With significant distinctions in national competitions and a continuously evolving artistic career, young pianist Vasilis Patsis belongs to the new generation of musicians who combine talent with dedication and a deep love for music. In the following interview, he talks about his first steps in piano, the people who shaped him, the experiences that marked him, and his dreams for the future.
When and how did you first come into contact with music?
My first clear memory of music is at the age of five, when I had my first piano lesson. Nevertheless, music had entered my life much earlier. My mother played a decisive role in this, ensuring that from a very young age I had artistic stimuli and came into contact with a world that, at the time, I perhaps couldn’t fully understand, but which certainly began to shape me.
Who or what prompted you to pursue music professionally?
From the first time I played in front of an audience, at a very young age, I felt that music and performance were something that concerned me. What attracted me was not just the music itself, but the entire concert experience; the hall slowly filling up, the concentration before the piece begins, the intensity of the performance, the applause. This process, whether I experience it as a performer or as a listener, still seems very powerful to me. Over time, I realized that music was not just something I loved, but a field I wanted to belong to. My teacher, Ms. Magda Nikolaidou, with whom I have been working for over a decade and who helped me see music with greater seriousness, consistency, and dedication, played a crucial role in this realization.
How did you choose the instrument you specialized in?
Starting piano was not initially my choice. I was five years old when my parents decided to enroll me in the conservatory, without me being sure, to be honest, what criteria they used to choose that particular instrument. Perhaps it was because my mother had also studied piano. Over the years, however, as I grew older and my relationship with music became more substantial, the decision to continue investing in the piano became almost self-evident. It was no longer just an activity I had started young; it became a means of expression, concentration, and personal exploration. At some point, I realized that the piano had acquired a very stable role in my life, and from then on, the continuation came naturally.
Where did you study and which teachers shaped you?
I began my music studies at the Eumelia Conservatory in Nea Smyrni. Currently, I am studying at the Erateio Conservatory, in Ms. Magda Nikolaidou’s diploma class. She is undoubtedly the person who has had the greatest influence on me and has fundamentally shaped me as a musician. Sometimes we joke that, besides being a teacher, she also acts as a coach; and I think there’s a lot of truth in that joke, because in music, inspiration alone is not enough; consistency, discipline, and endurance are also needed.
Beyond my teacher, the six years I spent at the Alimos Music School also left a significant mark on me. There, I had the opportunity to be in daily contact with music, to get to know different instruments and genres, to collaborate with other students, musicians, and teachers, and to participate in concerts. At the same time, during my high school years, I continued my studies in Advanced Theory, in Mr. Kyriakos Tsolakis’s class.
Over the past year, I also had the opportunity to work with two great musicians, Ioannis Potamousis and Katerina Krpan, who advise me and contribute significantly to my development.
Have you participated in competitions? Was there any one that decisively propelled you into your professional career?
I have participated in several competitions and, although music is not something that can easily be confined to a score, I believe that this process can serve as a significant motivation for a young musician, as well as an opportunity for public performance and substantial preparation. The most important competition for me to date was the 7th Panhellenic and Pancyprian Piano Competition “Aliki Vatikioti,” in which I won first prize. This distinction was particularly significant because, as the winner of the competition, I will have the opportunity to perform for the first time as a soloist with an orchestra, interpreting a concerto under the direction of maestro George Aravidis, in a concert that will take place in Chania in the spring of 2027.
Another very important moment was my participation, in March 2026, in the 7th Panhellenic Music Competition “Dimitris Mitropoulos,” in the Musical Instruments category, where I was honored with the first prize and the Golden Statuette of the competition, having achieved the highest score among all competitive categories. This distinction was of particular value to me, not only because of the result, but also because it gave me additional self-confidence and confirmed that the systematic work of recent years was beginning to find a more substantial space for expression.
Of course, there were also competitions where the outcome was not what I would have wanted. Over time, however, I realized that these experiences are also necessary, because they force you to look more honestly at your work and to evolve as a musician.
When and where did you make your first public appearance?
Most likely it was in my neighborhood, at the Estia Neas Smyrnis, although I was too young to remember it clearly.
However, I consider my first substantial public appearance to be the first concert I gave after the lockdown period. The return to normalcy after the coronavirus coincided for me with the Panhellenic exams and then with my first year at the Polytechnic University, so I was relatively late in returning to public performances. My participation in the 55th Summer Music Academy of Grožnjan in Croatia gave me the opportunity to perform for the first time in an international setting, in front of an audience consisting of distinguished artists, highly respected professors, and talented young musicians. It was a demanding but very decisive experience, because it brought me back to the stage at a time when I was trying to rediscover my rhythm as a musician. The fact that, after that performance, I received a scholarship to participate again this year in the academy, this time with a solo recital, makes the experience even more significant for me. At the same time, it reminded me in a very direct way that music can indeed function as a common language among people with different experiences, ages, and backgrounds.
Which of your performances to date will remain unforgettable?
Regarding the piano, it could be none other than the concert I mentioned previously, within the framework of the 55th Summer Music Academy of Grožnjan in Croatia.
At the same time, however, the stage was also present in my life in another way, through my participation in major musical theater productions, such as The Sound of Music at the Pallas Theater, directed by Themis Marsellou, Priscilla, Queen of the Desert at the Badminton Theater, directed by Fokas Evangelinos, and Nine at the Pantheon, directed by Yannis Kakleas. These experiences taught me a lot about the concept of stage presence, about the discipline of a large production, and about how a performer communicates not only with sound, but also with their body, concentration, and energy. I think all of this is valuable for a pianist too, because a recital is not limited to technical perfection; it is also presence, narration, communication with the audience.
What are your preferences in choosing your repertoire? Favorite works, composers… Which repertoire do you feel suits you best?
In choosing my repertoire, I always try to think from the listener’s perspective. I am not only interested in the period or style of a work, but also whether it can create a meaningful experience within the concert. I seek works with direction and development, which can keep the listener engaged and make them follow what is happening in the music, whether they belong to the classical, romantic, or contemporary repertoire.
This does not mean, of course, that there aren’t periods or composers that occupy me more at different times. Currently, for example, from the romantic repertoire, I am particularly interested in Liszt’s Années de pèlerinage, a cycle that combines intense virtuosity, poeticism, and a very clear narrative dimension. Ultimately, what I seek are works that can provoke active listening, works that make the listener follow, wonder, and participate internally in what is happening on stage.
What musical dream would you like to fulfill?
The musical dream I would like to fulfill is to be able to travel through music – and I mean that literally. For music to give me the opportunity to perform in different countries, in different venues, and in front of audiences with different experiences and perceptions. I like the idea that each place can change the way you experience and interpret a work; the hall, the people, the atmosphere, all influence the musical moment. For me, such a dream is not just about major performances, but primarily about the experience of evolving through travels, encounters, and the communication that music creates.
What difficulties does a young musician face in Greece and the world today?
A young musician today faces several problems, most of which can be summarized in one word: uncertainty. Uncertainty about whether they will be able to make a living from their art, whether years of effort and sacrifice will eventually be rewarded, whether the opportunities for development they seek will ultimately materialize. In Greece, opportunities are often limited, while abroad, competition is very high. At the same time, a young musician is not enough to be just a performer; they are called upon to become a manager, a communications officer, their own producer, and often, a sponsor. Amidst all this, the biggest challenge is learning to manage continuous criticism without losing faith in their personal journey and the way they express themselves through music.
How would you suggest we approach young people to get them involved in classical music?
I think that in Greece, classical music often suffers from what I would call the “afternoon activity syndrome.” That is, it is mainly treated as something a child does after school, like a foreign language or a sport, and not as a living art form that can move, challenge, and truly concern a young person. Many come into contact with music through lessons and exams, but not necessarily through the joy of listening, concerts, and personal discovery. If we want to reach young people, we must take classical music out of this narrow framework and show it as something vibrant, human, and contemporary.
Besides music, what are your favorite pastimes?
Besides music, a large part of my daily life is my studies at the Polytechnic University, in the Department of Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering in Patras, where I am in my fourth year. Although at first glance it seems like a quite different world, I feel it helps me think more clearly, more structured, and see things from another perspective. At the same time, I try to cultivate interests and experiences outside of the piano: reading, traveling when I can, meeting people with different backgrounds, and having conversations that take me out of my own assumptions. I believe that for a musician, it is very important not to be limited only to their instrument. Music is nourished not only by hours of study, but also by the way you live, observe, listen, and perceive the world around you. Ultimately, the more you cultivate yourself as a person, the more you have to convey as an artist.
What are your goals for the future?
My goals for the future are, first and foremost, to continue to evolve meaningfully as a musician. In the short term, I want to complete my piano studies in the best possible way and prepare as maturely as possible for my next important performances. Beyond that, I would like to continue working with significant musicians, come into contact with different repertoires, and gradually build a consistent career. However, I don’t think of my goals only in terms of distinctions or grand stages. What interests me most is to be able, through music, to create a true connection with the audience. For me, this communication is perhaps one of the most essential goals of a musician: to evolve technically and artistically, without losing the human connection that is at the core of music.
