Dionysis Boukouvalas
| Dionysis Boukouvalas | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Background information | |
| Born |
7 May 1979 Athens, Greece |
| Origin | Zakynthos, Greece |
| Occupation(s) | Composer |
| Website |
boukouvalas |
Dionysis Boukouvalas (born 7 May 1979) is a Greek composer. He is active mainly in concert music, but recently in popular music too, having set to music poetry by C.P. Cavafy and others.
He holds the diplomas of Harmony, Counterpoint and Fugue (all with mention "A") and a diploma from the Department of Musical Studies of the University of Athens (witn mention "A"). On 2007 he completed his Master’s course at the university "Paris 8". He is a member of the Greek Composers Union.[1]
His works include music for eight plays, including William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream and Michael Ende's Momo, for film (pianno, dir. Giorgos Efthimiou, [2][3] The cat and the canary, dir. Paul Leni), for literary tributes (Tribute to the French existential philosophers, Aeolian earth)[4] and for modern dance (All the way, for the Iliessa dance company).
He has composed music for ensemble and numerous songs on poetry of Ugo Foscolo, Edgar Allan Poe, and various Greek poets (Ritsos, Embiricos, Vrettakos et al).
His work Chemins fermés for string sextet, dedicated in the memory of Iannis Xenakis, won a prize at the Workshops cycle of the Athens Megaron in 2004.
His transcription for two pianos of Philippos Tsalahouris' orchestral work, 24 Greek Dances for the Benaki Museum, was published in 2009 by the museum.[5]
His piano work "Meditation" was included in the 2012 audio DVD PostCage, issued by the American label OgreOgress.[6]
Recent premieres of his works include [2012] Fantasy on a theme by Steve Reich, for piano 6 hands, in collaboration with Steve Reich (Bristol, UK), Winter concords, for ensemble, in collaboration with Rob Haskins (New Hampshire, USA),[7] Sunbeams,[8] for clarinet, viola and piano (Druskininkai, Lithuania) [2013] Music for a non-existent film, for 2 pianos, 8 hands (Vilnius, Lithuania)[9] and Etude, for the dissonArt ensemble (Thessaloniki, Greece).[10]
His first personal CD, English Gardens, came out in 2011[11][12] and garnered praise by highly acclaimed musicians such as Ketil Bjørnstad.
Selected works
- Etude (2013), for the dissonArt ensemble.
- Sunbeams (2012), for clarinet in B, viola and piano.
- Notturno (2012), Ugo Foscolo song for voice and piano.
- Rejouissez-vous! (2006), for four part female chorus and organ, on poetry of Guillaume Apollinaire, Arthur Rimbaud and Aragon.
- A Midsummer Night's Dream (2005), stage music for the William Shakespeare play.
- An invisible city 2 (2005), for 12 performers.
- Fungi from Yuggoth (2004–08), H.P. Lovecraft 4 songs for baritone and piano.
- Momo (2004), stage music for the Michael Ende play.
- Chemins fermés (2003), for 4 violins, cello and double-bass.
- Blue pearl (2003), Andreas Embirikos song for baritone and piano.
- Two pieces for string quartet (2002–2003).
- Preludes, I (2001), T.S. Eliot song for baritone and piano.
- To Zante (2001), Edgar Allan Poe song for soprano and piano.
- Fantasy on a theme by Steve Reich (1999), for piano, six hands, in collaboration with Steve Reich.
References
- ↑ Composer's profile at the Greek Composers' Union website
- ↑ imdb page
- ↑ The film at YouTube. Youtube.com (17 December 2012).
- ↑ youtube video
- ↑ Mention of the transcription in the website of the Benaki museum. Benaki.gr (19 June 2011).
- ↑ A review of the DVD-A. Musicweb-international.com.
- ↑ Mention of the work in Rob Haskins cv. (PDF)
- ↑ Program of the concert at which the piece was premiered. (PDF)
- ↑ Program of the concert. Mic.lt.
- ↑ concert program
- ↑ CD presentation on the composer's website. Boukouvalas.weebly.com.
- ↑ Announcement of a concert promoting the CD. Whatsup-corfu.com (25 August 2011).