Last night, renowned Greek artists cellist Christos Grimpas and pianist Emmanuel Lazaridis performed a stunning concert in the beautiful and acoustically rich setting of the cathedral church “St. Sophia.” The event was part of the traditional Greek evening at the “Ohrid Summer” festival, which annually features top artists from Greece.
The carefully selected program included Beethoven’s Cello Sonata, the Greek Suite for Cello and Piano by Michailidis, and Liszt’s Piano Sonata. The performance captivated the audience, showcasing the musicians’ exceptional talent and artistry.
Christos Grimpas studied at the State Conservatory in Thessaloniki (with Prof. D. Patras) and the University of the Arts in Berlin. He completed his postgraduate studies at the Folkwang University of the Arts in Essen under V. Mendelssohn. Grimpas has been a member of the Rhine Youth Orchestra, the International Youth Orchestra, and the EU Orchestra. His impressive biography includes numerous domestic and international awards. As a soloist, he has performed with orchestras in Thessaloniki, Karlovy Vary, Pazardzhik, Sofia, Dnipro, and Kharkiv. Grimpas has also made recordings with the Greek Radio Symphony Orchestra. Currently, he is a member of the cello section in the Thessaloniki State Orchestra and a founder of the ensemble “Transcriptions,” which performs internationally at venues such as the Tate Museum in London, the Queen Sofia Museum in Madrid, and the Megaron in Athens.
George-Emmanuel Lazaridis graduated from the Royal College of Music and the Trinity Laban Conservatoire in London. His more than 35-year-long successful career has taken him to the US, Mexico, Russia, Ukraine, Egypt, across Europe, and the Middle East. Lazaridis has performed at prestigious venues such as the Royal Albert Hall, Carnegie Hall in New York, and the Vienna Musikverein. As a soloist, he has appeared with orchestras in St. Petersburg, Hamburg, and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in London, under the batons of legendary conductors such as Sir Neville Marriner, Ingo Metzmacher, and Yuri Temirkanov. As a chamber musician, he has shared the stage with the Medici Quartet, the Ysaÿe Quartet, and the Vienna Octet, among others. His recorded works have received high praise from international critics.
The concert at “Ohrid Summer” was a memorable evening, celebrating the profound connection between Greece’s rich musical heritage and the festival’s tradition of bringing world-class performances to its audience.
