News/Announcements

"The orchestra gave us an unforgettable evening,
and Zoi's Tsokanou premiere brought a new stigma, a new impetus and life."
Ludia Koniordou, Greek Minister of Culture and Sports


The audience responded with a ten-minute apotheosis to Zoi's Tsokanou premiere with the Thessaloniki State Symphony Orchestra, as its artistic director. Conductor's good chemistry with the orchestra along with the works' power created a strong combination that thrilled all the music lovers.

The concert was attended, among others, by the Greek Minister of Culture and Sports Mrs. Lydia Koniordou, the Consul of France in Thessaloniki mr. Philippe Ray, the President of the Jews Community of Thessaloniki Mr. David Saltiel, the Artistic Director of the Greek National Opera Mr; Giorgos Koumendakis, the Artistic Director of the Alternative Stage of the Greek National Opera Mr. Alexandros Efklidis, the President of the Thessaloniki Concert Hall Mr. Nikitas Mylopoulos, the Artistic Director of the Thessaloniki Concert Hall Mr. Giorgos Lazaridis, the General Director of the Thessaloniki International Film Festival Mrs Élise Jalladeau, the President of the State Conservatory of Thessaloniki Mr. Haris Lefakis, the Director of the State Conservatory of Thessaloniki Mrs Lola Totsiou, the Director of the Thessaloniki Mixed Choir Mrs Mary Konstantinidou, the Rectorate Authorities of the Aristotle University etc.

Just after the concert Mrs Tsokanou excited said: "I couldn't imagine this premiere more intense and more beautiful. A great thank you to our musicians for the excellent collaboration we had and for their devotion. I wanna thank our audience too, for the way they supported us tonight".

Mrs Koniordou congratulated all after the concert: "It was a very rich music night, with beautiful and distinguished works, very different from each other and very demanding. The orchestra gave us an unforgattable evening, and Zoi's Tsokanou premiere brought a new stigma, a new impetus and life. I strongly believe that she will continue the great tradition of the TSSO and that she'll give a new dynamic".

Finally, Mr. Koumentakis, whose composition 'Amor Fati (2007)' was part of the concert's program said: "I just want to say once again that the Thessaloniki State Symphony Orchestra is my favourite orchestra. Such an excellent orchestra in every way and they are very lucky to have Zoi Tsokanou in this position. Zoi is a well-rounded musician, very sensitive with an amazing technique. I'm pretty sure that they are going to impress us and make us very happy in the future. I just hope that this is going to travel abroad, in order to show the quality of a Greek symphony orchestra everywhere, but also to all over our country, that is very important too.
As far as my work is concerned, I have to tell you that I've heard it so many times and this one is one of the bests. I'm not just saying it as a compliment. They all have their importance, for sure, but today it was too close to what I was thinking while composing it and this is a rare privilage for a composer and it doesn't happen very often. So I feel lucky that I lived it in this concert in such a unique way. "