For all enquiries: GREGORY [at] EMFIETZIS [dot] COM
About, Links& Contacts
Gregory Emfietzisis a London-based composer, performer and teacher. His music makes drama out of the psychology and ritual of public performance. Emfietzis's works are published by theComposers Edition. You can also checkhis interviews at the London Sinfonietta's& Tim Rutherford-Johnson's blogs. For all enquiries: gregory [at] emfietzis [dot] com
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Archive list ofPerformances
2016 12/09 : Utrecht, The Netherlands ^ 42nd International ^ Computer Music Conference @TivoliVredenburg 2015 08/10 : Yerevan, Armenia ^ L'Antigonie Dance Project ^ CONSENSUS Dance Company ^ High Fest Int. Performing Arts Festival @ State Chamber Theatre 24/09 : London, UK ^ Dark Matter Theatre Production ^ Vertebra Theatre Company @ Omnibus Theatre 10 & 11/08 : London, UK ^ Dark Matter Theatre Production ^ Vertebra Theatre Company @ Etcetera Camden Theatre 08 & 09/05 : London, UK ^ L'Antigonie Dance Project ^ CONSENSUS Dance Company § Metapraxis Ensemble @ Tripspace Projects 14/05 : Athens, Greece ^ Greek Composers' Union's ^ Concert Series § G.Tsangarakis & V.F.Kiazimi @ Fillipos Nakas Conservatory 2014 02/12 : Athens, Greece ^ Greek Composers' Union's ^ Concert Series § Duo Arsis (S.Lampouras & M.Makri) @ Fillipos Nakas Conservatory 20/07 : London, UK ^ Aldeburgh Music's ^ English Song Project § V.Conacher & J.Barnoin @ Club Inegales 14/07 : Frankfurt, Deutschland ^ Master-Abschluss-Konzert § T.Mpasdekis & P.Tukiainen @ Hochschule für Musik und Darstellende @ Kunst Frankfurt am Main 24/05 : Lanciano, Italy ^ (Con)fusioni 2014 § Duo Macle @ Auditorium Diocleziano 11-15/03 : London, UK ^ Dark Matter Theatre Production ^ Vertebra Theatre Company @ Omnibus Theatre 22/03 : Aldeburgh, UK ^ Aldeburgh Music's ^ English Song Project § R.Edgar-Wilson & H.Watkins @ Snape Maltings 22/02 : Athens, Greece ^ ABOUT's residency § Angelica Cathariou @ Theocharakis Auditorium 11/01 : London, UK ^ London Symphony Orchestra's ^ Soundhub Showcase (B) § London Symphony Orchestra @ LSO St. Lukes 2013 08/12 : London, UK ^ New Music Show 4 § London Sinfonietta @ Southbank Centre 25/11 : Pescara, Italy ^ MAGFEST.it § Duo Macle @Spazio Matta 22/09 : London, UK ^ Some Recent Silences § Apartment House @ Kings Place 11/08 : Brezzo, Italy ^ "I Concerti di Casa Paolo" § Duo Macle 29 & 30/06 : Athens, Greece ^ Greek National Opera's Competition § Greek National Opera Orch. @ Olympia Theatre - Lyriki Skini 15/06 : London, UK ^ "Music Impossible" project § Metapraxis Ensemble @ All Saints Church, East Sheen 04/06 : Vienna, Austria ^ Wiener Konzerthaus's Competition "Towards the Next 100 Years" § Berlin & Vienna Philharm. @ Mozart-Saal, Wiener Konzerthaus 24, 25 & 26/05 : London, UK ^ "Music Impossible" project § Metapraxis Ensemble @ Iris Theatre, Covent Garden 21/05 : Athens, Greece § Duo Ergon-a-Taston ^ (T.Sikelianou & A.Papanikolaou ) @ Athenaeum Cultural Centre 18/05 : London, UK ^ London Symphony Orchestra's Soundhub Showcase (A) § Metapraxis Ensemble @ LSO St. Lukes 16/01 : London, UK ^ LSO Soundhub Workshop § LSO players & GSMD students @ LSO St. Lukes 2012 26/10 : Leeds, UK ^ pR_1: [Post]Analogue § Underscore @ Leeds University 19-20/10 : Coventry, UK ^ INTIME 2012 Symposium § Madeleine Shapiro @ Coventry University 28-30/08 : Bordeaux, France ^ Temp'όra International Meeting for Musical Creation § Duo Macle @ Le Rocher de Palmer 27/03 : clockopera.com ^ Clock Operation Debut Track § ThisIsFakeDIY 27/02 : London, UK ^ pR_1: [Post]Analogue § Underscore @ Goldsmiths University 2011 24/10 : London, UK ^ pR_1: [Post]Analogue § Underscore @ St Anne's Church 11 & 12/8 : London, UK ^ Tête à Tête Opera Festival § Warehouse Ensemble @ Riverside Studios 16/6 : London, UK ^ Researching the Arts Conference § Metapraxis Ensemble @ Brunel University 29/5 : Vilnius, Lithuania ^ Druskomanija Festival § OnePlusOne @ Druskininkai Town Museum 26/5 : New York, USA ^ Contagious Sounds Concert Series § NOISE-BRIDGE @ Gershwin Hotel 3/4 : Surrey, UK ^ Japan Tsunami Appeal Concert § Nao Maebayashi, Red Cross Fundraising 18/3 : Grimsby, UK ^ Lightworks Festival 2011 @ Grimsby Minister 10/3 : London, UK ^ Chaos Theory Concert Series § Metapraxis Ensemble @ Blag Club 18/2 : Apeldoorn, Holland ^ YCM 2011 § Orkest de Ereprijs @ Gigant Filmtheater 2010 28/11 : london, uk ^ ekon festival § metapraxis ensemble @ theatro technis 18/11 : london, uk ^ music orbit showcase series § metapraxis ensemble @ chelsea theatre 12/9 : london, uk § nao maebayashi @ roehampton university 22/7 : darmstadt, germany ^ darmstadt institute § asamisimasa ensemble 18/7 : london, uk ^ world listening project § metapraxis ensemble w/ mar.marquez 16/7 : london, uk § nao maebayashi, fruit for the apocalypse @ cafe oto 13/7 : london, uk § metapraxis ensemble @ guildhall smd 30/5 : vilnius, lithuania ^ druskomanija festival § oneplusone 29/5 : vilnius, lithuania ^ druskomanija festival § in spe 24/3 : london, uk § carter wind ensemble @ guildhall smd 10/3 : london, uk § london contemporary orchestra @ brunel university 19/2 : london, uk § metapraxis ensemble @ the space 18/2 : london, uk § metapraxis ensemble @ brunel university 16/2 : london, uk § research seminar w/ metapraxis ensemble @ roehampton university 28/1 : athens, greece § alexandros theodorakopoulos @ athenaeum 14/1 : huddersfield, uk § metapraxis ensemble @ huddersfield university 2009 10/12 : athens, greece § hellenic group of contemporary music @ goethe institute 26/11 : london, uk § metapraxis ensemble @ roehampton university 19/09 : vilnius, lithuania ^ european capital of culture 2009 @ trade union palace 25/08 : ostrava, czech republic ^ ostrava days festival § quasars ensemble 26/4 : thessaloniki, greece § idée fixe @ thermi culture centre 1/4 : london, uk § myrto loulaki, helena brown @ roehampton university 8 & 9/1 : chicago, usa § sonic inertia @ sherwood conservatory of music 2008 03, 04/11: london, uk § okeanos ensemble @ guildhall smd 17/08: mazsalaca, latvia § quintus anima 06/07 : london, uk ^ ekon festival § andriana minou 16, 23 & 25/06 : london, uk ^ byam shaw § rachel greaves 14/05 : london, uk § teresa vila @ brunel university 23 & 24/04 : london, uk § roehampton chamber singers & chamber orchestra @ jubilee theatre (r.u.) 12/03 : athens, greece § lorenda ramou @ aetopouleio concert hall 06/01 : athens, greece § myrto loulaki, andriana minou @ matey dance school 2007 14/12 : london, uk § myrto loulaki, andriana minou @ barnes methodist church 14/10 : athens, greece § lorenda ramou, fluxus exhbition @ benaki museum 21/03 : athens, greece § ilektra karanikola, georgia smerou @ parnassos
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Biography
The music of Gregory Emfietzis explores the drama, psychology and ritualism of public performance. Reaching far beyond sound alone it embraces staging, lighting, dramaturgy, costume design and more.
Some works, such as the miniature opera Mirror, mirror on the wall: the crucial moment, seem written as much for actors as musicians. Others, such as How to… corrupt someone, tend towards a more instrumental or sonic theatre. In one of his latest projects, Music Impossible, a ‘magnified’ shadow theatre piece funded by the London Symphony Orchestra’s Soundhub scheme and Arts Council (England), a fairytale story is narrated by musicians themselves as acoustic and visual puppets.
Emfietzis was born in Thessaloniki, Greece. He played the violin and sang, performing in many international festivals, concerts and operas, before and while taking a degree in Music Science and Art at the University of Macedonia. He moved to the UK in 2004, to study composition with Christopher Fox at Huddersfield University and with Fox, Richard Barrett and Jennifer Walshe at Brunel University.
His music has been performed by leading musicians and ensembles across Europe and North America. Recent performances include, the quintet Fear (not) premiered by ensemble WienBerlin at the Wiener Konzerthaus, the solo cello The Dark Art of Obscurantism -a commission by the London Sinfonietta- performed by Olly Coates, the opera The Darkness of Mistico staged at the Greek National Opera House (Athens), the solo piano DIY 1: the pianist & the lamp performed by Philip Thomas, and Sisyphus Victimised for 9 musicians and video projection premiered by the London Symphony Orchestra’s Chamber Ensemble. Other groups he has worked with include Apartment House (UK), Asamisimasa (Norway), Greek Contemporary Music Ensemble (Greece), London Contemporary Orchestra (UK), Orkest de Ereprijs (Netherlands) and the Quasars Ensemble (Slovakia).
In addition to the above, Emfietzis is Composer in Residence at the Youth Music Centre (London), and Artistic Director of the Metapraxis Ensemble.
Awards
2015 Recipient of 'Grant for the Arts' Arts Council - England (UK) for the project L'antigonie 2014 Selected for Tenso's Young Composers Workshop (Belgium) Selected for Aldeburgh Music's English Song Project (UK) 2013 Recipient of 'Composer Bursary / Bliss Trust' PRS for Music Foundation (UK) for the opera The Darkness of Mistico Recipient of 'Grant for the Arts' Arts Council - England (UK) for the project Music Impossible 2012 Winner of Wiener Konzerthaus's "Towards the next 100 years" Int. Composition Competition (Austria) Winner of Greek National Opera's Open Call for Opera Projects Nat. Composition Competition (Greece) Winner of ABOUT Cultural Venue's Residency with Angelica Cathariou (Greece) Winner of Coventry University's INTIME 2012 Symposium Int. Composition Competition (UK) Selected for London Symphony Orch's LSO Soundhub Scheme (UK) Selected for Temp'όra's International Meeting for Musical Creation (France) 2011 Selected for Orkest de Ereprijs's Young Composers Meeting (Netherlands) Selected for the Opera Group's Mentoring Project (UK) 2010 Finalist of Verona Academy's Int. Chamber Opera Competition (Italy) Selected for Darmstadt Music Institute's Reading Sessions (Germany) Selected for Fruit of the Apocalypse's World Music Day (UK) 2009 Finalist at the Synthermeia III Int. Composition Competition (Greece) Selected for Ostrava Days's Institute & Festival (Czech Republic) Selected for Vilnius 2009: European Capital of Culture's Music Visualisation Laboratory (Lithuania) 2008 Winner of Sonic Inertia Ensemble's Int. Chamber Music Competition (USA) Selected for BMIC's Workshop with Okeanos Ensebmle (UK) Selected for Int. Wksp for Young Composers (Latvia)
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Ensembles / Soloists
Apartment House Ensemble Asamisimasa Ensemble Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra Angelica Cathariou Oliver Coates Vivien Conacher Richard Edgar-Wilson Orkest de Ereprijs Idée Fixe Ensemble London Contemporary Orchestra London Sinfonietta London Symphony Orchestra Myrto Loulaki Duo Macle Metapraxis Ensemble NOISE-BRIDGE Okeanos Ensemble Quasars Ensemble Madeleine Shapiro Tania Sikelianou Philip Thomas Underscore Duo Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra Wien-BerlinArtists / Companies
Education
PhD in Composition (2012), Brunel University, London, UK (Christopher Fox, Jennifer Walshe, Richard Barrett) MA in Contemporary Music & Composition (2005), University of Huddersfield, Huddersfield, UK (Christopher Fox) BA in Music Science & Art (2004), University of Macedonia, Thessaloniki, GreeceCourses / Workshops
Aldeburgh Music - English Song Project (2014, UK) temp’óra - International Meeting for Musical Creation (2012, France) The Opera Group – Emerging Composers’ & Writers’ Mentoring Project (2012, UK) de ereprijs - YCM 2011 - Course & Workshop with Orkest de Ereprijs (2011, The Netherlands) Darmstadt Music Institute - Course & Wksp with ensemble Asamisimasa (2010, Germany) Brunel University – Workshop with London Contemporary Orchestra (2010, UK) Ostrava Days Institute – Course & Wksp with Quasars Ensemble (2009, Czech Republic) Synthermeia III – Course & Wksp with ensemble Idee Fixe (2009, Greece) BMIC - Wksp with Okeanos Ensemble (2008, UK) Intern. Workshop for Young Composers – Course & Wksp w/ Quintus Anima (2008, Latvia) Synthermeia I – Course & Wksp with ensemble Idee Fixe (2006, Greece) SPNM – Wksp with Goldberg Ensemble (2005, UK) Kalavryta Summer School – Course & Wksp with Iwona Glinka (2004, Greece)
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Solo / Duo / Trio
- Solo
- Duo
- Trio
4tet / 5tet / 6tet / 7tet
- 4tet
- 5tet
- 6tet
- 7tet
Large Ensemble / Orchestra
Sisyphus Victimised (2013/14) [b.fl, b.cl, tpt, b.drum, 2vln, vla, vc, db, conductor & video - 11’] ...our saviours...(2010/11) [2pic, cl/b.cl, s.sax, a.sax, hn, tpt, 2tbn, tuba, perc, e.gtr, b.gtr, pno, 3fem.voices - 3’] Oneway Implications(2010) [en.hn, cl, acc, pno, perc, el.guitar, vln,vla, vc, db - 10’] Acoustics(2004) [6vln, 2vla. 2vc, db - 9’]Music Theatre / Opera
- DIYs
- Opera
Dance / Theatre / Installation / Film
L’antigonie(2014/15) [sop, pic/fl/b.fl, al/ten sax, perc, vc - 60'] -Dance Project Music Impossible (2012/13) [m.sop, cl/b.cl, pno, vln, vc – 60’] - Shadow puppetry theatre project A Monologue (2011) [tape, narrator – 10’] - Installation (r2r tape machine project) Water Studies (2010) [voc, vln – 10’] - Dance project Salto Mortale (2010) [pno, via, vc] - Film project The Last Meal (2008) [women choir, vln, db] - Theatre project Steta Speaks (2008) [choir] - Installation (visual arts)
Selected Works & Projects
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The Book of the Dead (3 songs) for voice & piano (2014)
A short song cycle based on poetry by Rebecca Perry (poetry & music written as part of the Britten-Pears / Aldeburgh Music 'English Song Project 2014'). Premiered by R.Edgar-Wilson (ten) & H.Watkins (pno) - Recording by V.Conacher (m.sop) & J.Barnoin (pno) [July 2014].
Duration: 10 min. - Score
Temporality for fem.voice & clarinet (2011)
A scene in a psychopathic hospital, between a patient locked in a room and a close relative waiting outside. Commissioned and premiered by New York-based duo NOISE-BRIDGE, Christie Finn (sop) and Felix Behringer (cl) [May 2011].
Duration: 3 min.
Routines for violin & piano (2005)
The piece explores the human need of creating and maintaining routines, and their rather destressing results in human relationships. Premiered by duo Norway-based OnePlusOne during Druskomanija 2010 festival - Recording by duo Ergon-a-Taston (Greece), Tania Sikelianou (vln) & Angelika Papanikolaou (pno) [May 2013].
Duration: 10 min.
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Implied Failure for 7 instrumentalists {b.fl b.cl 2vln vla vc db} (2009)
The first in a series of semi-improvised pieces experimenting with visual and acoustic communication between performers. Commissioned by the Greek Composers Union and premiered by the Greek Contemporary Music Ensemble, conducted by Theodore Antoniou [December 2009].
Duration: up to 11 min.
Shot II: Orpheus & Eurydice for m.sopr. & 5 instrum. {cl b.drum pno vln vc} (2008/09)
An imaginary sequel of the Orpheus & Eurydice myth, based on poetry by Myrto Loulaki. Premiered by ensemble Idée Fixe (Greece) - Recording from a multi-disciplinary performance, as part of the Vilnius Cultural Capital of Europe 2009 programme [September 2009].
Duration: 11 min.
Fear (not) for woodwind quintet (2008)
The piece is acoustically, visually and conceptually based around the idea of facing or not (facing away from) our everyday fears. Premiered by Ensemble Wien-Berlin (musicians of the Berlin & Vienna Philharmonics), as part of the Wiener Konzerthaus's Composition Competition Towards the next 100 years [June 2013].
Duration: 7 min. - Score
How to... corrupt someone for 5 instrumentalists {en.hn b.cl harp vla vc} (2008)
Using the harpist as the "soloist", the piece explores the use of the performers' physical gestures as an integral part of the composition. Premiered by the Okeanos Ensemble (UK) - Recording by the Quasars Ensemble (Czech Rep.), during the Ostrava Days Festival [August 2009].
Duration: 10 min. - Score
Pictures of ...a journey for m.soprano & 5 instrum. {fl cl perc pno vc} (2004/05)
A presentation of different shots taken from a reverted story about a ...strange journey. The English version of the work was created in 2005, with texts by the composer and the use of E.A.Poe’s poem Lenore. Premiered by Firebird Ensemble (UK) - Recording by Chicago based ensemble Sonic Inertia (USA) [January 2009].
Duration: 21 min.
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Sisyphus Victimised for 9 musicians, conductor & video projection (2013)
“The gods had condemned Sisyphus to ceaselessly rolling a rock to the top of a mountain, whence the stone would fall back of its own weight. They had thought with some reason that there is no more dreadful punishment than futile and hopeless labor” - A.Camus. This work has been commissioned and premiered by the London Symphony Orchestra as part of the LSO Soundhub scheme [January 2014]. Composer: Gregory Emfietzis, Conductor: Daniel Cohen Video Maker: Kyveli Anastassiadi
Duration: 12 min. - Score
...our saviours... for three female voices & 14 musicians (2010/11)
"[For] the [...] people, please [say] "NO" ... for a little bit of democracy, for sovereignty, for some power to [everyone on this planet] ”. Premiered by the Dutch Orkest de Ereprijs [February 2012].
Duration: 3 min. - Score
Oneway Implications for 10 musicians (2010)
The second in a series of semi-improvised pieces experimenting with visual and acoustic communication between performers. Recording by the London Contemporary Orchestra, conducted by Peter Wiegold [March 2010].
Duration: up to 12 min.
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The Darkness of Mistico (opera) for three singers, 15 musicians & women choir (rev.2013)
A chamber opera (libretto by M.Loulaki): Somewhere between Greece and Italy, somewhen lost in space-time. The plot follows the lives and deaths of two identical souls: Orpheus and Mistico. Orpheus is a mythical figure whose legacy continues even today; Mistico is a modern age man with this legacy as his burden. Produced by the Greek National Opera, with GNO orchestra (conducted by N.Vassiliou) and singers Elena Marangou, Eleni Liona, Yannis Filias [June 2013].
Duration: ap. 45 min. - Score
Mirror, mirror on the wall for 4 instrumentalists/actors (2011)
A six-word miniature opera, partly based on the story of Snow White. Commissioned and premiered by James Young (pno) and the Warehouse Ensemble (UK), during the Tête à Tête opera festival [August 2011].
Duration: 3-5 min.
DIY4. stimulating the cellist's melatoninfor cello, viola, vocalist (+lamp) OR solo cello (+lamp) (2010)
The 4rth piece of the DIY series, and part of the Metapraxis IV: ...a dream [within a dream]... project, the piece continues exploring the use of light as a muted musical instrument. Premiered by Samara Ginsberg (vc) and the Metapraxis Ensemble, as part of musicOrbit's showcase events [November 2010].
Duration: 6 min.
DIY1. the pianist and the lampfor piano (+lamp) (2007)
The 1st piece of the DIY series, exploring the role and function of a lamp as a muted musical instrument inside a chamber music situation. Premiered by the Greek pianist Lorenda Ramou, as part of the Benaki Museum's FLUXUS : "Not for sale" exhibition in Athens [October 2007].
Duration: 8-10 min. - Score
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L antigoniedance & music project (2015)
Dance and music realization of Antigone, based on J.Cocteau’s version of the original myth. A tribute for the hundred anniversary of the Armenian genocide of 1915. The project was supported by the Arts Council England, UAL Univerity of the Arts London and ACOSS International Artist Residency Program.
Choreography & Direction : Aline Derderian,Music : Gregory Emfietzis Duration: 60 min.
Défigure sur la plage inerte dance & music project (2014)
Défigure sur la plage inert (Disfigure on the inert beach): Self initiated piece of choreography for two dancers. http://defiguresurlaplageinerte.tumblr.com
Choreography & Direction : Aline Derderian,Interpretation : Jessica Calzolari & Aurélie PeronneFilmmaking : Mille Fischer Christensen, Music : Gregory Emfietzis
Music Impossible music & shadow puppet theatre project (2012/13)
In a city from which music has been forcefully banned, a group of citizens secretly manage to discover the truth about the missing sounds and colours. This is a theatrical music performance, devised and composed by Gregory Emfietzis (based on M.Loulaki's fairy tale), and presented as a shadow puppetry show. The project was supported by the Arts Council and LSO Soundhub and was performed by the Metapraxis Ensemble [May/June 2013].http://music-impossible.emfietzis.com Composer/Dramatist: Gregory Emfietzis, Director: Charlotte Ive, Scenographer: Ingrid Hu, Puppet Maker/Puppeteer: Jo Lakin
Duration: 45 min.
Liquid Evolution dance & music project (2010)
Composer Gregory Emfietzis and choreographer Mariana Lucia Marquez weave together sound and movement developed from her daily dance meditations by Lavender Pond and the Thames in South East London. In dialogue with musicians Myrto Loulaki (singer, multi-instrumentalist) and Guilermina Chivite (violin) of Metapraxis Ensemble, Marquez renders an in-the-moment interpretation of Emfietzis' score. The project was presented as part of the Fruit For The Apocalypse's Soundscapes of East London festival (World Listening Day 2010).
Sound: Gregory Emfietzis, Movement: Marina Marquez, Costume: Monica Soto Paredes