Christos Hatzis

Christos Hatzis (born 1953) is a Greek Canadian composer currently a professor at the Faculty of Music, University of Toronto.

Christos Hatzis
Born 21 March 1953 (1953-03-21) (age 58)
Volos, Greece
Occupation Composer
Spouse Beverley Johnston
Website
http://hatzis.com

Contents

Biography

Hatzis was born in Volos, Greece and received his early music instruction at the Volos branch of the Hellenic Conservatory. He continued his musical studies in the United states, first at the Eastman School of Music (B.M 1976 and M.M 1977) and later at the State University of New York (SUNY) at Buffalo (Ph.D. 1982). He immigrated to Canada in 1982 and became a Canadian citizen in 1985. Hailed as “one of the most important composers in Canada” (International Musician), he is now an internationally renowned composer, being the recipient of awards such as Jean A. Chalmers National Music Award (1998),[1] (Governor General) Jules Léger Prize for New Chamber Music (1996)[2] and two Juno Awards in 2006.[3][4] and 2008[5]

His work Constantinople was critically acclaimed and has been performed internationally. It combined music and visual media and is musically eclectic, featuring jazz, classical, and eastern elements. Performed at sold-out halls at Banff and Toronto during the summer and fall of 2004, it has been described as "A multimedia feast of the imagination...a work unlike any other in the Canadian musical literature" (Toronto Star) and “a stunning theatrical triumph” (Calgary Harold).[6]

Hatzis' music is inspired by Christian spirituality, particularly his Byzantine heritage, and the Canadian Inuit culture. In addition to composing and teaching, Hatzis has written extensively about composition and contemporary music.

Currently, he is working on an opera with libretto from writer Margaret Atwood titled "Pauline". It is based on Pauline Johnson, a Canadian writer and poet, and is the first commission ever undertaken by City Opera Vancouver.[7] Other projects include a commission from violinist Hillary Hahn, a piece for bass clarinet, string orchestra and audio playback commissioned by Jeff Reilly, and a new work based on poems by Elizabeth Bishop, commissioned by soprano Suzie Leblanc and Symphony Nova Scotia. On November 12, 2010, Hatzis' piece Credo will be performed by George Dalaras, a popular Greek singer, and CityMusic Cleveland Orchestra in Avery Fisher Hall in New York.[8]

His composition teachers include Morton Feldman, Lejaren Hiller, Wlodzimierz Kotonski, Samuel Adler, Russell Peck, Joseph Schwantner and Warren Benson.

He is a member of the Canadian Music Centre.[9]

His works are published by Promethean Editions.

Compositions

Orchestra

Choral

Chamber

Mixed Media

Radiophonic

References

External links