Pianist Lydia Iatrakis is a graduate of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in Glasgow and works at the Athens College Conservatory, where she teaches piano. On Monday, November 3, at 8:30 PM, she will perform early piano works by Theodorakis in an open dialogue with Chopin’s Preludes and Beethoven’s “Appassionata” at the Giannis Marinos Hall.
When and how did you first come into contact with music?
I was lucky because there was always beautiful music playing at home, from Hadjidakis and Theodorakis records to Vivaldi’s Four Seasons. We had an old piano at our country house, and I remember eagerly awaiting Friday every week so we could go there and I could play by ear some melody that had stuck in my head.
Who or what prompted you to pursue music professionally?
I must have been around 15 when my mother took me to a concert at the American College of Greece where Dimitris Toufexis and Tatiana Papageorgiou performed Chopin’s two Piano Concertos. That concert was a tremendous inspiration for what I wanted my professional life to be.
Where did you study and which teachers shaped you?
I studied Piano Performance at the American College of Greece with Tatiana Papageorgiou, the teacher and mentor who largely shaped my musical life and my journey with the piano. Subsequently, I pursued my postgraduate studies as a scholar at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland with Aaron Shorr, who changed my perspective on the technical aspect – that is, perfection, speed, clarity. I distinctly remember studying Chopin’s Second Piano Concerto for piano and orchestra at the time, and those who have played it know it has a very difficult section, among others, in its finale. I remember asking him, “how is this possible?” and he replied, “practice until you play it, don’t accept “no” as an answer.” This phrase of his, to not accept “no,” changed me, and since then, I apply this philosophy to any more technical work that comes my way.
Have you participated in competitions? Was there any one that decisively propelled you into your professional career?
I don’t think competitions were ever my forte, but I have singled out a few competitions that significantly contributed to my career: the Panhellenic UNESCO competition where I won the 3rd Prize, and the Concerto competition at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.
When and where did you make your first public appearance?
I still remember that day, around 7 years old, I played Bach as part of a student concert at the conservatory.
Which of your performances to date will remain unforgettable?
Every performance has its own energy, its own charm…
The most special one, which I will always remember with nostalgia and emotion, was when I made my debut as a soloist with the Athenian Youth Symphony Orchestra (ASON) and we performed Mozart’s dramatic Piano Concerto No. 20 with our beloved conductor, Pavlos Sergiou. The moments we experienced, the rehearsals at ERT, at the Megaron, the feeling of playing music as if written by God for the first time with a symphony orchestra, the anxiety for everything to go well – all these will never leave my heart, and I will forever be grateful to have lived them.
What are your preferences in choosing your repertoire? Favorite works, composers… Which repertoire do you feel suits you best?
Whom should I mention first, Bach, Mozart? The great Russians?
If I had to choose one and only composer whose entire work I would study and perform, it would be Frédéric Chopin.
What musical dream would you like to fulfill?
There are so many musicians I would love to share the stage with, amazing symphony orchestras, conductors. One work I would really like to have the opportunity to play is Chopin’s Second Piano Sonata. This piece has that ‘something’ that draws you in to play it and touches you in a magical way from very early on.
How would you suggest we approach young people to get them involved in classical music?
The most important thing for a child starting music is the teacher. I was blessed to have, as I mentioned before, the very distinguished Tatiana Papageorgiou, and she essentially gave me the most important ingredients for success: guidance and inspiration. For me, it is important for the state to try in every possible way to support not only music, but the arts in general, starting from schools. The infrastructure, the teachers. To give children an incentive to learn an instrument and be more exposed to music, music that does not only have an entertainment purpose, but aims at cultivating the soul, intellectual development, music that deals with human ideals and values. At the same time, parents should try to expose their children more and more to music from an early age, whether through concerts, attending a festival, or even by playing beautiful music at home.
What difficulties does a young musician face in Greece and the world today?
I think they face the difficulties that many professions, especially in the arts, encounter. For me, the most challenging aspect is combining teaching hours and lessons with personal daily practice on the instrument.
Besides music, what are your favorite activities?
From a young age, I liked many things, as my parents used to tell me, “I got involved everywhere” – they still say it!
I really enjoy cooking and experimenting; I’m crazy about any activity that involves contact with nature. I love sports and running outdoors, a hobby that has become a significant part of my life!
What are your goals for the future?
I am grateful for all the experiences I have had so far. My love for teaching, which is now an integral part of my life, as well as my love for the Greek countryside and our beautiful islands, prompted me to envision a series of piano seminars, exclusively for the provinces and more remote areas in Greece, where unfortunately children do not have as many opportunities as in big cities. On a voluntary basis, I will go and give these lessons to children of all ages and levels, and I will try to introduce them to what I believe inspired me both at a younger age and now. Furthermore, I am preparing a recital with Chopin’s works, and of course, my big dream and goal is to soon perform a piano concerto again with a Symphony Orchestra.
The concert is part of the series Youth for Mikis by the Friends of Music Library, held to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Mikis Theodorakis’s birth and the declaration of 2025 as the “Year of Mikis Theodorakis.” The concert is ticketed.
Concert Program
- Mikis Theodorakis, 7 Preludes, AST 44
- Frédéric Chopin, 7 Preludes, Op. 28
- Mikis Theodorakis, Fantasy in G minor, AST 9
- Ludwig van Beethoven, Piano Sonata No. 23, Op. 57, “Appassionata”
Before the concert, the discussion Mikis Through the Eyes of Others will take place.
Biography
Lydia Iatrakis is a pianist, a graduate of Deree – The American College of Greece from Tatiana Papageorgiou’s class, where she received her degree in piano performance and distinctions such as the Award for Excellent Student in Music Performance and the Parallel Studies Award, for her parallel studies in the Department of Musicology at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. She received her piano diploma with the grade “Excellent with unanimous distinction and 1st Prize” at the Kodaly Conservatory. After competitive auditions, Lydia continued her postgraduate studies as a scholar at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in Glasgow, where she completed her master’s degree in piano performance with Aaron Shorr. She has given piano recitals in Greece, Austria, and Scotland. Recently, she made her debut as a soloist with the Athenian Youth Symphony Orchestra. Lydia has been honored with significant music awards and monetary scholarships, including those from the Panhellenic UNESCO Music Competition, the Attiki Tradition Foundation, the International Propeller Club, and the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. She works as a piano teacher at the Athens College Conservatory.
