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![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() About![]() EFI CHRISTODOULOU This is playing almost of the old school, reminiscent of Menuhin or Oistrakh at their best. (Fanfare Magazine, USA) Greek-born violinist Efi Christodoulou has been reviewed by The Strad as 'a powerful violinist, demonstrating a high level of technical achievement' (Wigmore Hall). Efi Christodoulou studied at the Athens National Conservatory, graduating with honours & 1st prize. She was selected for 5 years to play in the European Union Youth Orchestra's European Tours, which led her to a scholarship at the Guildhall School of Music in London. She studied with Detlef Hahn, then with Yfrah Neaman and later with Eugene Sarbu. She has participated in masterlasses throughout Europe with Ruggiero Ricci, Aaron Rosand, Sylvia Rosenberg, Eric Friedman, Vladimir Spivakov, Mark Lubotsky, Hermann Krebbers and Roman Totenberg. She has previously been awarded the British Graduates Society / British Council / Vakarelis Fellowship, the Greek State Foundation Award, the Ministry of Culture Scholarship, as well as awards by the Leventis and the Hellenic Foundation, the S. Niarchos and Mundo en Armonia. She was also awarded the Sir Jack and Lady Lyons Performance Scholarship and 'Master of Arts in Performance' from City University, London. Efi has performed extensively in her native Greece and abroad, has been featured on the BBC World Service, ERT Radio-Television, has collaborated with the London Symphony Orchestra (section leaders' scheme) and has broadcast for BBC Radio 2 at the Semi-finals of BBC Young Musician of the Year. She was the 2nd prize winner at the Anglo-Czech competition for her performances of works by Josef Suk. She was also a finalist at the Michelangelo Abbado International Violin Competition (Milan). Efi gave the Scottish premiere of the William Schuman concerto in Edinburgh (Fringe Festival) and has appeared at the Athens Megaron, St. John's, Smith Square, Brussels’ European Parliament, Salle Cortot, Paris, and as a soloist with the Athens Symphony Orchestra, the Arcademia of Stuttgart, the Oxford Philharmonic, the Huddersfield Philharmonic, the Bournemouth Symphony, the State Academic Orchestra of the Capella St. Petersburg and others. Efi's extensive recital activity demonstrates a particular interest in contemporary compositions, having given premieres of works by David Matthews, Malcolm Arnold and the UK Premiere of the Concerto-Fantasia by Theodore Antoniou. Her 2nd Wigmore Hall recital dedicated to American music featured the UK Premiere of works by Bernstein and Ned Rorem. Efi was concertmaster at the Greek National Opera's Educational Programmes, while at present is leader of the City of Athens Symphony. She gratefully acknowledges the kind donation of a Pierre Silvestre violin (Lyon 1848) by Matti & Nicholas Egon. In 2011 Guild Records released her first CD which includes works by Debussy, Elgar and the Premiere of Sibelius’s Six Humoresques arranged by Karl Ekman, to general acclaim: ‘outstanding, intelligent and passionate… in this interesting and enterprising programme' (Classical Source, Sunday Times). In 2013 Efi presented two World Premiere performances, of the Violin Concertos by Matthew Taylor in St. Petersburg and by Robert Still in London, which demonstrated ‘the highest standard of virtuosity with the use of a quite dazzling technique’ (Musical Opinion). Ιn 2015 Somm Recordings issued Efi's second CD of the Dvorak, Glazunov Concertos and Sibelius' Six Humoresques with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, under John Carewe. It was described by Sunday Times as 'an attractive disc' with 'a grand Dvorak Concerto' and by Gramophone as ‘full of natural exuberance'. Efi embarked on a UK series of five concerts of the Ferruccio Busoni Violin Concerto, in celebration of Busoni’s 150th anniversary in 2016, from which her first performance was described as ‘rock solid, demonstrating intricate, finger tripping virtuosity throughout’ (Musical Opinion) with the final concert of the series being dedicated to Manoug Parikian. Most recently, Efi appeared at Praque's Smetana Hall, with the South Czech Philharmonic, on the Glazunov Concerto, under Gudni Emilsson. Forthcoming projects include a World Premiere CD recording of the Robert Still Violin Concerto. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ This is playing almost of the old school, reminiscent of Menuhin or Oistrakh at their best. There's a palpable sense of joy in the music-making. The Greek violinist Efi Christodoulou gives a direct and warm-hearted performance of the Dvorak violin concerto and if she's inclined to linger in the adagio, I find her approach more congenial than Ann-Sophie Mutter's version. Dvorak Concerto comes across grandly here. Sibelius's Six Humoresques congure up a Nordic romanticism ardent, strange and almost mystical. The quality of the deliberate dialog between violin and piano in the Debussy, makes a case for this serious interpretation. Efi Christodoulou tackles Sibelius Six Humoresques, with wit and flair, dashing off the virtuosic demands with élan and touches of silky warmth, and bringing infectious high spirits. Greek-born violin virtuoso Efi Christodoulou, and the impressive Margaret Fingerhut, here give outstanding, intelligent performances. Here is infinite variety. Christodoulou is a sympathetic advocate, with pin-point intonation. Massive confidence and authority.
This recording features Greek-born award-winning violinist Efi Christodoulou with John Carewe and the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra in terrific form. Efi Christodoulou gave a stunning, note-perfect performance enhanced by her adding a piquant sweetness to those lyrical sections.
Her playing was rock solid, as she is kept busy with demands for intricate, finger tripping virtuosity throughout. An intense and committed performance which demonstrated a high level of technical achievement. Efi Christodoulou proved herself to be a powerful player.
A brilliant violinist possessing a fine technique. Efi played the Sibelius concerto with spirit and conviction.
Great confidence and musicality ... Very impressive. An artist of tremendous assurance and musical intelligence whose performance of the rarely-heard William Schuman concerto was stunning in its virtuosity and command. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ΕΦΗ ΧΡΙΣΤΟΔΟΥΛΟΥ, βιολί Μετά το ντεμπούτο της στην αίθουσα Wigmore Hall του Λονδίνου (1998), η Έφη Χριστοδούλου χαρακτηρίστηκε από το περιοδικό Strad, ως ‘δυνατή βιολονίστα με έντονη ερμηνευτική ικανότητα και υψηλού επιπέδου τεχνική’ ενώ το αμερικανικό περιοδικό μουσικής Fanfare παρομοίασε το παίξιμό της ‘σαν της παλαιάς σχολής του Menuhin ή του Oistrakh, στο καλύτερό τους’. Aριστούχος με πρώτο βραβείο του Εθνικού Ωδείου Αθηνών (τάξη Στεργίου), εκπροσώπησε την Ελλάδα στις διεθνείς περιοδείες της Ορχήστρας Νέων Ευρωπαϊκής Ένωσης, η οποία της εξασφάλισε μεταπτυχιακές σπουδές στο Guildhall School του Λονδίνου, υπό την επίβλεψη του διεθνούς φήμης καθηγητή Yfrah Neaman, και των Eugene Sarbu, Detlef Hahn, και σε διεθνή σεμινάρια με τους Ruggiero Ricci, Aaron Rosand, Sylvia Rosenberg, Eric Friedman, Vladimir Spivakov, Mark Lubotsky, Hermann Krebbers και Roman Totenberg. Κέρδισε υποτροφίες από το Υπουργείο Πολιτισμού, ΙΚΥ, Σύλλογο Μουσηγέτη, Ίδρυμα Λεβέντη, Hellenic Foundation, Mundo En Armonia, S.Niarchos και BGS-British Council-Γ.Βακαρέλη. Αποφοίτησε από το City University (London) με Master of Arts στη μουσική ερμηνεία, αποσπώντας το Sir Jack & Lady Lyons Prize για την καλύτερη εκτέλεση. Βραβεύτηκε από το Anglo-Czech Trust, για έργα Josef Suk, και ήταν φιναλίστ (1ο βραβείο ex-equo) στο διεθνή διαγωνισμού βιολιού Michelangelo Abbado (Μιλάνο 1998). Έχει εμφανιστεί στο Μέγαρο Μουσικής Αθηνών, στο Εδιμβούργο (Fringe Festival) όπου έδωσε την πρώτη εκτέλεση του κονσέρτου William Schuman, στις αίθουσες St. John’s Smith Square και δύο φορές στο Wigmore Hall του Λονδίνου, στο Greece in Britain Festival, παρουσιάζοντας πρεμιέρες έργων Bernstein, Ned Rorem, και Θ.Αντωνίου (Κονσέρτου-Φαντασία). Εμφανίστηκε στο Ευρωκοινοβούλιο Βρυξελλών, στη Salle Cortot στο Παρίσι, και στη Βοστώνη σε ρεσιτάλ προς τιμή του Roman Totenberg, δίνοντας και την πρεμιέρα έργου του Edward Gregson. Επίσης παρουσίασε σε παγκόσμια πρεμιέρα έργα του David Matthews στο Λονδίνο καθώς και ειδικό αφιέρωμα εις μνήμη του Malcolm Arnold. Ως σολίστ, έχει συμπράξει με τις ορχήστρες Oxford Philharmonic, Κρατική Αθηνών, Δημοτική Αθηνών, Arcademia Στουτγάρδης, Orchestra of the Capella St. Petersburg, Huddersfield Philharmonic, Bournemouth Symphony κ.α. ενώ οι επιτυχείς σόλο εμφανίσεις της έχουν αποσπάσει διεθνώς άριστες κριτικές και δημοσιεύσεις (The Strad, The Scotsman, Radio Times, Sunday Telegraph, Sunday Times, Ελευθεροτυπία, Athens News, Καθημερινή κ.α.). Ηχογραφήσεις της παρουσιάστηκαν στην ΕΡΤ, και στο Λονδίνο (Radio 2) στο semi-finals του ‘BBC Young Musician of the Year’. Ήταν εξάρχουσα στην Ορχήστρα Δωματίου Εκπαιδευτικών Προγραμμάτων και Παιδικής Σκηνής ΕΛΣ, και σολίστ στην όπερα του Ν. Ξανθούλη ‘Το Μαγικό Βιολί’, ενώ από το 2007 είναι εξάρχουσα στη Συμφωνική Ορχήστρα Δήμου Αθηναίων. Παίζει με βιολί Pierre Silvestre (Lyon 1848) που της δώρισαν οι Matti & Nicholas Egon. Στο πρώτο CD της από την Guild Records με έργα Debussy, Elgar και Sibelius, όπου παρουσίασε σε πρώτη παγκόσμια ηχογράφηση τις 6 Humoresques του Sibelius σε διασκευές του Karl Ekman, ο βρετανικός Τύπος τη χαρακτήρισε ως ‘καλλιτέχνιδα με διακεκριμένη, και ευρηματική ερμηνεία’ και ‘βιολονίστα με δυναμική προσωπικότητα’ (Classical Source, Sunday Times), που ‘αντιμετωπίζει τις 6 Humoresques με εξυπνάδα και στυλ, τολμηρή στις δεξιοτεχνικές απαιτήσεις, με τελειότητα και πινελιές μεταξένιας ζεστασιάς, φέρνοντας μεταδοτικό ενθουσιασμό’ (The Strad).
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ EFI CHRISTODOULOU's CDs are available worldwide
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