Arirang Wind Quintet

Established ten years ago, the Arirang-Quintett stems from the Junge Deutsche Philharmonie –one of the leading German orchestras of our time, which has also fostered the creation of new chamber music ensembles. The orchestra encompasses over 100 of the best international musicians, chosen from the 25000 students in the 24 German music conservatories. The orchestra´s high performance standards are insured through rigid auditions.

Arirang-Quintett’s repertoire comprises classical, romantic as well as contemporary, including several works that are given their world premiere by the Quintet. After a successful debut in the Bochum theatre, the Arirang-Quintett was selected by Jeunesses Musicales Germany out of many chamber music ensembles, to represent Germany in the International Showcase of Young Musicians 2004 in Croatia. Performances have included the Northern Lights Festival / Tromsø, Semanas
Musicales de Frutillar /Chile, the Vendsyssel Festival in Denmark, the Bach Fest Leipzig, and the Festival Aix-en-Provence.

Having been awarded 2nd prize in the International Chamber Music Competition Schwerin in 2004, the Arirang-Quintett was invited on a concert tour to Vienna, Brünn and Prague (Prague Spring Festival). In 2005 the Quintet was awarded 2nd prize in the International Wind Quintet Competition Henri Tomasi in Marseille and a 2nd prize in the Osaka International Chamber Music Competition. After a successful participation in the German Music Competition in 2007, Arirang-Quintett became a scholarship-winner of the Deutscher Musikrat.

Having received an invitation by the Goethe-Institute the Quintet has given concerts in North and South America, Pakistan, Yemenia, Latvia, Angola, India, Dubai, Kuwait and Azerbaijan. The members of the Arirang-Quintett are also members of the major symphony orchestras in Germany and Switzerland.

Marios Nicolaou was born in Limassol in 1974. He studied at the Athens Conservatory (class of D. Marinakis) and at the Hochschule für Musik Köln with C. Caskel and C. Tarcha and graduated with “Auszeichnung”. He has also worked with P. Sadlo and Rainer Seegers in master classes and private lessons. In 2005 he took part at the International Ensemble Modern Academy (Schwaz/Austria). Marios has been a holder of the “Alexandra Trianti” scholarship of the “Friends of Music Society”.

In 2000 appeared as a soloist on the Timpani with the Cyprus State Orchestra, performing the Concertino for Timpani, Percussion and Strings by A. Panufnik. He has worked with many orchestras in Germany, such as the Gürzenich Orchester - Kölner Philharmoniker, the Neues Rheinisches Kammerοrchester and the Kölner Jugendorchester. Since 2003 he has been collaborating with most of the Greek orchestras (Athens State Orchestra, Radio Symphony Orchestra, Camerata, Orchestra of colors). As a chamber musician, Marios has worked with H. Lachenmann, P. Eötvös, F. Ollu, D. Bouliane, the Ensemble neue music Koln and the ensemble dissonArt. He took part in festivals such as the Pierre Boulez zum '75 (in Cologne Philharmony) and at the Minimal Music Kassel. Performing the Sonata for two Pianos and Percussion by B. Bartók, he appeared at the Klavier Festival Ruhr. Since 2009 he is a member of the Ergon Ensemble.

Arirang Wind Quintet:
Leonie Wolters / flute
Jörg Schneider / oboe
Steffen Dillner / clarinet
Sebastian Schindler / horn
Christoph Knitt / bassoon
&
Marios Nicolaou / percussion

Programme:
Karlheinz Stockhausen (1928 – 2007) Zyklus for solo percussion (1959)
Christian Mason World Premiere
Iannis Xenakis (1922 – 2001) Rebonds for solo percussion (1989)

Interval

Peteris Vasks (b. 1946) "Bläserquintett No.2" Music for a Deceased Friend (1982)
Isang Yun (1917 – 1995) Woodwind Quintet (1991)
Gyorgy Ligeti (1923 – 2006) Six Bagatelles for wind quintet (1953)

Information & Tickets:
Information: Pharos Arts Foundation Tel. +35722663871 / www.pharosartsfoundation.org

Tickets: €20 Adults / €15 Members of the Foundation, Concessions

Box Office: Tel. 7000-9304 (daily 9.30-11.30am) / www.pharostickets.org

The event is part of the 4th International Pharos Contemporary Music Festival
Having established itself as one of the most cutting-edge and innovative annual events in the Eastern Mediterranean, the International Pharos Contemporary Music Festival is already in its fourth year. The Festival is dedicated to the promotion of new music: The well-established masterpieces of the contemporary music literature of the 20th century as well as a great number of premieres by young leading composers from all over the world who have been commissioned by Pharos to write new works especially for this occasion. The Festival aims to provide a forum for composers and performers to advance and develop new projects and explore new sound worlds in chamber music settings. Its objective is also to endorse contemporary music to the general audience of Cyprus, and elsewhere, as this is the music of our times – it is directly linked with many forms of visual and creative arts, and sciences, and reflects the intimacy of the modern-day human spirit.

The 4th International Pharos Contemporary Music Festival is certain to be a thrilling experience! It continues to diversify by presenting a number of exciting events, from 9 until 29 September 2012 and a seldom heard repertoire for strings, winds, voice, percussion, harp and accordion. Six of the finest contemporary ensembles in the world will present classical contemporary masterpieces by composers such as Schönberg, Stockhausen, Xenakis and Ligeti while they will simultaneously join forces with over 20 young, but internationally acclaimed composers from all over the world. Each of these composers has written a newly-commissioned work that will be given its world premiere during the Festival concerts.