He was born in Piraeus in 1969. He started studing guitar at the age of ten at the Conservatory of Athens, in Costas Cotsioli's class. In 1988 he got his Diploma of guitar from the Conservatory of Athens with a unanimous "A" and won a money prize. He continued his study in the Trinity College London, from where you graduate with Licentiate Recital in Guitar (LTCL) with Distinction, as well as with Advanced Recital Ensemble with Distinction, as guitar duo with Vasilis Mastorakis.
In 1990 he took his Degree of Harmony with a unanimous "A" from the European Conservatory and then Degree of Contrapunto and Fugue with "A" from the Municipal Conservatory of Piraeus.
He has attended seminars given by Leo Brouwer (Cuba), Roberto Aussel (Argentina), Hubert Kappel (Germany), Wolfgang Lendle (Germany), Alexander Fraoutsi (Russia) Robert Brightmore (England) and Jesus Castro-Balbi (Peru). In 1982 he won the first prize at the Volos International Guitar Festival Competition for young guitarists up to 15 years old. In 1988 he won the Harmony Award at the Conservatory of Athens and in 1989 the first prize as a soloist at the Volos International Guitar Festival Competition. He has given many concerts in Greece and all over the world (Cyprus, Portugal, France, England, Denmark, Germany, Austria, Russia, Cuba, U.S.A. e.c.t.). Also he has performed many times on television and radio.
He has performed, as a duet with guitar-player Vassilis Mastorakis, in international guitar fertivals such as: Volos (Greece), Santo-Tirso (Portugal) and Havana (Cuba). In 1998 he signed an exclusive contract with SONY CLASSICAL and he released his first album titled "TANGO PASSION" with Vassilis Mastorakis, which extracted dithyrambic reviews worldwide. In the same year he participates along with the guitarist Vassilis Mastorakis in the record work of Dionysis Tsaknis "HORIKA YDATA", which was released by SONY MUSIC. In 2002 he participated with Vassilis Mastorakis in the album "TANGO LESSONS", a SONY MUSIC tribute album to one of the greatest composers of the past century, Astor Piazzola. This album includes recordings from the best Tango artists worldwide as well as Astor Piazzola himself. In 2004 he was asked to participate along with the guitarist Vassilis Mastorakis in the CD of Dimitra Galani, "TO S'AGAPO MPORI", which was released by SONY MUSIC. In the same year he released with the guitarist Vassilis Mastorakis, once more with SONY CLASSICAL, a CD under the title "BORDEL", where the worldwide famous Greek singer George Dalaras participates in a play for 2 guitars, bass, percussion instruments and voice in arrangement by Kostas Ganosselis, based on a traditional Spanish theme. In 2005 participate in the CD that circulates from record company "EROS MUSIC", titled "MASTER CLASS-HALF CENTURY GREEK GUITARISTS". In 2007 with the guitarist Vassilis Mastorakis and the famous tenor Marios Frangoulis they circulate with SONY CLASSICAL-BMG, the CD titled "AMOR OSCURO", in verses of F.G. LORCA and music of Dimitris Maramis.
He has been performed as soloist in famous concert halls, such as: "Saint George" in the Big Palace of Kremlin in Moscow, "Alte Opera" in Frankfurt, Theatre "Olympia" in Paris, "Palladium Theater" in London, "Raddisson Theater" in Copenhagen, "Hall of Springs" in Saratonga, Theatro "Amanteo Roldan" in Havana, the "Megaro Concert Hall of Athens", "Megaro Concert Hall of Salonica", "Herodium Attic Theater", "Ancient Theatre of Epidavrus" for the Festival of Athens and "Lycavetus Theater".
He has collaborated with orchestras such as: Philadelphia Orchestra, Modern Ionic Orchestra, Presidential Russian Federation (Kremlin), Symphony Orchestra of Sofia, Athens State Orchestra, National Symphony Orchestra ERT, Kamerata Orchestra of Friends Musical, Cyprus State Orchestra. He has also collaborated with leading conductors such as: Charles Dutoit, Paul Morris, Leo Brouwer, Pavel Ovsiannikov, Symeon Kogan, Alexandros Myrat, Loukas Karytinos, Miltos Logiadis, as well as with known Greek composers (Michalis Grigoriou, Yannis Markopoulos, Dionyssis Tsaknis, Stefanos Korkolis, Nikos Xanthoulis, Dimitris Maramis) and with famous Greek singers (George Dalaras, Marios Frangoulis, Haris Alexiou, Dimitra Galani, Giannis Ploutarhos).
In 2002 he played with the guitarist Vassilis Mastorakis and pianist Stefanos Korkolis in the world premiere performance of "Concierto Argentino", a composition for two guitars, piano and orchestra written by Stefanos Korkolis in memory of Astor Piazzola. In the same year, they also played in the world premiere performance of the concert "FROM ASTOR TO MANOS", a composition for two guitars and orchestra written by Nikos Xanthoulis for them.
Since 1988 he teaches in Conservatory of Athens, since 1994 he is a professor in the Model Musical Centre of Piraeus, since 2001 in the Music School of Piraeus, since 2003 in the Artistic Conservatory of Nikea and from 2006 in the Central Conservatory of Athens. Several of his students have distinguished themselves worldwide and have won over 50 prizes in international competitions of guitar.
Official Fan Club:clubs.pathfinder.gr/steliosandvassilis
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