GALAN TRIO

The Galan Trio, based in Athens, is recognized for their vibrant and dynamic performances, both in Greece and internationally. Their focus on premiering new compositions has led them to develop unique programs, most notably their recent project Kinesis, with its first edition featuring works by five prominent American composers. This project laid the foundation for their first U.S. tour in October 2021, and since then, they have performed Kinesis at over 30 universities across the United States, including prestigious institutions such as the University of California, Berkeley, Rice University (Houston), and Temple University (Philadelphia).

With a growing discography, the Trio has released five albums: Switch (Akanthos Int. LTD), Ararat (Melism Records), Kinesis and Kinesis, Vol.2 (Neuma Records), and De Chirico (Phasma Music). Their debut album, Switch (2017), showcased a blend of international musical influences, featuring works composed specifically for the Trio by composers from the U.S.A., Armenia, Ireland, Portugal, Germany, and Greece. The album received critical acclaim and was broadcasted on international radio.

In 2016, Galan Trio performed in Gulangyu, China—known as “Piano Island”—at the “Greek Inspirations in China” festival, the first event in China dedicated to Greek music. They have since collaborated with a wide range of distinguished artists and composers, including mezzo-soprano Alexandra Gravas, flutist Jessica Quinones, and composers such as Dirk Brosse, Yorgos Vassilandonakis, Cindy Cox, and Richard Lavenda.

In 2019, the Trio composed and recorded the soundtrack for the documentary Y1: Silence of the Deep, and the Secret Dancing by Harald Weiss, which was dedicated to them, was published by Schott Editions. They have performed internationally in countries such as the U.S.A, China, Spain, Italy, Armenia, and the Netherlands, and at prominent festivals like the Athens & Epidaurus Festival.

Looking ahead, Galan Trio is also set to perform the seventh installment of their Kinesis project in the U.S. in 2025.

BABIS KARASAVVIDIS

Babis Karasavvidis is a violinist whose musicianship was evident from an early age. He studied violin in Athens, Greece, and he graduated from V. Halapsis’ class, receiving his diploma with the highest distinction. He continued his studies at the University of Indianapolis-Athens Campus, where he obtained the Bachelor of Arts in Music Performance in 2010.

His passion for learning led him to attend masterclasses with great pedagogues such as S. Kravtchenko and E. Grach. Among his most important achievements are prizes in international violin competitions in Cremona, Paris and Moscow.

Karasavvidis’ orchestral career started at a young age. He has been a member of the European Union Youth Orchestra, the Davos Festival Camerata and the Greek-Turkish Youth Orchestra. The world-class youth orchestras under the baton of world leading conductors such as V. Ashkenazy, G. Noseda and K. Urbanski provided him with valuable experience. By now, Karasavvidis has cooperated with some of the most important Greek Orchestras (National Opera of Greece, Athens State Orchestra, Greek Radio Symphony Orchestra, Armonia Atenea etc.).

Chamber music plays an important role in his musical life as well. Ionian Festival Ensemble, Aurora Quartet and Yannis Papadopoulos Trio are some of the ensembles that Karasavvidis has collaborated with. His musical activity also includes projects with Greek contemporary composers; “At-tonal” and “Inside Me” are recent examples of him recording Greek composers’ works. Since September 2018 he is a member of Galan Trio.

Marina Kolovou

Marina Kolovou, following her family tradition began her cello studies at the age of six. She studied next to great teachers and soloists in the Conservatory of Athens (N. Kotzias and D. Gouzios) and in the Conservatorium van Amsterdam (M. Mostert) until 2008 where she started her professional career. Her love for music took her close to M. Strauss, D. Ferschtman, V.Despalj, E.Rijseger (jazz improvisation) and other great cellists of our time, from whom she took lessons.

Marina’s distinctions in panhellenic competitions such as “Techni’s National Cello Concours”, lead her to a soloistic career in Greece, Germany and Canada. She has played under the baton of conductors such as V. Petrenko, V. Ashkenazy, C. Kolovos, C. Trikolidis, C. Escher. She has travelled to Japan, China, Austria, Germany, Italy, Greece, Canada for concerts and has represented Greece in two of the major youth orchestras of the world (EUYO, GMJO).

At the time she returned from her studies in Holland, financed with a scholarship of the National Institute of Scholarships, to her motherland, she became guest solo cellist of the Greek National Opera (2009-2015) and cooperated with the "Athens State Orchestra”. She still works at the G.N.O. She is member of the “Ionian Festival Ensemble” which is specialized in contemporary music. She has given chamber music concerts in Greece and Holland with C. Kolovos, T. Gouvelis, F. Mortzos and L. Ramou.

J. Svolos wrote for Marina Kolovou on Eleftherotypia newspaper: […] “Congenially fluid and light for the weightless, dramatically conventional stigma of the piece, her playing was characterized by precision, sinewy but never too sharp articulation, tone purity and proper singing coherence”.

Petros Bouras

Petros Bouras was born in Athens, Greece. At the age of seven he began his piano studies and in 2006 he received his diploma from the Musical Horizons Conservatory with exceptional grade. On July 2006 he attended classes in the International Summer Musical Academy of Alsace (Musicalta), while on November of the same year, after audition, he was accepted by Trinity College of Music for a Master on Performing in the class of Professor Yonty Solomon. Since then, he has attended various seminars by great piano soloists such as France Clidat, Ivo Pogorelich and Bernard Ringeissen.

He has given plenty of concerts, including piano concerto with the Greek National Orchestra in Megaron, Athens Music Hall, and personal recitals in various halls, such as Palais de Beaux Arts (Brussels), Halles de Schaerbeek (Brussels), Salle Philarmonique de Liege (Liege), Kopleff Hall (Atlanta), St Mary’s Church (Cornwall), Parnassos Music Hall and Goethe Institut (Athens). On July 2016, he became the first Greek pianist who performed on Gulangyu, the piano island of China, giving four concerts of different repertoire.

In 2014 he met the well-known Mezzo Soprano Alexandra Gravas in Brussels and they started giving concerts together all round the world.

He has been always interested in expressing himself through different kinds of music. Therefore, he became a member of the Oticons Orchestra and Ensemble, whereby he has performed with musicians as the composer Shigeru Umebayashi and the conductor Dirk Brosse. Moreover, since 2015 he works with the famous American Tango Flutist Jessica Quiñones and they have performed as a duet in various places, mainly in England. He is a member of StarWound, one of the most well-known Anglophone Greek bands, which introduced the music genre of ‘rock cabaret’ in Greece. StarWound are about to have their first European Tour in March 2017. 

He has collaborated to deliver performances with production such as Lorca's Blood Wedding and The Sin of My Motherin venues such as the Athens Karolos Koun Art Theatre. He has worked as an accompanist of the Ballet Company of the Greek National Opera.