Marios Nicolaou - Percussion

The Pharos Arts Foundation opens its 2013 concert programme, on 29 January at The Shoe Factory in Nicosia, with a Cyprus Artists Series concert by percussionist Marios Nicolaou. Well known to Cyprus audiences for his exciting performances, as well as the number of world premieres he has given, Marios will perform works by J.S Bach, Stockhausen, Xenakis, Tanaka, Cangelosi, Reifenender, Carter, Reich, A. Moustoukis & V. Nicolaou.

"The terraced arrangement of the instruments--vibraphone, marimba, kettledrum, two tom-toms, three triangles, three cymbals, two tam-tams, four temple blocks, and four cowbells, high hat, cymbales antiques--forming a horseshoe around the player creates a characteristic ‘playing room', and ‘interieur', not only for the player but also for the composer…" Lachenmann on Interieur I

MARIOS NICOLAOU / percussion

Marios Nicolaou was born in Limassol in 1974. He studied percussion at the Athens Conservatory with D. Marinakis, and at the Hochschule für Musik Köln with C. Caskel and C. Tarcha, where he graduated with “Auszeichnung”. He participated in the International Ensemble Modern Academy (Schwaz/Austria) and won the “Alexandra Trianti” scholarship from the Athens Megaron.

In 2000, he appeared as a soloist on the Timpani with the Cyprus State Orchestra performing the Concertino for Timpani, Percussion and Strings by A. Panufnik. Recently, he has appeared as a soloist with the Cyprus Symphony Orchestra in Darius Milhaud’s Concerto pour Batterie et petit Orcestre and in Nikos Skalkottas’ Nocturnal Amusement for Xylophone and Orchestra.

Nicolaou has collaborated with ensembles and conductors such as P. Eötvös, D. Bouliane, F. Ollu, K. De Roo, Th. Antoniou, Moscow Contemporary Music Ensemble, Ensemble Neue Music Köln, ensemble dissonΑrt, Chronos ensemble, and the Greek Composers Union Ensemble, and since 2009, he is a member of the Ergon Ensemble.

He has been the Timpanist of the Ballet Orchestra of the Greek National Opera, and since 2003 he has been collaborating with the majority of the Greek orchestras, including Athens State Orchestra, Greek Radio Symphony Orchestra, Camerata, and Orchestra of Colors. He has also appeared at Kölner Philharmoniker, Gasteig in Munich, Athens Megaron, Thessaloniki Megaron, and Steinway Haus Düsseldorf, and participated in festivals such as Klangspuren, Pierre Boulez zum '75, Minimal Music Kassel, Athens Music Festival, International Festival Kypria, Avaton and 4th International Pharos Contemporary Music Festival. His repertoire is diverse, including also works by composers such as Xenakis, Stockhausen, Bartók, Reich, Lachenmann. Marios Nicolaou has given the premieres of works of many notable Cypriot composers.

PROGRAMME:

J. S. Bach – Prelude in G for marimba
Iannis Xenakis – Rebonds A
Steve Reich - Piano phase
Casey Cangelosi – Meditation I no 1 for snare drum
Andreas Moustoukis – Microphobia for vibraphone and electronics
Karheinz Stockhausen – Zyklus

Interval

Toshimitsu Tanaka – Two movements for Marimba
Wolfgang Reifenender – Crossover for snare drum
Eliot Carter – March & Improvisation from Eight pieces for four Timpani
Vassos Nicolaou - Recent 0010 for percussion and electronics
Iannis Xenakis – Rebonds B

Tickets: €15 Adults / €10 Members of the Foundation, Concessions, Students
Box Office: Tel. 7000-9304 (daily 9.30-11.30am) / www.pharostickets.org