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Academic Background | Commissions and Awards |
Collaborations.
Studies
Composer, pianist, music professor writer, Iossif Valette lives and works in Piraeus. During his conservatory studies, he was taught by distinguished professors in theory, such as Konstantinos Kydoniatis, Andreas Carbone, Alkis Baltas and Theodore Antoniou.
At the age of 8, he received his first award at the ‘O Philon’ competition for young pianists.He continued his studies with professor Fifi Matou and received his piano Diploma. Later he attended masterclasses on Alexander’s technique in London, with professor Lois Philips of the Royal Academy. In 1992 he attended piano lessons with the Bulgarian pianist Philippina Philippova in Thessaloniki and Sofia, while in the same year he collaborated as a soloist with the Thessaloniki State Orchestra.
He received his BA in Musicology from the Department of Music Studies at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (MD 1993) and his PhD in Music Composition from the same Department (2011).
He studied composition with the distinguished composer Theodore Antoniou, professor at Boston University, and received a Diploma in Composition in 2000.
He actively participated in the Darmstadt Summer Academy in 2006, where he attended classes with Georges Aperghis, Helmut Lachenmann, Beat Furrer and Toshio Hosokawa.
He is a member of the Greek Composers’ Union since 2001. His works and theoretical writings are published by Panas Music, and his discography by Irida Classical and Subways Music. He also participated in a group collection by Phasma Music with his work ‘Lament for Theodore’ for solo flute, dedicated to Theodore Antoniou.
He has taught Theory and Harmony as a professor at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, as well as at various music schools and conservatories. He also serves as a scientific associate at the Institute of Educational Policy, contributing to the curriculum development for Music Schools.
Commissions - Awards
Several of his works have received notable distinctions in national and international competitions:
The song cycle ‘Grafomena’ (1999) was performed at the Rome Biennale 1999 as Greece’s official participation in the international festival of young composers.
‘Indigo’ (2000) was selected to participate in the Contemporary Music Workshops of the Greek Composers’ Union at the Athens Concert Hall, preformed by the Greek Contemporary Music Ensemble.
‘Muses’ sacred gift’ (2003) was selected among the finalists at the international competition ‘ALEA III’ in Boston.
‘Miniatures’ (2005), for G flute and piano, was awarded the 1st prize at the ‘G.A. Papaioannou’ Composition Competition.
‘Rumeurs et Visions’ (2005), for soprano and brass quintet, was a commission by the ‘Melos brass’ quintet.
‘Etude pour Six’ (2007) was awarded the 1st prize at the ‘Synthermia‘ Competition.
The opera ‘How peed in Mississippi’ (2007) was awarded the 1st prize at the Opera of Thessaloniki Composition Competition.
The chamber opera ‘LXIR’ (2006) was a commission by the Athens Concert Hall.
‘Echoes’ piano trio (2007) was among the finalists at the 3rd Greek Chamber Music Festival.
The opera in one act ‘Freud for her’ (2011) was a commission by the Greek National Opera.
‘The magic violin’ (2011) was a a commission by the 2nd Student Opera Festival of GNO.
‘Piano Concerto no.2’ (2015) was among the finalists at the ‘Queen Elisabeth’ competition in Belgium (2008).
Monodrama ‘Claude and Sonja’ (2018) was a commission by the Nafplion Festival for the 100th anniversary of Debussy’s death.
Cantata ‘Anima aeterna’ (2021), based on Dante’s ‘Divine Comedy’, was a commission by the Karditsa International Festival.
The piano cycle ‘Thirteen Lilliputies for young pianists’ (2022) was selected at the international call for scores at the ‘Contempus Piano’ project (University of Macedonia) and has been presented by students during experiential workshops in many music schools and conservatories in Greece.
Collaborations
Among his works are works for orchestra, two piano-concertos, choral works, chamber music, mixed media, operas, song cycles, and movies scores.
His works have been performed at international events in Boston, Luxembourg, Brussels, Darmstadt, Graz, as well as on Greek Radio and Television, at ‘Greek Music Fests’, and at the Athens-Epidaurus, Nafplio and Fanari Castle Festivals.
His works have been performed by the Athens State Orchestra, the ERT National Symphony Orchestra, Alea III, the Athens Municipality Symphony Orchestra, Orpheus Soloists, and the ensembles: Hellenic Contemporary Music Ensemble, Dissonart, Melos Brass, L’Anima string quartet, ASO Wind Orchestra, and the ‘Aeolos’ Quintet.
During several stagings of the piano-opera ‘Contra-pedal’ (2011), the composer collaborated with prominent Greek pianists, such as Vicky Stylianou, Titos Gouvelis, Dionysis Mallouhos, Lola Totsiou, Lenio Liatsou, Alexia Mouza-Arenas, Dimitris Karydis, Christina Sidiropoulou, Lorenda Ramou, Jean-Christophe Charron, Konstantina Vidalaki, Irene Mavrou, Irene Laliotou, Trifon Thomopoulos, Nicol Karali, Nikos Zafranas, Dimitris Mimidis, Chara Fotopoulou and many others.
His vocal works have been performed by Maira Milolidaki, Angelica Cathariou, Teresa Cardace, Vassia Zacharopoulou, Rea Voudouri, Maria Kokka, Elena Marangou, Marisia Papalexiou, Marimel Chrysi, Georgia Charalambidou, and by Tasos Apostolou, Dimitris Paksoglou, Michael Wade Lee, Konstantinos Dotsikas.
His works have been performed by renowned musicians, such as Lefki Kolovou, Stella Tsani, Iwona Glinka, Katerina Lekka, Michalis Kontaxakis, Theodoros Kerkezos, Yannis Samprovalakis, Dimitris Papagiannakis, Michalis Kolokotronis, Giorgos Arnis, Stella Arabatzoglou, Giorgos Krimberis, Alexandros Kasartzis, Stathis Mavromatis, Evangelia Kiosoglou, and also by important conductors such as Theodoros Antoniou, Constantia Gourzi, Alkis Baltas, Andreas Tselikas, Nikos Vassiliou, Phaedra Giannelou, and Alpaslan Ertüngealp.
