Konstantia Gourzi

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Konstantía Gourzí ( Greek Κωνσταντία Γουρζή, born March 31, 1962 in Athens ) is a Greek composer and conductor and professor at the Munich University of Music and Theater .

Life and study

The Greek composer and conductor Konstantia Gourzi was born in Athens. She received her first piano lessons at the age of seven. When she was thirteen she moved to the Athens Conservatory. In addition to piano, she later studied composition and conducting here . In 1987 Konstantia Gourzi continued her studies at the University of the Arts in Berlin until 1992 (today's Berlin University of the Arts ). During her studies she founded her first ensemble attacca berlin.

During her studies in Berlin, Konstantia Gourzi completed master classes with u. a. the composers Péter Eötvös , Hans Werner Henze , Wolfgang Rihm , Karlheinz Stockhausen , Walter Zimmermann and u. a. the conductors Michael Gielen , Carlo Maria Giulini , Bernard Haitink , Giuseppe Sinopoli and Günter Wand . Diether de la Motte was an important mentor . From 1988 to 1992 she assisted Claudio Abbado with the Berliner Philharmoniker . From 1993 to 1996 she worked closely with György Kurtág . In 1992 and 1994 she was a prizewinner of the German Music Council and in 1995 she won 2nd prize at the International Competition for Conductors of Contemporary Music in Paris . Konstantia Gourzi received several international scholarships such as B. funded by the Onassis Foundation and DAAD . Konstantia Gourzi received the 2008 Christoph-und-Stephan-Kaske Foundation prize for her work as a conductor and composer as well as for her innovative performance concepts .

Konstantia Gourzi has been Professor of Ensemble Conducting and New Music at the University of Music and Theater since 2002.

Ensembles and concert series

In 1991 Konstantia Gourzi founded the Ensemble attacca berlin during her studies in Berlin , which she directed until 1996. The focus was on the music of the 20th century. attacca berlin implemented the international concert project “Time Zones” with the support of the Berlin Senate for Cultural Affairs. The ensemble u. a. with the Berliner Festwochen and various other music festivals. Numerous radio recordings were made.

From 1999 to 2007 she was the artistic director of the ensemble echo at the "Hanns Eisler" University of Music in Berlin. There she initiated the concert series attacks 1, 2, [...] and concerto fresco . She worked together with Deutsche Guggenheim Berlin , Staatsoper Unter den Linden in Berlin, Konzerthaus and Akademie der Künste Berlin . During her time as artistic director, numerous radio recordings were made.

As a professor at the Munich University of Music and Theater , she founded the oktopus ensemble for modern music in 2002 , which she still directs today. With the ensemble she initiated various concert series such as "New Music and Improvisation", "Concert with Soloists" and "New Music International". From 2003 to 2008 she headed the "Young Soloists" concert series of the Siemens Arts Program in cooperation with the Munich University of Music and Theater. There are now numerous recordings of the Bavarian Radio and CD recordings. Cooperation existed u. a. with the Pinakothek der Moderne , the gallery camera artis, the Künstlerhaus Munich as well as the Bavarian Theater Academy August Everding and the Munich Biennale .

In 2007 she founded the network and ensemble opus21musikplus with the aim of bringing music together across borders with other art forms and other musical genres. In 2007 the ensemble's first CD was released with Schönberg's “Pierrot Lunaire” plus jazz and Berio “folksongs”. There were collaborations with the Franz Marc Museum and the Bavarian Academy of Fine Arts . In addition, there is still cooperation with various music institutions and festivals. The ensemble designed the series “New Greek Music in Munich” in Munich. There have also been numerous radio recordings from this ensemble. From 2008 to 2013 Konstantia Gourzi carried out an education program at primary schools in Munich with opus21musikplus . a. was supported by the Bavarian Ministry of Culture , the Munich Department of Culture and the Ernst von Siemens Music Foundation. Konstantia Gourzi is still the artistic director today.

Artistic creation

Work as a composer

Konstantia Gourzi's compositional work includes works for solo instruments, chamber music , choir and orchestra . She received important composition commissions from the German State Opera Berlin , the Radio Symphony Orchestra Frankfurt , the Bavarian Radio , the Ensemble Musica Nova Israel, the Athens State Orchestra, the Festival European Weeks in Passau , the Kassel Days for New Music, the Ex Novo Ensemble in Venice, the Munich Chamber Orchestra , the Bavarian State Opera in Munich , the Archdiocese of Munich and Freising , the Patrimonio Nacional Spain, the Bavarian State Ministry , the Lucerne Festival , the ARD music competition , the BBC , the Nuremberg State Philharmonic and the Bamberg Symphony . She often received support from the Ernst von Siemens Music Foundation for her assignments and projects .

The world premiere of her first orchestral composition Mykene took place in 2002 under her own direction with the Hessischer Rundfunk Orchestra in Frankfurt. In the same year she was the first woman to conduct Verdi's La Traviata at the Athens State Opera. As a commissioned work for the State Opera Unter den Linden, Gourzi expanded Haydn's Philemon and Baucis into an innovative play with his own composition. Later she was resumed at the Budapest Spring Festival and the European Church Music Festival in Schwäbisch Gmünd.

Konstantia Gourzi was composer in residence at the 58th Festival European Week Passau , at the Festival Current Music in Nuremberg and 2017/2018 scholarship holder of the international artist house Villa Concordia in Bamberg . At the ION Festival in Nuremberg in June 2018 the work " Paharión, the Red Angel in the Garden of las Huelgas" was premiered as a concert in motion. In addition, she composed the compulsory piece for the viola " Evening at the window " for the ARD music competition 2018. In October 2018, the work " Transformation - a musical- a musical - commissioned by the Archdiocese of Munich and Freising in cooperation with the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome" scenic signal against child abuse " premiered in the church of Sant'Ignazio . This is the Catholic Church's first artistic commission for a composer on this subject.

Work as a conductor

Many world premieres take place under Konstantia Gourzi's direction as conductor and she develops new program concepts with the aim of giving a new focus and combining old and new. Under this aspect it was u. a. 2012 artistic director of the Samos Young Artists Festival in Greece. In addition to her own ensembles, she conducts and conducted orchestras such as the Radio Symphony Orchestra Frankfurt , SWR Symphony Orchestra Baden-Baden and Freiburg , Deutsche Radiophilharmonie Saarbrücken , Munich Radio Orchestra , Orchester Philharmonique de Strasbourg , Young Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, Patras Chamber Orchestra (Greece), State Opera and ensembles of the Greek Radio Athens, Klangforum Wien , Israel Chamber Orchestra, Ensemble New Music Moscow, Chamber Orchestra of the Bavarian State Opera and Lucerne Academy Orchestra.

Her work as a conductor and her compositions are extensively documented through radio recordings, television broadcasts and live streams ( Arte , ZDF , WDR , SR , RBB , SWR and BR ). Her extensive discography includes recordings of her compositions and works she has conducted. You are u. a. published by ECM , NEOS, NAXOS, and SONY-Classical .

Catalog of works (selection)

Konstantia Gourzi's works appear in the special edition "Edition Gourzi" at Musikproduktion Höflich.

Orchestra (selection)

  • op. 5: 7 miniatures in 3 movements (1991) For string orchestra. 1st prize at the Fanny-Mendelssohn Composers' Competition. Duration: 13 min. Live recording.
  • op. 17: Mycenae - 7 miniatures for orchestra (2002). Commissioned by Hessischer Rundfunk Frankfurt. Duration: 17 min. Radio recording.
  • op. 27: Five Songs for Lefkas (2005) For string orchestra. Commissioned by the Lefkas Festival. Duration: 14 min.
  • op. 28: Poems for Prometheus (2005) for orchestra. Commissioned by the Munich Chamber Orchestra with support from the Greek Press and Information Office for Southern Germany. Duration: 20 min. Radio recording.
  • op. 37: Easter in Constantinople - because of the Words. 11 moments between East and West (2009/10). For orchestra, choir, a Byzantine style psalm singer and improvising solo violinist (5 stringed tenor violin and double stringed violin). Commissioned by the Münchner Rundfunkorchester. Duration: 43 min. Radio recording.
  • op. 39 : Three Synapses in Honor of the Blessed Gisela (2009/10) for orchestra. Commissioned by the Stiftung art 31 with support from the Ernst von Siemens Music Foundation. Duration: 15 min. Radio recording.
  • op. 51 : Six letters for Callas: Α Π Ο ΛΛ Ω Ν (2012/13) for orchestra. Commissioned by the State Orchestra of Athens (KOA). Duration: 14 min. Live recording.
  • op.57 : Eros (2014/15) for two sopranos and chamber orchestra. Commissioned by the Bavarian State Opera. Duration: 15 min. Live recording.
  • op. 65: Ny-él , Two Angels in the White Garden (2015/16) - Hommage à Claudio Abbado and Pierre Boulez. For orchestra. Commissioned by Lucerne Festival. Duration: 17 min. Radio recording.

Chamber music (selection)

  • op. 33/2: P-ILION, nine fragments of an eternity (2007). String quartet no. 2. Commissioned by the Kasseler Musiktage. Duration: 12 min. CD recording, ECM New Series 2309.
  • op. 35: kastalia (2008). For string quartet and harp. Commissioned by Harry Otten for the harpist Lavinia Meijer and the Athena String Quartet. Duration: 13 min. Live recording.
  • op. 38 : Vibrato 1 and 2 (2010). For string quartet and piano. Commissioned by Festival European Weeks Passau 2010. Duration: 8 min. CD recording, ECM New Series 2309.
  • op. 40 : Polymnia (2010). For two guitars, viola, double bass. Commissioned by Festival European Weeks Passau 2010 with support from the Ernst von Siemens Music Foundation. Duration: 10 min. Live recording.
  • op. 56: Hommage à Mozart - three dialogues (2014). For viola and piano. Commissioned by Nils Mönkemeyer and William Youn. Duration: 20 min. Radio recording.
  • op. 61: Anájikon, the Angel in the Blue Garden (2015). String quartet no. 3. Duration: 22 min. Radio recording.
  • op. 73: Wunder (2017/18). 7 fragments. For percussion solo and ensemble. Commissioned by Bavarian State Opera. Duration: 16 min. Radio recording
  • op. 76: Transformation (2018). A staged musical work, as a signal against child abuse . Seven Stations for two sopranos, two mezzo-sopranos, male voice choir, children's choir, seven instrumental soloists, dancers, and audience. Commissioned by the Archdiocese Munich and Freising as part of the opening ceremony of the Licentiate in Safeguarding offered by the Center for Child Protection at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. Duration: 70 min. Television recording

Choir (selection)

  • op. 52 : "... il vento del north ..." (2013). For vocal ensemble. 2 sopranos, mezzo-soprano, tenor, bass. Commissioned by vocal ensemble La Dolce Maniera. Duration: 5 min. Live recording.
  • op. 55: Ave Maria (2014). For women's choir. Duration: 3 min. Radio recording.
  • op. 62 : Paharión, the Red Angel in the Garden of las Huelgas (2015). 15 dialogues between West and East for Schola Antiqua, a Byzantine style psalm singer, violin, ney, clarinet / bass clarinet. Commissioned by Patrimonio Nacional España. Duration: 60 min. Live recording.
  • op. 71 : “ The Angel of Eternity ” (2017). Seven Views - Homage to Adolf Wölfli. For mixed choir. Commissioned by the association Wölfli & Musik for the Ensemble Corund Lucerne. Duration: 16 min.

Instrumental Solo (selection)

  • op. 4: Anaménontas (1990). For flute solo. Duration: 7 min. Live recording.
  • op. 8: "I still fear" (1993). For piano solo. Duration: 9 min. CD recording, ECM New Series 2309.
  • op. 23: "Singer of the Komische Oper" (2004). 7 miniatures for viola solo, inspired by the painting of the same title by Paul Klee. Duration: 12 min. Live recording.
  • op. 24: Piano Pieces IV (2004). For piano solo. Duration: 8 min. CD recording, ECM New Series 2309.
  • op. 25: A Little Story (2005). For piano solo. Duration: 5 min. CD recording, ECM New Series 2309.
  • op. 49: nine lullabies for a new world (Hommage a JS Bach) (2012). For viola solo. Commissioned by Nils Mönkemeyer. Duration: 10 min. CD recording, Sony Classical 1964503.
  • op.54: meditation I (2013/2015). For marimba solo, glockenspiel and singing bowl. Commissioned by Kana Omori. Duration: 9 min. CD recording, HCOM Japan 1027.
  • op. 68: Astrolávos, the Angel at the Bottom of the Sea (2015/16). Nine constellations for oboe solo. Commissioned by Francois Leleux. Duration: 11 min. Radio recording.
  • op.72: Wind dances (2017). Homage to Federico Mompou. For piano solo. Commissioned by Maria Canyigueral for her project “Avant-guarding Mompou” with the support of the Arts Council England. Duration: 5 min.
  • op. 75: Evening at the Window (2017/18). For viola solo. Commissioned by the ARD Music Competition 2018, funded by the Ernst von Siemens Music Foundation. Duration: 10 min. Radio recording

Opera / film music (selection)

  • op.18: Philemon and Baucis (2003). Opera fragment by Joseph Haydn. For chamber orchestra and singer-actors. Commissioned by the Deutsche Staatsoper Berlin. Konstantia Gourzi completed this fragmentary work by Joseph Haydn with her own composition and integrated it into a new artistic concept. Duration: 90 min. Live recording.
  • op. 26: "Warchild" (2005). Music for Christian Wagner's film “Warchild”. Duration: 60 min. CD recording, NORMAL 895932. DVD recording, Label Filmgalerie 451, 45380.

Discography

Konstantia Gourzi as a composer

  • Siguiriya Gitana (2015). Kana Omori, marimba. Published by HCO Music.
  • Konstantia Gourzi: Music for Piano and String Quartet (2014). Lorenda Ramou and Ensemble Coriolis. Published by ECM Records.
  • Nils Mönkemeyer: Bach and More (2013). Published by Sony Classical.
  • Freyja Gunnlaugsdóttir: Skrímsli (2012). Published by Tiara Records.
  • Konstantia Gourzi: Conjunctions - Synápsies (2010). Apollon Musagète quartet, Vassilis Agrokostas, Michalis Cholevas, Christian Elsässer, Konstantia Gourzi. Published by NEOS.
  • Konstantia Gourzi: Warchild (2006). ensemble oktopus (string orchestra), Slava Cernavca (clarinet), Susanne Winter (soprano), Ferran Cruixent (piano), Konstantia Gourzi (conductor). Published by Normal (Indigo).
  • "Point 11": New and Newer Music (2003). CD series of University of Music and Theater Munich, no.39.
  • Berlin diary. Contemporary piano music (1994). Yoriko Ikeya-Fuchino, piano. Published by Crescendo / Thorofon.

Konstantia Gourzi as a conductor

  • Tripp (2018). Music by Amos Elkana. Meitar Ensemble, Konstantia Gourzi (conductor). Published by Albany Records.
  • Worlds of songs and instrumental poetry - Wilhelm Killmayer for his 85th birthday (2012). University of Music and Theater Munich in cooperation with BR-Klassik.
  • Hans-Werner Henze: Guitar Music 2 (2010). Franz Halàsz (guitar), Anna Torge (mandolin), Cristina Bianchi (harp), ensemble oktopus, Konstantia Gourzi (conductor). Published by NAXOS.
  • Arnold Schönberg: Pierrot lunaire plus jazz / Luciano Berio: Folk Songs (2007). Stella Doufexis, Maria Baptist, Ensemble opus21musikplus, Konstantia Gourzi (conductor). Published by NEOS.
  • Olga Neuwirth (1998). Klangforum Wien. Peter Eötvös, Konstantia Gourzi (conductors). Published by Accord.
  • Silhouettes - Berlin Young Composers between today and tomorrow (1991). Boris Blacher Ensemble, Konstantia Gourzi (conductor). Published by Zensor musicproduction.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c Hans-Dieter Grünefeld: Discover beauty. In: Music & Theater. October 29, 2016, accessed February 26, 2019 .
  2. ↑ Interview: Konstantia Gourzi on working with Claudio Abbado. Retrieved February 22, 2019 .
  3. ↑ a b Lucerne Festival: Konstantia Gourzi. Retrieved February 22, 2019 .
  4. ↑ a b c d e Konstantia Gourzi: Works, Biography, Discography. In: Classic Today. Retrieved February 26, 2019 .
  5. ↑ a b Gourzi, Prof. Konstantia. In: Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy University Competition. Retrieved on February 26, 2019 (German).
  6. ↑ Biography. In: Konstantia Gourzi. Retrieved February 22, 2019 (American English).
  7. ^ Konstantia Gourzi - Professor for Ensemble Leadership New Music. In: University of Music and Theater Munich. Retrieved February 22, 2019 .
  8. ↑ Katrin Beck: Young Soloists. Retrieved February 26, 2019 .
  9. ^ Johanna Weißgerber: Konstantia Gourzi, artistic director of the ensemble oktopus. In: Ensemble Octopus. Retrieved February 22, 2019 .
  10. ^ Alpha forum: Konstantia Gourzi - composer and conductor. In: BR Mediathek. January 9, 2018, accessed on February 22, 2019 (German).
  11. ↑ Marco Frei: Listening to the origin | NZZ . August 11, 2016, ISSN  0376-6829 ( nzz.ch [accessed on February 22, 2019]).
  12. ↑ Works | Konstantia Gourzi | Composer and Conductor. In: Konstantia Gourzi. Retrieved February 27, 2019 (American English).
  13. ↑ Konstantia Gourzi. In: Radio Swiss Classic. Retrieved February 26, 2019 .
  14. ^ Festival Current Music 018 - Nuremberg University of Music. Retrieved February 22, 2019 .
  15. ↑ Press release: Welcoming new scholarship holders in the Villa Concordia. Villa Concordia, accessed February 22, 2019 .
  16. ↑ Gourzi: Paharión - the Red Angel in the Garden of las Huelgas (2015). July 13, 2018, accessed February 22, 2019 .
  17. ↑ Bayerischer Rundfunk: ARD Music Competition 2018: Three winners in the viola category | BR classic. September 17, 2018, accessed February 22, 2019 .
  18. ↑ ARD competition: Konstantia Gourzi composes “Evening at the Window” as a compulsory piece for viola - an interview | nmz - new music newspaper. Retrieved February 22, 2019 .
  19. ^ Postcard from Munich: the 2018 ARD International Music Competition. In: The Strad. Retrieved February 22, 2019 .
  20. ^ BR-KLASSIK: composer Konstantia Gourzi | Break conversations | ARD Music Competition 2018. September 20, 2018, accessed on February 22, 2019 .
  21. ↑ Alla Gregoriana master biennale per prevenzione abusi. In: RomaSette. September 21, 2018, accessed February 22, 2019 (it-IT).
  22. ↑ Dirk Schümer: Abuse: Does a Master's degree protect against pedophile attacks? October 15, 2018 ( welt.de [accessed February 22, 2019]).
  23. ↑ Konstantia Gourzi: A Biographical Essay. In: Musikproduktion Höflich. Retrieved on February 26, 2019 (German).
  24. ↑ Areti Kotseli: 2012 Samos Young Artists Festival Kicks off Next Week | GreekReporter.com. Retrieved February 22, 2019 (American English).
  25. ↑ Let the soul tell a story with sounds - Konstantia Gourzi's debut album for ECM New Series. In: Klassikakzente. October 8, 2014, accessed on February 22, 2019 (German).
  26. ↑ Discography | Konstantia Gourzi | Composer and Conductor. In: Konstantia Gourzi. Retrieved February 22, 2019 (American English).
  27. ↑ Works | Konstantia Gourzi | Composer and Conductor. In: Konstantia Gourzi. Retrieved February 22, 2019 (American English).
  28. ^ Gourzi Edition Archives. In: Repertoire Explorer. Accessed February 27, 2019 (German).
personal data
SURNAME Gourzi, Konstantia
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Γουρζή, Κωνστάντια (Greek)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Greek composer and conductor
DATE OF BIRTH March 31, 1962
PLACE OF BIRTH Athens