditional music in greek provincial areas is usually culturally stronger than the so-called western classical one; this dichotomy between two musical worlds was the norm during his upbringing and played an important role in his positive attitude towards various musical influences and ethnomusicology.
His academic studies include a Master’s in composition with Christos Samaras at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki where he graduated as a valedictorian (2011-2017) and Masters’s/Concert Exams in Music with Dieter Mack at the Lübeck University of Music (2017-2021). He is now a doctorate candidate at the Hamburg University of Music and Theatre as a scholar of the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), researching hybrid voice techniques in contemporary music theatre. His artistic and academic work is supervised by Gordon Kampe and Nina Noeske. He has participated in numerous digital-or-analogue masterclasses with renowned composers, such as Michael Finnissy, Oliver Schneller, Rebeca Saunders, Phillip Mainz, and Thomas Adés.
Prizes
2021| Premium Prize at the Possehl competition for new performative concepts| Lübeck
2021| 2nd Prize at the “Over the rainbow” composition competition for Human Rights| Vienna
2021| Finalist at the Toolbox Percussion composition competition| Hong Kong
2019| Finalist at the TONALi 2019 composition competition| Hamburg
2019| Finalist at the “Citta di Udine” international composition competition| Udine
2018| Brahms Festival Prize| Lübeck
2018| 1st Prize at the “Spring days of contemporary music” composition competition| Weimar
2018| 1st Prize at the 1st Kr. Penderecki composition competition for young composers| Krakau
2018| Public award for best short children’s book for “Apenanti” by Thodoris Papaioannou| Athens
2016| 2nd Prize (1st not awarded) at the “Giorgos Sisilianos” composition competition| Athens
2016| Excellence from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
2015| Special Prize by the Hellenic Choir Association| Athens
2015| Semifinalist at the international composition competition “Maurice Ravel”| Bergamo
2015| 1st Prize at the 6th International Antonin Dvorak composition competition| Prague
Commissions, collaborations
Greek National Opera| Athens State Orchestra| Hamburger Symphoniker| Toolbox percussion| Unerhörte Musik Berlin| Athens Festival| Voci Contra Tempo| Possehl Stiftung| Petersburg Art Space Berlin| MHL Orchester| Praga Sinfonietta| Thessaloniki Piano Festival| LUX:NM| Ensemble Handwerk| Ensemble N| Trio Ludique et Sérieux| Quasars ensemble| Pre-art ensemble| MotoContrario| Greek ensemble of contemporary music| Hellenic Choir Association| Quartetto Saloniko| and more.
Performance
I always seek the feverish excitement of being on stage, either as a performer or as a conductor. Earlier as a clarinet soloist, or in a choir, and currently particularly interested in Performance Art. Performances include pieces by Alexander Schubert at festivals like Ultima in Oslo, Hitzacker Musiktage, Possehl Festival in Lübeck, #WePresent in Hamburg, Donaueschinger Musiktage, and more.
Pedagogy
I teach composition, music theory, and clarinet. Currently working as a lecturer for music theory at the Akademie für Musik Berlin and at the International Centre for Music and Arts Beijing.