"...I love, I respect and I admire 'my' musicians".
Alexandre Myrat, conductor
Yesterday’s Thessaloniki State Symphony Orchestra concert was expected from the beginning to be a night of intense emotion, due to the theme of the two great works that where performed, in combination with the return of Alexandre Myrat. ‘Pyrrhichean Dances’ by Christos Hatzis deals with modern forms of violence and terrorism and the debris they leave behind, mainly in people’s souls, while the ‘Little Russian’ Symphony by Tchaikovsky, blending traditional Ukrainian songs with Russian dances and byzantine music, was an effort to bridge the chasm that had been created during the 19
th century between Ukrainians that desired a new national identity and those who believed in the dogma of a pan-Russian nation.
The two soloists of the evening, Neoklis Nikolaidis on the viola and Marinos Tranoudakis on percussion, conveyed the richness of emotion of the ‘Pyrrhichean Dances’ moving the audience who praised them, while the orchestra, as conducted by Alexandre Myrat, was enjoyable with the ‘Little Russian’ Symphony.
After the end of the concert Alexandre Myrat, obviously moved, stated: “After all these years, there is no need to talk about the emotions and the joy I feel in finding again “my” musicians. I believe that most of them know that I love them, I respect them and I admire them. These are three elements I like to communicate. If sometimes they have not been understood, maybe it is the fault of the sender or maybe of the receiver; regardless, these are the bases of the relationships I have always had with the musicians and this is a thing that continues.”
Neoklis Nikolaidis stated that “Today’s experience was a terrific one, with a music work that is a true masterpiece of the modern age. It was an inconceivable experience to play in such a fantastic hall with a fantastic audience. I thank you greatly!”, while the other soloist Marinos Tranoudakis said that “it was an incredible experience to get to work with this terrific orchestra. See you again!”
