Panayotis Archontides is an award winning Greek-Australian pianist whose studies and extensive concertizing have taken him to Australia, Greece, Finland, and the UK. P. B. Archontides has given hundreds of performances in Europe and Australia, including such prestigious concert halls as the Sydney Opera House, the Sibelius Academy of Music, the Steinway Hall (London) and the International Cultural Center- ATHENAEUM (Athens). He won first and second prizes in Piano Competitions in Australia and in Greece as a young prodigy. Archontides has recorded for the National Television and the National Radio Station (ERA 3) in Greece. In summer 2004, he appeared in concert with the Feminarte Orchestra and famous tenor Jose Cura for the induction of the Olympic Flame (Olympics 2004). Other notable collaborations have included his appearance as soloist under George Hadjinikos in Carmina Burana (version for two pianos and percussion, American College of Greece 1993), with the TCM Symphony Orchestra under the baton of conductor James Judd (March '07), and with soprano Linda Hirst and the New Music Ensemble under conductor Jonathan Tilbrook at Blackheath Halls (May '07).
Having just completed his studies for the MMus in piano performance at Trinity College of Music under the tutelage of pianist Elena Riu, Panayotis was Trinity College of Music Scholar for the academic year 2006-2007, and recipient of numerous prizes and awards. He was awarded a high commendation at the 2006 Halford Piano Competition for new music (only 1st prize was also awarded at the competition), he was TCM runner-up in the 2006 Jacques Samuels Intercollegiate Piano Competition, he was awarded the Mehroo and Byram Jeejeebhoy 2006 Piano Prize, and finally the coveted Worshipful Company of Musicians Silver Medal for excellence (2007). Both his lecture recital on the Miklos Rozsa Sonata for Piano (Feb. 2007) and his graduate recital (May 2007), where he presented Russian avant-garde from the turn of the 20th c., received a distinction from their respective juries, which included such notables as Philip Fowke, Douglas Finch, and Gordon Fergus Thompson.
Panayotis has previously received the Associate of Music in piano performance from the N. S. W. State Conservatorium of Music with Honors, from the class of Elizabeth Powell (pupil herself of Claudio Arrau). While at the Conservatorium (Sydney University) he also won a scholarship to study with revered pianist and pedagogue Lev Vlassenko. Archontides continued his studies with distinguished soloist D. Toufexis at the Skalkotas Conservatory of Athens, where he was awarded the Soloist Diploma in piano performance with first prize and gold medal. P. B. Archontides also holds degrees in Harmony, Counterpoint and Fugue from the Skalkotas Conservatory, where he benefited from the guidance of well-known Greek composer M. Travlos. In 1997 the pianist also graduated from the American College of Greece with a B.A. in Music with distinction. Panayotis Archontides has already been noticed by promoters and the media alike. Watch for his upcoming performances showing an eclectic approach combining mainstream classical repertoire with his love for modern repertoire in which he excels. Click here to go to the Concert Dates page.
