PROFILES IN ART


Ivory Duo

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The Ivory Duo has performed in the New Masters Series 2007 (The Maltings Arts Theatre, St Albans), the St Martin-in-the-Fields concert series, Charlton House, Blackheath Halls, Regent Hall. Other engagements include a two-piano performance at
St John’s Smith Square,  London SW1P 3HA, on Saturday, 19 January 2008 and at the Reform Club (March 26 2008). For updated information on the duo’s appearances visit www.natalie-peter.com

Panayotis Archontides

Panayotis Archontides is a Greek-Australian pianist with hundreds of performances in Europe and Australia, including such prestigious concert halls as the Sydney Opera House, the Sibelius Academy of Music and the International Cultural Centre- ATHENAEUM (Athens).  In the UK, Archontides has performed at the Steinway Hall (London), Cheltenham 2007 Spring Recital Series, Blackheath Halls, at the Alkan, New Quays and the Rzewski Festivals, Lauderdale House, Charlton House, St Giles Cripplegate.  In March 2007, Panayotis performed as soloist the Age of Anxiety by Bernstein with the TCM Symphony Orchestra under esteemed conductor James Judd to great critical acclaim.

Archontides has recorded for the National Television and the National Radio Station (ERA 3) in Greece, and is probably among the youngest musicians to have been included in the seven-volume Dictionary of Greek Music and Musicians by T. Kalogeropoulos, musicologist and member of the advisory board of the Athens Concert Hall (Giallelis Editions, 1998).  Finally, in summer 2004, he appeared in concert with the Feminarte Orchestra and famous tenor Jose Cura for the induction of the Olympic Flame (Olympics 2004).

Archontides received his Master of Music from Trinity College of Music in 2007, receiving a high distinction for his final recital before an esteemed jury which included Gordon-Fergus Thompson, and a distinction for his lecture - recital before another esteemed jury which included Philip Fowke.  In recognition of outstanding performance he has been awarded the 2006 Mehroo & Byram Jeejeebhoy Prize for Piano at Trinity College, where he has also gained the title of Trinity scholar for the academic year 2006-2007. In 2007, Panayotis was also awarded the coveted Silver Medal from the Worshipful Company of Musicians for excellence. 

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Natalie Tsaldarakis

A diverse musician, Swedish-born Greek pianist Natalie Tsaldarakis has appeared in a wide range of venues, from the renowned Sibelius Academy in Finland and the Complex for the Arts in Philadelphia (US), to Athenaeum International Cultural Center in Athens, Greece (home of the International Maria Callas Piano Competition).  In recent years, Natalie Tsaldarakis has appeared extensively both as soloist and as member of the Ivory Duo with pianist Panayotis Archontides in Greece, Austria, Italy, Finland, US, and the UK.

Natalie has often appeared in concerts for the promotion of new music such as those presented by Altera Musica, a Greek non-profit organization; in the UK she has collaborated with composers including Douglas Finch, former Head of Keyboard at TCM.  She has often collaborated with colleagues of the Athens State Orchestra and the Greek National Opera orchestra.  Natalie has also been broadcasted by ERA–3 (the Greek National Radio station for classical music), interviewed by ERA-1, her concerts have attracted the attention of NET- Greek National Television station, and is probably among the youngest musicians to have been included in the seven-volume Dictionary of Greek Music and Musicians (Kalogeropoulos, Athens: Giallelis Editions, 1998). 

Ms. Tsaldarakis’ teachers include former pupils of illustrious teachers Lateiner (D. Toufexis), Gorodnitsky (Dr. Bedford), Masselos (Dr. McHugh), and Gina Bachauer (D. Kara).  She has performed in master classes by well-known American pianist and adjudicator J. Tocco and Russian Larissa Dedova (first teacher of Ivo Pogorelich and herself pupil of Lev Oborin).  Her academic career has won her many distinctions and awards.  She holds a M.Mus in Musicology (Performance Studies) from the Royal Holloway (University of London, ’07), a Soloist Piano Diploma with distinction (class of D. Toufexis awarded when she was still only 19), a B.A. in music from the American College of Greece again with distinction, and a MM in piano performance from West Chester University of Pennsylvania (US), which lead to her becoming member of the American Music Honor Society PKL in 1994 (membership by invitation only).

 



Natalie Tsaldarakis & Panayiotis Archontides
The Ivory Duo

 












 

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