A diverse musician, Swedish-born Greek pianist Natalie Tsaldarakis has appeared in a wide range of venues, from the renowned Sibelius Academy in Finland and the Complex for the Arts in Philadelphia (US), to the Athenaeum International Cultural Center in Athens, Greece (home of the International Maria Callas Piano Competition), Athens Concert Hall (Megaron), and St John’s, Smith Square. In recent years, Natalie Tsaldarakis has appeared extensively both as soloist and as member of the Ivory Duo piano ensemble with pianist Panayotis Archontides in Greece, Italy, Finland, US, Serbia, and the UK.
MEDIA:
Natalie has been broadcasted by ERA–3 (the Greek National Radio station for classical music), interviewed by ERA-1, featured as guest at Carole Finer’s show on Resonance FM 104.4 (London, UK), while her concerts have also attracted the attention of NET- Greek National Television station.
Press releases, features, and interviews for her concerts have been published by a variety of media including: feature on ClassicFM website for her fundraising concert in Canterbury (in aid of MusicMakers), LGR, KentTV, Invicta FM, Time Out, Kentish Gazette, and in a variety of Greek published media.
Natalie is probably among the youngest musicians included in the seven-volume Dictionary of Greek Music and Musicians (Kalogeropoulos, Athens: Giallelis Editions, 1998).
CONCERTS & COLLABORATIONS:
Among her 2007 performances and collaborations belong performances of works by Michael Chant and Douglas Finch (former Head of Keyboard at TCM), appearances with known pianists Ian Pace and John Tilbury, as well as concerts at Blackheath Halls, Charlton House (as part of the celebrations for its 400 years), and St Martin-in-the-Fields.
2008 notable engagements included St John’s, Smith Square, the Reform Club, whereas in 2009-10 performances are planned for Lauderdale House, Canterbury College, Jacqueline Du Pre (Oxford), and Steinway Hall.
FAMOUS TEACHERS & MENTORS:
Ms. Tsaldarakis’ teachers include former pupils of illustrious American teachers Lateiner (D. Toufexis), Gorodnitsky (Dr. Bedford), Masselos (Dr. McHugh), and Gina Bachauer (D. Kara).
She has performed in master classes by well-known American pianist and adjudicator James Tocco and Russian Larissa Dedova (first teacher of Ivo Pogorelich and herself pupil of Lev Oborin).
Natalie has also received precious coaching from Trinity College of Music professors Martino Tirimo, Elena Riu, Philip Fowke, Douglas Finch (former Head of Keyboard, TCM), and the Head of Keyboard at Royal College of Music Mrs Vanessa Latarche.
INTERNATIONAL COMPETITIONS:
Natalie won first and second prizes in piano competitions in the US (Wurlitzer Young Artist Competition 1993- District Winner, Pottstown Concerto Competition 1993- 2nd place, University Concerto Competition 1994-only winner among the graduate and piano categories), and had the privilege of being selected to compete at prestigious international competitions such as the 1997 International Beethoven Piano Competition, Vienna and the 1998 Gina Bachauer (US).
ACADEMIC DEGREES & CAREER:
In 2005 the pianist relocated to London to expand her concert career under the guidance of pianist Elena Riu (professor at Trinity College of Music), parallel to her musicological research at Royal Holloway into Modern British Pianism. Natalie, who interviewed pianists of such stature as Martino Tirimo, Philip Fowke, Stephen Hough, and Yonty Solomon for the needs of her research, was invited to submit her dissertation by the International Piano Archives at the University of Maryland (US).
Her parallel academic career has further won her many distinctions and awards. Currently Coordinator for HE Music Performance at Canterbury College and Associate Tutor of Canterbury University, she holds a MMus in Musicology (Performance Studies) from Royal Holloway (University of London, ’07), the Soloist Piano Diploma with distinction (class of D. Toufexis awarded when she was still only 19), B.A. in music from the American College of Greece again with distinction, and a further MM in piano performance from the US (West Chester University of Pennsylvania), which lead to her becoming member of the American National Music Honour Society Pi Kappa Lambda in 1994 in recognition of excellence in performance (membership by invitation only). In 2008, Natalie was guest speaker of the University of London (Royal Holloway and Goldsmiths College).
In 2009 Natalie was again invited as guest speaker at the ‘Creative Careers’ event in Royal Holloway, and she also presented a lecture-recital on Yannis Constantinides at the World Piano Conference, Serbia (May 4-8, 2009).
