This concert highlights the wind octet as a highly expressive chamber music ensemble. Through works spanning a wide range of eras and stylistic references, the program illuminates the transition from the European classical tradition to 20th-century American rhythms. The Octet by Ludwig van Beethoven stands as a cornerstone of the repertoire, while Contrafacta Hungarica by Ferenc Farkas draws inspiration from Renaissance dances and Hungarian musical tradition, transforming them into a contemporary idiom for winds. The program is completed by a suite from Porgy and Bess by George Gershwin and Ragtime Serenade by Scott Joplin, specially arranged for wind octet. These works transport the listener into the world of jazz and ragtime, highlighting the rhythmic vitality and rich tonal palette of the ensemble.

Biographical notes

Dimitris Dakovanos was born in Corfu and began his musical studies at the Mantzaros Philharmonic Society. He continued his studies at the Athens Conservatory under the guidance of Mr. G. Farouggia, graduating with the highest honors, unanimous distinction, and first prize. He has been a member of the orchestra of the Greek National Opera since 2010, where he holds the position of Principal Musician (First Chair). He is also a founding member of the Ventus Ensemble.

Petros Mavrommatis is an oboist with a distinguished international artistic career. Born in Athens, he studied at the Philippos Nakas Conservatory under Giannis Papagiannis, earning his diploma with the highest distinction, “Excellent Unanimously” and First Prize. He continued his studies at the Frankfurt University of Music and Performing Arts, where he completed both his Bachelor of Music and Master of Music degrees under the guidance of Prof. Fabian Menzel.
His musical development was significantly shaped through lessons and collaborations with renowned oboists such as Albrecht Mayer, Jacques Tys, Nicolas-Cock Vassiliou, Norbert Strobel, Peter Veale, and Dimitris Kalpaxidis. He has also participated in masterclasses and seminars with Hansjörg Schellenberger, Thomas Indermühle, Spyros Kontos, Fabian Menzel, and Ingo Goritzki.
He has collaborated with major orchestras including the Athens State Orchestra, the Thessaloniki State Symphony Orchestra, the Frankfurt Opera Orchestra, the Stadttheater Giessen Orchestra, the Luigi Cherubini Orchestra under the direction of Riccardo Muti, and the Pfalztheater Kaiserslautern Orchestra. He has also served as Principal Oboe of both the Hellenic Youth Symphony Orchestra and the Greek-Turkish Youth Orchestra.
As a soloist, he has performed in prestigious venues such as the Alte Oper Frankfurt and the hr-Sendesaal, and has appeared with the Philharmonie der Nationen in performances covered by NDR. His artistic activity also includes extensive chamber music performances in Greece and abroad.
From 2019 to 2024, he was a permanent member of the Thessaloniki State Symphony Orchestra. Since 2024, he has held the position of Principal Oboe with the Greek National Opera.

Angelos Sioras, born in Athens 1992, started his musical journey with the violin at the age of four. After having had a taste of several different instruments, he finally got seduced by the magical sound of the french horn. Following his diploma exams in Greece he continued his studies in Germany and Austria, focusing on historical performance and period instruments. He has collaborated with numerous orchestras in Greece as well as abroad. In 2018 he joined the french horn section of the Greek National Opera as first horn.

Andreas Spyropoulos was born in Elefsina in 1989. He begun his musical studies with the Fagotto at the Philharmonic of the Municipality of Mandra in 2002, at the class of Odysseas Batsios.

He has been a member of the ERT’s Youth Orchestra, the Pescara Youth Orchestra (Italy 2007), the Corfu Youth Orchestra (2008) the Palestine Youth Orchestra (2010). From 1998 up to the present he has been a recurring member of the Municipality of Mandra Philharmonic Orchestra. He has attended seminars by accomplished professors in Italy and Slovenia, such as Patric de Ritis, Wenzel Fuchs, Zoran Mitev, Bence Boganyi, Zakro Pericic.

In January 2011 he performed as fagotto concertmaster at the debut performance of the Palestinian Symphonic Orchestra. He has been a member of the Corfu Philharmonic Society from 2009 to 2011. He has numerous appearances at the International Porto Heli festival in various ensembles while he has also collaborated with the Athens National Orchestra, The ERT Symphonic Orchestra and the Athens Symphony Orchestra.

In 2006 he was admitted at the Musical Studies Department of the Ionion University in Music Performance under professor Basilis Priovolos, where he graduated in 2011.

In July 2012 he received a full scholarship from the Royal Northern College of Music, του Manchester and in 2013 he completed his studies in Postgraduate Diploma in solo Bassoon Performance – under professor Simon Durnford and internationally acclaimed soloist Stefano Canuti.

At the same time he attended Seminars with Hansjorg Schellenberger, Frank Forst, Carlo Colombo, Andrea Zucco, Peter Whelan, Sergio Azzolini.

November 2015 to November 2016 he has performed as concertmaster/solo fagotto with the Shen Yun performing Arts -New York USA.

From 2016 to 2023 he has been a permanent member of the Athens Philharmonia Orchestra under conductor Vyron Fidetzis, a second/contra fagotto, as well as associate of the Municipality of Athens Symphony Orchestra, a 1st fagotto (2017-2018), and a member of the ERT Contemporary Orchestra (2018-2023).

From November 2024, he is a permanent member of the Greek National Opera as a 2nd fagotto and contra fagotto.

Giorgos Theodoropoulos was born in Athens. He began his musical studies at the age of 6 at the National Conservatory, studying piano, which he completed by obtaining a diploma from the class of Natalia Michailidou at the Saint Stephen Conservatory with unanimous distinction.

At the age of 14, he began studying the oboe in the class of Evangelos Christopoulos, with whom he obtained his diploma with unanimous distinction.

He continued his studies at the Cologne University of Music in the class of Christian Schneider. In 2001, he won first prize at the Young Soloists Competition of the Patras Soloists Orchestra, with which he also performed as a soloist under the baton of Saulius Sondeckis. Since 2001, he has participated in concerts with the Athens State Orchestra, the Orchestra of the Greek National Opera, the National Symphony Orchestra of ERT, the Athens Municipal Symphony Orchestra, and the Orchestra of Colours.

He has been a member of the Philharmonia Orchestra of Athens since its foundation.

Clarinetist Spyros Tzekos received his first music lessons at the “Mantzaro Philharmonic Society” and continued in the class of Efstathios Kiosoglou at the “Philippos Nakas” Conservatory, where he obtained his clarinet diploma with unanimous distinction and first prize. He then studied on scholarships from the State Scholarships Foundation and the association “Friends of Music” of the Athens Concert Hall, in the class of Ronald van Spaendonck at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Mons, Belgium; in the class of Walter Boeykens at the Fontys School of Fine and Performing Arts in the Netherlands; and in the department “Contemporary Music through Non-Western Techniques” at the Amsterdam Conservatory.

He has attended advanced masterclasses with distinguished clarinetists such as Michel Arrignon, Walter Boeykens, Alessandro Carbonare, Romain Guyot, Ralph Manno, Andrew Marriner, Spyros Mourikis, Aurelian Octav Popa, among others, as well as improvisation workshops with the Magpie Music Dance Company and Paul Estabrook in Amsterdam.

He has collaborated with major orchestras, cultural institutions, and festivals in Greece, including the Athens State Orchestra, the ERT Symphony Orchestra, Camerata, the Orchestra of Colours, the Municipal Philharmonic Orchestras of Athens and Piraeus, the Athens and Epidaurus Festival, the National Theatre, the Athens Concert Hall, the Benaki Museum, the Onassis Foundation Stegi, the French Institute of Athens, AEJAA, the Chios Music Festival, the International Cyclades Classical Music Festival, and the “Routes in Marpissa” Festival, among others. He has also appeared as a soloist with the Royal Chamber Orchestra of Wallonia, the Athens State Orchestra, and the Athens Municipal Symphony Orchestra.

He collaborates with the Ergon Ensemble and the “Ionian Festival Ensemble,” where he teaches in the two-year contemporary music seminar at the Athens Conservatoire. He is a founding member of two leading Greek ensembles: the Ventus Ensemble (2005), a wind ensemble mainly consisting of wind instruments accompanied by piano and percussion, whose repertoire ranges from the Renaissance to the present day; and the ARTéfacts Ensemble (2008), a contemporary music group focusing on musical creation of the 20th and 21st centuries. Both ensembles are based in Athens and have a rich history of concerts, educational programs, and workshops in cities across Greece and abroad. Their recordings have been released by Decca Classics and Puzzlemusik. Since 2007, he has been principal clarinetist of the Greek National Opera Orchestra.

Alexandros Vlahos was born in Corfu. He began his musical journey at the Sinárades Philharmonic and then continued at the Corfu Conservatory in the class of Dimitris Papikinou. Later, he studied in the class of Spyros Tzekos at the ‘Akropolis’ Conservatory, from which he graduated with the highest distinction, receiving an “Excellent” grade and First Prize. He then pursued postgraduate studies and graduated with distinction from the Royal Conservatory of Mons in the class of Ronald Van Spaendonck.

He has attended masterclasses with internationally renowned clarinetists such as Martin Fröst, Romain Guyot, Nicolas Baldeyrou, Spyros Mourikis, among others.

In 2021, he won 2nd Prize at the 5th International Music Competition in Moscow.
In 2023, he was accepted into the orchestral academies of both the Belgian National Orchestra and Belgium’s National Opera House.
That same year, he received the “Winner of Honorable Mention” award at the 2023 Silverstein Clarinet Contest (USA).

He has performed as a member of the following orchestras: Belgian National Orchestra, Belgium’s National Opera House, Orchestre Royal de Chambre de Wallonie, Brussels Philharmonic Orchestra, and Nuove Musiche Orchestra.
He is currently a member of the Greek National Opera Orchestra, serving as the second clarinetist.