Giorgos Koumendakis (Greek: Γιώργος Κουμεντάκης) is a Greek composer. He was appointed musical director and creator of musical scenario for the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens.
Biography Giorgos Koumendakis was born in Rethymnon (Crete) in 1959 to Ioannis and Evaggelia Koumendakis. He took the first music lessons (accordion) in Rethymno and began to compose at the age of 15. He pursued his studies in Advanced Theory with Diamantis Diamantopoulos at the Hellenic Conservatory in Athens and has attainted seminars of music composition with P. Boulez, Ligeti György, I. Xenakis, A. Goehr and others in Paris.
In 1990, he was awarded the second prize of the Municipality of Athens for a music work concerning the National Rebirth and in 1992 Koumendakis was awarded the “Prix de Rome” and was ‘pensionnaire’ for 1993 in Villa Mediciis in Rome. In 1994, he was awarded the “Nikos Kazantzakis Prize” from the Municipality of Herakleion. From 1998 to 2000, he was “Composer in Residence” in London for the Hellenic Concert series, Clio Gould and BT Ensemble, receiving support by the Michaels Marks Charitable Trust. He undertook the musical direction and created the music concept for the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2004 Athens Olympic Games.
Koumendakis has composed more than 100 works including vocal-choral, orchestral, chamber, solo, operatic music, as well as music for dance, modern theater and ancient Greek drama. He has also collaborated with other artists in various multi-and new media projects (video-art, animation, installations). His compositions reveal influences from different music styles and currents, historical and contemporary, not only from the milieu of the savant music literature but also from the folkloric music of his country. His compositions have been performed in many international festivals, conferences: World Music Days Festival(Germany 1987, Hong Kong 1988, Oslo 1990), Frankfurt Feste (1987), Conferenza Musicale Mediterranea (Palermo, 1992, 1997), Nieuwe Muziek Middelburg Festival (1990), Presences-Radio France (Paris, 1992, 2004), Festival of Athens(2005, 2006, 2009, 2010http://www.mcf.gr/en/calendar/?ev=181), Cultural Year of Greece in China (Beijing 2007-8) etc.
Some of the ensembles and orchestras which have performed his works include the: Quattuor Leonardo, Ensemble Intercontemporain, European Community Youth Orchestra, Oslo Sinfonietta, Oslo Philharmonic Chamber Choir, Divertimento Ensemble, Xenakis Ensemble, Hong Kong Ensemble, Arraymusic Ensemble, New Hellenic Quartet, La Camerata Friends of Music Orchestra, Beijing Symphony Orchestra, Accademia Musicale Siciliana, Accentus/Axe 21 Chamber Choir, Nederlands Blazers Ensemble, BT Scottish Ensemble, Kronos Quartet, Nash Ensemble, Russian State Symphony Orchestra Young Russia, Tangos a Cuatro, City of Oxford Orchestra, Orchestra of Colors (Greece), State Orchestra of Thessaloniki, State Orchestra of Athens, String Orchestra of Patras, Orchestra of the National Opera, Macedonian Saxophone Quartet, Nederlands Blazers Ensemble, Prism Saxophone Quartet, Ensemble Octopus, The Greek Ensemble of modern music, Cosmos Saxophone Quartet, Saxophone Quartet of Theodoros Kerkezos, Ensemble Recherche, and opus21musikplus.
His music was directed among others by Arturo Tamayo, Gunther Schuller, Diego Masson, James Judd, Mathias Bamert, Ingo Metzmacher, Martin Brabbins, Gaetano Colajanni, Olivier Cuendet, Christian Eggen, Henri Gallois, Christopher Warren-Green, Henry Kucharzyk, Stefan Skold, Myron Michailidis, Miltos Logiades, Alexandros Myrat, Marios Papadopoulos, Nikos Tchouchlos, Alkis Baltas
Compositions (Abbreviations follow the IMSLP:Abbreviations for Instruments - IMSLP, International Music Score Library Project)
Chamber music String Quartet (1976-1977) (ms, unknown) Window(1977) (ms, unknown) Two pieces for flute and piano (1981) (ms, unknown) She chanted loud some alien hymn of wizardry, String quartet (1981), str[2.1.1.0], dur : 8΄00 The Grimm Brothers’ Suite (1996), str[2.1.1.0], dur. : 10΄00 Socrates in Athens, 13.07.01 (2001) for 5 percussionists, (3 vib, 2 xyl), dur. : 28΄00 Modo, in three parts, 2 pf, 3 pianists• pf, 3 pianists• 2 pf, 2 pianists (2007), dur.: 3΄00 Five more steps until you fall asleep (2008), picc, fl, 2 cl.[Bb], str[2.0.2.1], 2 vib, pf 4 hands, dur.: 10΄ Hovering in Between (2009), 2 sax (sopr. and baritone), dur.: 5΄00 The silent step of the bear (2012), sax (soprano and alto), perc, bajan, dur.: 11΄00 (The man bear, Dance 1, sax sop, perc, bajan, Dance 2, sax alto, perc, bajan, Dance 3, sax alto, perc, bajan) (See also cycles)
Solo music Approche (1980), pf, dur.: 7΄30 Horomimos (1988), pf, dur.: 3΄00 Melody for mandolin (1994), dur.: 6΄00 Firefly (2000), hpd, dur.: 2΄00 Bumble-bee (2000), hpd, dur.: 0΄ 30 Melody for guitar (2001), dur.: 8΄30 Forget me not (2007), sax/cl, dur.: 10΄30 Daring Combinations (2002), pf, dur.: 15΄00 Forget me, (2009), fl (See also cycles)
Operas Suicide I, Suicide II (1978-9), libr. G.K., graphic score, actor, 11 str bowed ad. lib. Daily Suicides (1980 – 81), libr. G.K., graphic score, sop, alt, ten, bass, 2 actors, orch : (2 picc,2fl, 3ob,1cl[G], 1 cl[Mib], 3 c[Bb], 1 bcl[Bb], 3 bn, 2 bbn,4 hn, 1 tpt[D], 3 tpt[C], 2 tbn, 1 btbn, 1 tba, 1 perc, str[10 vl I, 10 vl II. 10.8.6], dur. : 90' The Day will come... (first version 1986), sop, bryt, wq[1.1.1.1], sq[2.1.1.], bc[hn, tpt, tbn, cb, perc, pf], based on verses from Iliad and Odyssey of Homer in their original language, dur. : 24΄00 The Day will come... (1995 rev.), sop, bryt, mch, wq[1.1.1.1], sq and bc[hn, tpt, tbn, cb, perc, pf], text based on verses from Iliad and Odyssey of Homer in their original language, dur. : 50΄00 Omiros-Orimos (Homer-Mature) (2013), sop (Pinelopi), mez (Evriklia), ten (Tilemahos), bass (Odysseas), cch, 1fl, 1ob, 1sax (cl), hn, tbn, bajan, perc, 2vl, 1va, 1vc, 1cb, libr. from Homer's Odyssey in the original language dur.: 30΄00 The murderess (2014), libr. of Yannis Svolos based on Alexandros Papadiamantis’ novel ‘The Murderess’, sop (Fragoyiannou), mez (Marousso), bass (Ioassaf), sop (Delharo), bryt (Yannis gardener), sop (Yiannou), sop (Mother of Xenoula), ten (Police officer 1), bryt (Judge), ten (Police officer 2), sop (Crinio), sop (Toula), sop (Myrsouda), bryt or bass (Doctor), actrice (Amersa), actor (Constantis), mch, fch, cch, vv[2sop, 1 mez, 1 alt],1 picc, 1fl, 2ob, 1cl[Bb], 1bcl[Bb], bn, cbn, 4 hn, 2 tpt, 2 trb, 1 percussionist, sax., bajan, percussionist (on stage), string orch
Choral music
In Dolore (1988), text of Marcus Minucius Felix (in Latin), ch a capella, dur. : 3΄00 Dracula, 5/6 voices, in six parts, on liturgical texts and invented texts (G.K.) for (3 sop, 1 alt, 1 ten, 1 bass), chamber orchfl, ob, cl, tpt, tbn, tba, 4 vl, 2va, 2vc, 1cb), dur.: 70΄00 see dance Socrates in Athens (2001), see chamber music The Pedal Tone of a Child (2010), see orchestral music The Pedal Tone of A Middle – Aged Man, concerto for pf (No. 4)(2009), sax quartet and string orch, dur.: 17΄30 see cycles
Vocal music Remoteness 3 or about Love (1976, rev. 1977-8), text from Plato's Symposium, for bryt-narrator, fl, 2 pf, dur.: 10΄00 Attempt to Sleep (1979), on poems of Giannis Kontos for sop and orchestra (1picc, 2fl, 2ob, 1 eh, 1cl[Bb], 1 cl[A], 1 bcl[Bb], 2 bn, 1bbn, 4 hn, 2tpt, 2 tbn, 1 tba, 6 perc, vl I, vl II, vas, vcs, cbs) 3 Poems (1979–80), graphic score, text of G.K., for mez and orch (1picc, 2fl, 2ob, 1 eh, 2cl, 1 bcl, 2bn, 2 sax, 6 hn, 3 tpt, 3 tbn, 1 ) tba, 9 perc, vl I, vl II, va, vc, cb Stratis Thalassinos in the Underworld (see dance) Elpomai (I Hope) (1984), oratorio for bryt, 28v ch, 10 brass (3 Hn, 3 tpt, 3 tbn, 1 tba) str[10vl I,10vl II, 10.8.6], dur. : 30΄00 on texts of Thucydides, St Paul, ancient Greek texts Fatherland(Patria and Kingdom Of the Birds) (1987) on poems of Tasos Galatis for sop, mez, cl, vl, vc, cb, hpd, dur.: 6΄30 Ypsipolisapolis(1988), on texts from Sophocles’ Antigone, for mez, mch, (fl, ob, tpt, 2 pf, 3 vc, 2cb), dur. : 23΄30 Eros Demon (Love Demon) (1991), on poems of Sappho, for contra-ten, 2 pf, dur. : 22΄30 The song of Hedda Gabler (1994), on text of G.K. and Giannis Houvardas (in Swedish), v and pf, dur. : 1΄37 A King that Hears (1994), v and pf, text G.K. (in Italian) Iphigenia on the Bridge of Arta (1994–95), see dance Requiem(for the End of Love) (1995), on the poem ‘Lazarus’ of Dimitris Kapetanakis for sop, mch, 3cl[Bb], 2tbn., str orch(4 vl I, 3 vl II, 3 altos, 4 vc, 2 cb), dur. : 37΄00 The Snowman (1996) on text of Elena Pega in English for contra-ten and six instruments (2vl, va, 2vc, and pf), dur. : 16΄11 Theonoe's Concerto (1996), see concertos Dracula (1997), see dance Missa Harmoniae Verbi (1998) on liturgical texts in Hebrew, Latin and Greek) for sop, mez, ten, bass, ch, sq and orch (2ob, 2 bcl, 2bn, 2 hn, 2tpt, 2 tbn, vl I, vl II, va, vc, cb), dur. : 30΄00 Bacchae– Overture (1993), text of G.K. and Giannis Houvardas for contra-ten and str orch (12vl, 6va, 4vc, 4cb), dur. : 10΄00-11΄28, Odyssee: Heimkehr (2013), for cch, 1vl, 1va, 1vc, 1cb, 1sax, pf (See also cycles)
Concertos Concertino for piano and 7 instruments (1989), for pf and fl, cl, vl, va, vc, mar, vib (1 percussionist), dur.: 7΄30 Concerto for piano and 10 instruments (1991, rev. 1992) for pf, fl, ob, cl, bn, hn, tpt, tbn, va, vc, cb Theonoe's concerto (1996), for v and str orch (12vl, 4 va, 3 vc, 2 cb), dur.: 15΄00-17΄08 Diary of Confinement, concerto for pf and str No.3 (1999), for 3vl I, 3vl II, 2va, 2Vc, 1 Cb, dur.: 25΄30 (See also cycles)
Orchestral music Priceless Leaf(1990), for orch(2 picc, 1 fl, 3 ob, 2 cl, 1bcl, 2bn, 1 cbn, 3 hn, 4 tpt, 3 tbn, 1 tba, pf, 4 perc, 27 vl, 11 va, 10 vc, 8cb), dur.: 21΄00 Out of Time (1997), 2cl[Bb], str sq, str orch Journey Into the Night(Voyage dans la Nuit,) (1998), for orch[2.2.2.2 – 4.2.3.1 – 3 perc (timp) – vl I, vl II, vl III, vl IV, va I, va II, vc I, vc II, cb], dur.: 17΄00 Storm(1997), for 2cl, 3perc, str orch(3vl I, 3vl II, 3vl III, 3vl IV, 2 va I, 2 va II, 2vc I, 2vc II, 2cb) see dance (2nd part) Amor Fati (2007), for 1picc, 2fl, 2ob, 1 picc cl[D]/[Eb], 2cl[Bb ], 1sax sop, 1sax alto, 4hn, 3vibr, 14vl I, 12vl II, 10va, 8vc, 6cb, dur.: 12΄00 (See also cycles)
Dance Remoteness 3 (or about Love (1976, rev. 1977-8) text from Plato's Symposium for bryt-narrator, fl and 2 pf, dur.: 10΄00 see vocal The Leaden Soldier (1982), suite in five scenes for fl, vl, pf and perc, after H.C.Andersen's tale, dur.: 50΄00 Stratis Thalassinos in the Underworld (1982-3), on the poem of Georges Seferis, for bryt, 2 quintets (hn, vl, va, vc, cb, and cl[Bb], vl, va, vc, cb) and bc (2 perc, 3vc, 3cb, pf), dur.: 30΄30 Sacrifice/Ipsipolisapolis (1988), From Sophocles’ Antigone, see vocals Sappho(part 1 of the Moons) (1993), see Eros Demon Iphigenia on the Bridge of Arta (1994–95), text of G.K. and Dimitris Papaïoannou for sop, tpt and 2 sampled pf, dur.: 30΄00 Requiem (for the end of love)(1995), see vocal music Dracula(1997), on liturgical and invented texts (G.K.), for 6 v (3 sop, 1 alt, 1ten, 1 bass) and chamber orch(fl, ob, cl, tpt, tbn, tuba, 4 vl, 2va, 2vc, 1cb), dur. :70΄00 Storm(1997), in 3 parts, for 2cl, 3perc and str orch
Music for ancient dramas Iphigenia in Tauris, Euripides, National Theater, Epidaurus’ Festival,(1981) Electra, Sophocles, Art theater of Karolos Koun, Epidaurus’ Festival,(1984) Hippolitos, Euripides, National Theater, Epidaurus’ Festival,(1989) Helen, Euripides, Theater of the North (Theatro tou Notou), Epidaurus’ Festival,(1996) Iphigenia in Tauris, Euripides, Sfendoni Theater, Athens,(1998)
Theater music The dream of the scarecrow E. Trivizas, Theater of Agrinio, (1986) Hedda Gabler, H. Ibsen, Theater of the South (Theatro tou Notou), Athens (1994)