Stefanos Korkolis
Encyclopedia
Stefanos Korkolis is a Greek
composer
and pianist
. He was born in Athens
and grew up in Patissia
. He is a nephew of renowned Greek composer Mimis Plessas
.
He was considered a prodigy
for starting playing the piano since the age of five without prior lessons. His first teacher was piano soloist Marika Papaioannou. Until the age of seven he performed as a self-taught pianist. At age eleven he enrolled in the Athens Conservatoire
. His piano teacher was Phoebe Vallinda and harmony teacher was Menelaos Pallantios. Two and a half years later he partakes in an international piano contest winning the first prize, as well as a scholarship from the French government. The latter enabled him to continue his studies at École Normale Supérieure
in Paris.
From the age of 17 and for 11 years he was known as "... the French pianist Korkolis, of Greek nationality...". He attended seminars on chorus direction and instrumentation by Vladimir Horowitz
, Yvonne Lefébure
and others. During that period he composed music for theatrical and cinematic productions. Eleven years later he abandoned classical music which resulted in the revocation of his scholarship. As a composer and a director he started releasing independent records some of which reached the status of gold
.
In 1990 his first Greek album ("Που λες κι είσαι νύχτα") was released. Famous songs from this work included "Ζωή με το κομμάτι" and "Μισό - μισό".
In 1991 he moved back to Greece. He initially worked on commercials. His first work as an orchestrator was at Andreas Mikroutsikos
' "Χαμένο νησί". Subsequently he released his second personal album "Οι μέρες της φωτιάς", which included a song with the same name and "Στους πέντε ανέμους", a duet with Constantina.
In 1997 targeting the European audience, he collaborated with Marinela, Vicky Leandros
and José Carreras
who performed "Σκόνη και Θρύψαλλα" in Carreras' gala and other European concerts. This song was included in Leandros' highly successful "Gefuehle/Συναισθήματα".
In 1998 he turned to classical music with piano recitals in Athens Concert Hall
and Odeon of Herodes Atticus
in Greece, as well as outside Greece. He collaborated with George Dalaras
, Dimitris Mitropanos
, Mario Frangoulis
, Alkistis Protopsalti, Mando
, Melina Aslanidou, and others.
Korkolis composed "The Hymn of Special Olympics", in 1997 and which was first performed at the 1999 Special Olympics
World Summer Games in North Carolina, USA.
In 2003 he performed with Dulce Pontes
in the Opera of Bratislava
, as an official guest of Jorge Sampaio, during his visit in Slovakia
. Following the performance Korkolis was awarded with a medal.
In April 2004 in a ceremony held in the ambassadors home in Hague he gave a piano recital for the members of the International Olympic Committee
as part of the Cultural Olympiad.
Since 2005 he's been working with Russian singer Linda
.
Since 2006 collaborating with Greek singers Andriana Babali
, Chrispa and Alkistis Protopsalti
.
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
and pianist
Pianist
A pianist is a musician who plays the piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers, solo instrumentalists, or other performers.-Choice of genres:...
. He was born in Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
and grew up in Patissia
Ano Patissia
Ano Patissia is a neighbourhood in Athens, Greece, and home of the Ano Patissia station.-Commerce:Near the ISAP station there are many businesses, including a large Internet cafe and billiard centre, many banks and companies,as also and one of the largest schools in Greece,Lycée Léonin.Further from...
. He is a nephew of renowned Greek composer Mimis Plessas
Mimis Plessas
Mimis Plessas is one of the most significant modern Greek composers. He was born in Athens. In 1952 he started composing music and since then he has written music for over 100 Greek movies, Greek radio, theatre and TV...
.
He was considered a prodigy
Child prodigy
A child prodigy is someone who, at an early age, masters one or more skills far beyond his or her level of maturity. One criterion for classifying prodigies is: a prodigy is a child, typically younger than 18 years old, who is performing at the level of a highly trained adult in a very demanding...
for starting playing the piano since the age of five without prior lessons. His first teacher was piano soloist Marika Papaioannou. Until the age of seven he performed as a self-taught pianist. At age eleven he enrolled in the Athens Conservatoire
Athens Conservatoire
The Athens Conservatoire is the oldest conservatoire in modern Greece. It was founded in 1871 by the Athens Music and Drama Society. Initially, the musical instruments that were taught there were limited to the violin and the flute, representative of the ancient Greek Apollonian and Dionysian...
. His piano teacher was Phoebe Vallinda and harmony teacher was Menelaos Pallantios. Two and a half years later he partakes in an international piano contest winning the first prize, as well as a scholarship from the French government. The latter enabled him to continue his studies at École Normale Supérieure
École Normale Supérieure
The École normale supérieure is one of the most prestigious French grandes écoles...
in Paris.
From the age of 17 and for 11 years he was known as "... the French pianist Korkolis, of Greek nationality...". He attended seminars on chorus direction and instrumentation by Vladimir Horowitz
Vladimir Horowitz
Vladimir Samoylovich Horowitz was a Russian-American classical virtuoso pianist and minor composer. His technique and use of tone color and the excitement of his playing were legendary. He is widely considered one of the greatest pianists of the 20th century.-Life and early...
, Yvonne Lefébure
Yvonne Lefébure
Yvonne Lefébure was a French pianist.Born in Ermont, she studied with Alfred Cortot at the Paris Conservatoire, taking a premier prix in piano and numerous other subjects. She soon appeared with the Orchestre des Concerts Lamoureux and the Orchestre des Concerts Colonne and in recital. She...
and others. During that period he composed music for theatrical and cinematic productions. Eleven years later he abandoned classical music which resulted in the revocation of his scholarship. As a composer and a director he started releasing independent records some of which reached the status of gold
Music recording sales certification
Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,...
.
In 1990 his first Greek album ("Που λες κι είσαι νύχτα") was released. Famous songs from this work included "Ζωή με το κομμάτι" and "Μισό - μισό".
In 1991 he moved back to Greece. He initially worked on commercials. His first work as an orchestrator was at Andreas Mikroutsikos
Andreas Mikroutsikos
Andreas Mikroutsikos is a composer, lyricist, singer and TV presenter. He is the brother of Thanos Mikroutsikos and is considered to be Greece's "reality king". His top hits were "the kiklopaki " or "oso girizei i gi "...
' "Χαμένο νησί". Subsequently he released his second personal album "Οι μέρες της φωτιάς", which included a song with the same name and "Στους πέντε ανέμους", a duet with Constantina.
In 1997 targeting the European audience, he collaborated with Marinela, Vicky Leandros
Vicky Leandros
Vicky Leandros is a Greek singer with a long international career. She is the daughter of singer, musician and composer Leandros Papathanasiou...
and José Carreras
José Carreras
Josep Maria Carreras i Coll , better known as José Carreras , is a Spanish Catalan tenor particularly known for his performances in the operas of Verdi and Puccini...
who performed "Σκόνη και Θρύψαλλα" in Carreras' gala and other European concerts. This song was included in Leandros' highly successful "Gefuehle/Συναισθήματα".
In 1998 he turned to classical music with piano recitals in Athens Concert Hall
Athens Concert Hall
The Athens Concert Hall is a concert hall located in Athens, on Vassilissis Sofias Avenue....
and Odeon of Herodes Atticus
Odeon of Herodes Atticus
The Odeon of Herodes Atticus is a stone theatre structure located on the south slope of the Acropolis of Athens. It was built in 161 AD by Herodes Atticus in memory of his wife, Aspasia Annia Regilla...
in Greece, as well as outside Greece. He collaborated with George Dalaras
George Dalaras
George Dalaras , also possibly spelled as Yorgos or Giorgos Dalaras, is a Greek singer. He is of international fame and has recently been selected as a Goodwill Ambassador for the UN Refugee Agency. He was born in Nea Kokinia, Piraeus. His father was Loukas Daralas, a singer of rebetiko.-Early...
, Dimitris Mitropanos
Dimitris Mitropanos
Dimitris Mitropanos is a Greek singer. He is renowned for his mastery of Laïkó, a Greek music style.-Biography:Mitropanos lived in his native city of Trikala in northwest Thessaly until the age of 16, beginning his musical career in 1964....
, Mario Frangoulis
Mario Frangoulis
Mario Frangoulis is a Greek tenor and is best known for his song, "Vincerò, Perderò". He sings in Italian, Spanish, English, French, and Greek; he is fluent in all 5 languages.-Early life:...
, Alkistis Protopsalti, Mando
Mando (singer)
Mando , born Adamantia Stamatopoulou , is a popular Greek singer. She was born in Piraeus on April 13 and raised in Athens by her jazz pianist father, Nikos Stamatopoulos and a classic soprano opera mother Mary Apergi. From a young age she began to develop her talent and interest in music, and was...
, Melina Aslanidou, and others.
Korkolis composed "The Hymn of Special Olympics", in 1997 and which was first performed at the 1999 Special Olympics
Special Olympics
Special Olympics is the world's largest sports organization for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, providing year-round training and competitions to more than 3.1 million athletes in 175 countries....
World Summer Games in North Carolina, USA.
In 2003 he performed with Dulce Pontes
Dulce Pontes
Dulce José Silva Pontes is a Portuguese songwriter and singer who performs in many musical styles, including pop, folk and classical music. She is usually defined as a world music artist...
in the Opera of Bratislava
Slovak National Theatre
The Slovak National Theatre denotes:* the oldest Slovak professional theatre consisting of 3 ensembles ,* a Neo-Renaissance theatre building in the Old Town of Bratislava, Slovakia, which formerly housed two of the theatre's ensembles , and* the theatre's large modern theatre building in...
, as an official guest of Jorge Sampaio, during his visit in Slovakia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
. Following the performance Korkolis was awarded with a medal.
In April 2004 in a ceremony held in the ambassadors home in Hague he gave a piano recital for the members of the International Olympic Committee
International Olympic Committee
The International Olympic Committee is an international corporation based in Lausanne, Switzerland, created by Pierre de Coubertin on 23 June 1894 with Demetrios Vikelas as its first president...
as part of the Cultural Olympiad.
Since 2005 he's been working with Russian singer Linda
Linda (musician)
Linda is a stage name for Svetlana Lvovna Geiman , a Russian singer. Her style incorporates trip hop, electronic and ethnic music.-Albums:-Singles:-Trivia:...
.
Since 2006 collaborating with Greek singers Andriana Babali
Andriana Babali
Andriana Babali is a Greek singer and songwriter.-Biography:Born and raised in Athens, Babali studied economy and music, just to decide she wanted to follow the art way. She began singing as a vocalist with Nikos Portokaloglou Band at 1998...
, Chrispa and Alkistis Protopsalti
Alkistis Protopsalti
Alkistis Protopsalti , born as Alkistis Sevasti Attikuzel ) is a Greek singer.- Early life :Alkistis Protopsalti was born in 18 October 1954 in Alexandria, Egypt by Egyptiot parents....
.