UPCOMING PERFORMANCES
Violin Piano Duo: Monday, June 16, 2025 at 8:00 PM
Foyer of the Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki
Piano: Evangelos Papamanolis
When and how did you first come into contact with music?
It all started somewhat unexpectedly. The truth is that there were no musical stimuli at home — music was not something that was systematically played or part of our daily lives. In first grade, I vividly remember a music teacher who had us listen to different musical instruments. At that moment, for some reason, the harp excited me — its sound seemed magical, almost fairytale-like. However, since I come from Samos, access to such a rare instrument was practically impossible. So I started thinking of alternatives, and my second choice was the violin. It had something equally expressive, something that immediately drew me in.
Where did you study and which teachers shaped you?
In Samos, at that time, there was no Conservatory, but I was very lucky because I had my teacher, Ms. Elena Kalinkina, by my side. We had lessons at home, and I owe my first musical steps to her.
At 17, I started online lessons with Ilias Livieratos, who opened up a whole new horizon for me. He helped me discover the vastness of the instrument, its expressive possibilities, and how deeply music can reach.
Later, after the Panhellenic Exams, I was admitted to the University of Macedonia (UOM), Department of Music Science and Art (DMST), in the violin class of Mr. Dimitris Chandrakis. Besides being an excellent teacher, he was also a person who stood by me: a valuable ally and support through every difficulty. I am grateful for all the teachers who shaped me in their own unique way.
Who or what prompted you to pursue music professionally?
It was more than a choice — it was an inner need. When I realized that the slightest movement of the hands on the violin has the power to convey not only sound, but ideas and emotions, something awakened within me. The subtlety, precision, physical involvement, and mental concentration that this instrument demands seemed enchanting to me. At that moment, a goal was born within me: to continuously improve and someday be able to accurately “translate” what I feel or discover through music.
When and where did you make your first public appearance?
While I lived in Samos, opportunities for public appearances were minimal, almost non-existent. My first significant public appearance took place during my second year of studies in 2021, as part of a tribute concert to composer Nikos Astrinidis at the Thessaloniki Concert Hall. I performed his “Greek Rhapsody” for violin and piano — an experience I remember with emotion, as it was the first time I felt that my work and love for music could reach an audience.
How would you suggest we approach young people to get them involved in classical music?
I believe that the most effective way for young people to engage with classical music is through school. From a young age, children can get to know symphonic instruments and understand the power and variety of classical music through experiential learning.
At the same time, educational programs could be organized in collaboration with musicians and cultural institutions. Live concerts in schools or cultural venues could serve as a window into a world that, although it may seem “distant,” can be extremely familiar if approached with sensitivity and imagination.
Besides music, what are your favorite activities?
I love cinema very much. Two directors who have deeply influenced me are Ingmar Bergman and Ken Loach — for their existential reflection and social commentary.
I also have a particular fondness for poetry and modern Greek prose — these are ways that help me see the world differently, just as music does. Among my favorite poems are Kiki Dimoula’s The True Answer and Odysseus Elytis’s Monogram.
And of course, excursions into nature and the sea are a form of healing for me; a way to “empty my mind” and reconnect with myself.
BIOGRAPHY
Evangelia Koutsodimou was born and raised in Samos in 2002. She began violin lessons at the age of eight, receiving private instruction from Elena Kalinkina. Since October 2019, she has been taking online distance lessons with Ilias Livieratos, principal violist of the Athens State Orchestra. In 2020, she was admitted to the Department of Music Science and Art at the University of Macedonia, specializing in “Violin” with Professor Dimitris Chandrakis. She holds a Bachelor’s degree with a specialization in ‘Violin Performance’. She has attended masterclasses with Katerina Chatzinikolaou, Kostas Panagiotidis, Ioannis Korbetis, David Bogorad, Bartek Niziol, Kurt Nikannen, Noé Inui, Eszter Haffner, Borislava Illceva, Timothy Schwarz, and Dmitry Serebrenikov. She has actively participated in the Violin seminars of the Anargyrios and Korgialenios School of Spetses Music Academy 2022, the KMH (Royal Academy of Music in Stockholm), and the Pelion Festival 2024. She has served as concertmaster of the CosmoClassical Youth Orchestra under the direction of Giannis Protopapas and the guidance of Gary Kudo (Mannheim National Theatre) and soprano Alexia Voulgaridou. She was selected after audition for the Mediterranean Youth Symphony Orchestra for the 2023-2024 artistic season in the first violins and has been a member of the Greek Youth Symphony Orchestra since April 2023. In June 2024, she served as concertmaster of the Orchestra formed within the collaboration program of the University of Delaware Symphony Orchestra, the Symphony Orchestra of the Department of Music Science and Art of the University of Macedonia (DMST), MOYSA – Thessaloniki Concert Hall Youth Symphony Orchestra, and the Heraklion Municipality Youth Symphony Orchestra of Crete (SONKDY). During her fourth year of study, she was concertino of the University of Macedonia Orchestra. In January 2024, she was selected after audition to participate in concerts of the Thessaloniki State Orchestra in the first violins for the period April-June 2024 as part of her internship, and since August 2024, she has been a permanent member of the TSO in the first violins. In January 2025, she participated in a series of concerts with the Spanish Youth Symphony Orchestra (JONDE) under the direction of Vasily Petrenko. She won the 3rd prize in the “Ilias Kouskouvelis” Competition and the international competition ”Music in the Vineyards” in 2022, 2nd Place in the 7th Panhellenic Music Competition of the Group for Unesco, the first Prize and the exceptional performance award in the fourth Panhellenic Music Competition ‘Tasos Pappas’. She has appeared as a soloist with the Athens State Orchestra chamber orchestra within the framework of the Masterclass of the Anargyrios and Korgialenios School of Spetses Music Academy, the Department’s Symphony Orchestra at the Thessaloniki Concert Hall, and the Heraklion Municipality Youth Symphony Orchestra. She has performed at the Thessaloniki Concert Hall as a soloist (DMST Competition, Tribute to Nikos Astrinidis, “New Talents” of SFMTH, etc.), as a member of the Department’s Symphony Orchestra, and in Chamber Music ensembles. She has participated in the concert series ‘Music in the Museum’ organized by the Macedonian Center of Contemporary Art, Reedblocks VI (Thessaloniki Accordion Festival), and the Chamber Music concert within the framework of the ECMTA (European Chamber Music Teacher Association) conference. In August 2024, she gave a solo recital in Mytilene at the opening concert of the 10th Molyvos International Festival. She is in the first year of the Master’s Program ‘Sciences and Arts’ at the University of Macedonia.
