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Vangelis Katsoulis - Composer

Vangelis Katsoulis - Composer

Famous Greek composer. His pluralistic music extends beyond classical music to other genres such as electronic music, jazz, music for cinema, theater, television and radio.
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Born in Athens, Vangelis Katsoulis studied music in Greece and Germany. He made his debut in 1975. His compositions have been performed in Greece and in many other countries, from Europe and America to Japan and Australia. He has worked with world famous musicians and he has performed in big festivals.

In addition to symphonic and chamber music, he has also composed numerous soundtracks and music for the theatre, as well as for the radio and television. Furthermore, he has collaborated with a number of Greek and international choreographers and his music has often been a part of multimedia performances.

In 1978 his music represented Greece at the International Composers' Forum in Paris and was awarded a prize.

In 1979 his music represented Greece at the ISCM World New Music Festival.

In 1981 he was given a grant from the AMERICAN FOUNDATION FOR PERFORMANCE ARTS.

In 1994 he was awarded the first prize for best soundtrack at the Thessaloniki International Film Festival.

He is the first Greek minimalist composer and he has composed numerous works of this genre.

He has an extensive discography of 20 personal albums and several more with other artists.

His music has been commissioned by institutions as the Megaron Concert Hall, the National Opera, the Greek Radio Station, the Orchestra of Colors, the Boston ALEA ensemble, the Greek Association of Contemporary Music, the Patras Festival, etc.

Since 1974, the use of music technology becomes gradually apparent in his compositions, exploiting technological advancements. Being internationally acknowledged as a pioneer on this field, he had the chance to sign contracts with record labels in other countries and give concerts abroad. Apart from composing, Katsoulis explored the recording production area and founded an independed record label, called Utopia, as well as a professional recording studio.

In 1995 he begun a collaboration with some famous jazz musicians like Markus Stockhaousen, Arild Andersen and later Bendik Hofseth, Paolo Fresu and Paul Wertico.

With these musicians he recorded 4 albums and had many concerts and tours, in which he also participated as a performer.

In 1997, his album "Through the Dark" was acclaimed by the music critics as the best jazz album.

His album “Silent Voyage” was elected as one of the best albums of the year, best albums of the last 10 years and best albums of the last 20 years among all kinds of music of international discography.

Finally the album "If Not Now When" was elected as one of the best albums in year 2017.

In 2007 he signed a contract with the famous American label Blue Note.

During the summer of 2008 his opera Orfeo, based on his own libretto, was premiered at the Experimental Stage of the National Opera. 

During recent years Vangelis Katsoulis has voluntarily restricted many of his activities, mainly focusing on music composition.

Since 2020 the composer is represented by MUSICENTRY

SYMPHONIC WORKS

IN THE SIGN OF ARIES (For symphony orchestra) 

DOUBLE IMAGE (For piano and orchestra, in 3 different versions) 

ET EXSPECTO  (For symphony orchestra) 

 

OPERA

ORFEO (Chamber opera in one act)  (For counter tenor, 2 sopranos, bass and small ensemble [ fl - alto fl, ob,

2 percussionists, harpsichord-piano. harp, synthesizer, cello, c.bass] ) 

 

CHAMBER MUSIC

HEXALOGUE (For six percussionists, electronic sounds and video projections)

CONTRASTS (For alto voice, percussion, drums, piano, strings and bass synthesizer) 

HAPY SONG (For two voices and small ensemble - fl, b.cl, vib, guit, pno, cb) 

MOMENTUM (For 2 pianos, 4 percussionists and tape) 

TWO ETUDES COMPOSITIONELES (for 2 bassoons)

EVERY DAY'S MUSIC  (for soprano or alto voice, alto or tenor saxophone, violin, el.guitar marimba and 2 pianos) 

SIX VERSES FOR WIND INSTRUMENTS  (fl, ob, 2cl, 2bsn, 2hrn, tr) 

TRIO  (For flute, clarinet and cello) 

TRIO  (For clarinet, cello and piano)

SEPTET

ELEGY (For cello and piano) 

DUO  (For clarinet and bassoon)

 

CHORAL MUSIC

STUDY ON THE APOCALYPSE (For mixed choir, piano, c.bass and percussion) 

REQUIEM  (for mixed choir)

 

WORKS FOR PIANO SOLO

HOMAGE TO BARTOK 

FIRST IMPRESSION 

STUDY ON B-A-C-H 

STUDY IN 7/8 

NEFELI'S DREAM 

GIRLS PLAYING 

SEBASTIAN 

NOCTURNE 

PRELUDE No 1 

PRELUDE No 2   

PRELUDE No 3 

PRELUDE in D major

THE TRILLS 

OSTINATO 

MEMORIES 

HIDDEN 

DESIRE 

ELEGY FOR BILL EVANS 

JAZZ ETUDE No 1

JAZZ ETUDE No 2

ELEVEN WANDERINGS  

VARIATIONS ON A THEME BY J.HAYDN 

VARIATIONS ON A THEME BY W.A.MOZART 

 

WORKS FOR 2 PIANOS

ALICANTO  (2 pianos) 

 

BALLET MUSIC

THE SLIPPING BEAUTY (Ballet music consisting of 16 separate pieces)

  1. Inner City Dance 
  2. Luminous Water
  3. The Slipping Beauty 
  4. Picture Of An Other World 
  5. First Confession 
  6. After The Rain 
  7. Flying Wings 
  8. Overcast 
  9. Improvisation 
  10. The Sound Of The Stone 
  11. Immaterial Gardens 
  12. Thoughts Of A Young Girl
  13. Touch The Sun 
  14. Earth Beat 
  15. The Dream 
  16. Overdrive 

IOKASTI  (Ballet music for soprano, percussion & electronics) 

THE OBLIVION OF THE BODY  (Ballet music) 

THE TYPING MACHINE (Ballet music) 

 

SONGS

SIX SONGS  (For mezzo soprano and piano)  (Poetry by Yolanda Pegli) 

  1. Einai mera messimeri
  2. I episkepsi
  3. Μe ton kero 
  4. Otan tha ertheis 
  5. Rixi 
  6. Τa mellontika mou schedia 

 FOUR SONGS  (For soprano or baritone and piano)  (Poetry by Odysseas Elytis) 

  1. Αithries II
  2. Αithries VΙΙ
  3. Αithries ΧΧΙ 
  4. Epta nychterina eptasticha III 

 THREE SONGS  (Poetry by Tassos Livaditis) 

  1. Issos
  2. Skoteini apodimia
  3. Irini me to oneiro 

IF I COULD TELL YOU  (Poetry by W.H.Auden) 

THE CLOTHES OF HEAVEN  (Poetry by W.B.Yeats)

NOVEMBER SYMPHONY  (Poetry by Oscar V. de L. Milosz)

POUR TOI MON AMOUR  (Poetry by Jacques Prevert)

DEJEUNER DU MATIN  (Poetry by Jacques Prevert)

WIE RAFFT IGH MICH IN DER NACHT  (Poetry by August von Platen)

ΑEROGEFYRES  (Κiki Dimoula)

ΜONO ESSENA THELO  (Lyrics by Sarantis Alivizatos) 

ΜΕ ΤΟ FEGGARI METHYSMENO  (Lyrics by Sarantis Alivizatos) 

PRASSINO LIOGERMA  (Lyrics by Sarantis Alivizatos) 

ΑYGOUSTO MINA  (Lyrics by Magda Papadaki) 

ΤOSSO APLA  (Lyrics by Vangelis Katsoulis) 

BOREI OMOS KAI OCHI  (Lyrics by Vangelis Katsoulis) 

SAN TI NYCHTA TON MATION SOU   (Lyrics by Vangelis Katsoulis) 

ΑYTO POU FOVASSAI - OI EPOCHES  (Lyrics by Vangelis Katsoulis) 

SKOTEINI TELETOURGIA  (Poetry by Giannis Yfantis)

PERILYPOS ESTIN  (Poetry by Giannis Yfantis)

SKERTSO (Poetry by Kostas Varnalis) 

ODI ΙΙ  (Poetry by Andreas Kalvos) (Soprano and string quartet)

SIGI  (Poetry by Takis Sinopoulos)

ELPINOR  (Poetry by Takis Sinopoulos)

Κ' ITAN MIA NYCHTA ORAIA  (Poetry by Maria Polydouri) 

GIATI M' AGAPISSES  (Poetry by Maria Polydouri) 

GIA POU  (Poetry by Maria Polydouri) 

 

MUSIC FOR THE THEATER 

THE CHERRY ORCHARD  (Anton Chekhov) 

ARDEN OF FAVERSHAM  (of unknown Elizabethan author) 

AGAMEMNON (Aeschylus)

ELECTRA  (Sophocles)

MEDIA  (Euripides) 

BACCHAE  (Euripides)

 

ELECTRONIC MUSIC

TERRORTORIUM 

PERDENDOSI 

PARANOIA

ELECTRIC ROUTES 

REBIRTH 

 

MUSIC FOR JAZZ ENSEMBLES

THROUGH THE DARK  (series of 12 pieces for jazz ensemble) 

  1. Introduction: A dream within a dream 
  2. Disillusion 
  3. Like a cloud
  4. Farewell 
  5. Invention 
  6. Allusion 
  7. Through the dark 
  8. Confessions 
  9. Internal split 
  10. Through the light 
  11. Still 
  12. Epilogue 

 SILENT VOYAGE   (series of 14 pieces for jazz ensemble)

  1. Unseen 
  2. Memories 
  3. Silent Voyage
  4. Crying in Silence
  5. Transition I 
  6. Land of Oblivion 
  7. Let by Rain 
  8. Traces 
  9. Strange Afternoons 
  10. Transition II
  11. Rumble Fish 
  12. Desert Sky 
  13. First Rate, Second Hand 

 AN UNBEARABLY SHORT GLANCE (series of 10 pieces for jazz ensemble)

  1. No Sound But The Wind
  2. The Touch
  3. The Most Precious Thing (Was Always Here)
  4. Those Green Eyes
  5. In The Shadow Of A Kiss
  6. Belongs To The Past
  7. Just To Please You
  8. Only Now
  9. Where Are You Leading Me? 
  10. An Unbearably Short Glance

THE EXILE OF DREAMS  (series of 9 pieces for jazz ensemble) 

  1. The Final Act 
  2. Invention 
  3. What Memories Of What Forgotten Moments 
  4. Endless Dream 
  5. Tears From The Sky 
  6. East Of The Heart 
  7. Landscape Of Sadness 
  8. Farewell 
  9. In Vain 

 PICTURES FROM INSIDE (series of 9 pieces for various solo instruments and keyboards)

  1. The Universe Clockwork  (solo violin and keyboards) 
  2. Snapshots Of A Lost World  (solo trumpet-flugelhorn and keyboards) 
  3. Filinks  (solo djembe-bagpipes and keyboards)
  4. I Died For Beauty  (solo voice and keyboards)
  5. Not A Word  (solo violin and keyboards) 
  6. Pictures From Inside  (solo fretless bass, voice and keyboards)  
  7. Still Was The Night  (classical guitar and keyboards) 
  8. Pagan Invocation   (solo voice and keyboards) 
  9. Demand  (electric guitar and keyboards) 

 WHISPERS OF IMMORALITY  (series of 5 pieces for soprano and alto saxophone, violin, guitar, bass and keyboards) 

  1. Whispers Of Secret Words 
  2. Whispers Of  Love 
  3. Whispers Of  Heavenly Wildness 
  4. Whispers Of  Darkness 
  5. Whispers Of Immorality 

ACROSS MOUNTAINS

  1. Beyond The Dark (10:06
  2. To See (12:48)
  3. Invitation to the Unknown (5:29)
  4. The Rebel (3:01)
  5. Arco Flight (10:13)
  6. Across Mountains (13:38)

ALLUSION 

  1. Allusion (7:16)
  2. Let by Rain (5:00)
  3. Memories (6:42)
  4. Crying in Silence (4:45)
  5. Unseen (4:50)
  6. For Once (4:41)
  7. Johannes (4:42)
  8. Tears from the Sky (4:39)
  9. He Said to Me (5:26)
  10. Silent Voyage (4:51)
  11. Those Green Eyes (3:42)

 

MINIMAL SUITE (For voice, saxophone, violin, guitar, piano-keyboards, bass, drums)

THE TRANSFORMATIONS OF GREEN  (for clarinet doubling soprano and alto saxophone, el.guitar, bass, keyboards and percussion) 

 THROUGH THE DOOR INTO A DREAM  (for flute doubling soprano saxophone, violin, guitar, bass, keyboards and percussion)

  1. Introduction 
  2. Longing
  3. The Eternal Return
  4. Epilogue 

BLUE POINT (For jazz brass ensemble and rhythm section) 

OMAR (For trumpet, piano-synthesizers, bass, percussion)  )

FOR ONCE (For violin and piano)

DEAD END  (9 pieces for jazz ensemble)

TRILOGY  (3 pieces for jazz ensemble) 

ON THE WAY OUT  (for jazz ensemble) 

ABSENCE  (for jazz ensemble) 

STILLETTO HEELS  (for jazz ensemble) 

SOOTHING CRUELTY  (for jazz ensemble) 

DISTANT RAGA  (violin, keyboards and percussion) 

EARLY MORNING (Jazz ensemble) 

SO  (Jazz ensemble) 

NIGHT IN MAHE  (for jazz ensemble) 

SWING  (for jazz ensemble) 

FOUR / FOUR (for jazz ensemble) 

REGGAE  (for jazz ensemble) 

BOSSA NOVA  (for jazz ensemble) 

FIVE EPISODES FOR BASS AND SYNTHESIZERS 

WHAT'S GOING ON IN THIS WORLD  (For keyboards and sampled voices) 

SIGN  (For piano and sampled sounds)

BOUND TO HER QUIET FLOWING  (For piano and keyboards)

TAKE A DEEP BREATH (For flugelhorn)  (Vangelis Katsoulis, Andreas Polyzogopoulos)

DIAGNOSED PSYCHOPATH  (For trumpet and piano)  (Vangelis Katsoulis, Andreas Polyzogopoulos)

ME TOO (For voice and keyboards)  (Vangelis Katsoulis, Vojislav Ivanovic)

SONG OF THE MUTE SINGER  (For trumpet and piano)  (Vangelis Katsoulis, Markus Stockhausen, Takis Farazis)

THERE WAS A PEACEFUL MIND  (For flugelhorn and keyboards)  (Vangelis Katsoulis, Markus Stockhausen)

NEFSA (For soprano saxophone, bass, piano and keyboards)  (Vangelis Katsoulis, Vojislav Ivanovic)

JOHANNES  (for jazz ensemble) 

 

MUSIC FOR SYNTHESIZERS AND KEYBOARDS AND OTHER INSTRUMENTS

IF NOT NOW WHEN  (series of 12 pieces for voice, trumpet, synthesizers, samples and jazz piano trio)

  1.All the Blue Sky

  2. Zarrin

  3.Grand Delusions

  4.Liquidity

  5.Tsake Take Tundum

  6. Midsummer Tobago (music by Vangelis Katsoulis, words by Derek Walcott)

  7. Noir

  8. Shhhh

  9. Tore

  10. The Slipping Beauty Part II

  11. If Not Now, When

  12. Recapitulation

SIENA  (For keyboards, synthesizers and percussion loops) 

ALTA (For piano, synthesizers and sampled voice) 

ANGEL (For piano and synthesizers) 

I DID (For piano, synthesizers and sampled voice) 

TOO LATE (For piano and synthesizers) 

UNDERCOVER (For piano, synthesizers and sampled voices) 

WHY (For piano, synthesizers and sampled voice) 

APOCALYPSIS (For piano, synthesizers and sampled voice) 

WHEN EVER EVER (For piano, synthesizers and sampled voices) 

WHISPERING (For piano and sampled loops)

IN THE GARDEN OF VOICES (For piano, synthesizers and sampled voices) 

 

INVISIBLE CITIES (series of 12 pieces on Italo Calvino's book "Invisible Cities")

  1. Introduction 
  2. Intermezzo I 
  3. Intermezzo II 
  4. Despina 
  5. Intermezzo IIΙ 
  6. Zovais 
  7. Armila 
  8. Aglavra
  9. Octavia 
  10. Chloe    
  11. Valtrada 
  12. Intermezzo IV 

TRIBE DANCE (for soprano saxophone, keyboards and percussion) 

PHAROAH  (for tenor saxophone, keyboards and percussion) 

IMAGO  (for synthesizers) 

ENIGMA (for synthesizers) 

SANHARA (for synthesizers)

EXPLOSION OF JOY  (for synthesizers) 

IMAGINARY SEASONS  (for synthesizers) 

JASMIN  (for piano and synthesizers) 

NEFELIS DANCE (for synthesizers) 

LIVING COLORS   (for synthesizers) 

LIGHT AS AIR   (for synthesizers) 

IDLE AND HAPPY  (piano-keyboards, bass, drums)

ΑΝΝΑ  (Trumpet and keyboards)

 

VARIOUS

NEFELI'S FAIRY (A music fairy-tale for narrator soprano, alto and keyboards) 

MUSIC FOR THE PLANETARIUM  (Electronic) 

MUSIC FOR AN EXHIBITION 

MUSIC for a radio program on George Seferis

MUSIC for a radio program on Melpo Axioti's poery.

MUSIC for a radio program on Carlos Castaneda.

 

MUSIC FOR MEDITATION

MUSIC FOR MEDITATION 1 (Music for the 5th Chakra) 

MUSIC FOR MEDITATION 2 (Music for the 6th Chakra) 

MUSIC FOR MEDITATION 3 (Music for the 7th Chakra) 

 

ARRANGEMENTS

FRAGILE  (Sting)

YOU'RE EVERYTHING  (Chick Corea)

CRYSTAL SILENCE  (Chick Corea)

TAKE FIVE  (Paul Desmond)

THE WINDMILLS OF YOUR MIND  (Michel Legrand, Baden Powell, Billy Blanco)

MANHA DE CARNAVAL (Luiz Bonfá)

AQUA DE BEBER  (Antonio Carlos Jobim)

COMO DIZI A POETA  (Vinicius de Moraes, Toquinho)

 

FILM  and TV MUSIC

ESTIN OUN TRAGODIA  (Music for the document.film by Stavros Ioannou) Awarded 1st Prize at the Int/nal Film Festival Thessaloniki 1994

DANCING ON ICE  (Music for the film "Dancing On Ice" by Stavros Ioannou) (2008)

PARA-PHRASES  (Based on music for the film "Dancing On Ice" by Stavros Ioannou) (2008)

  1. Contemplation
  2. Retrograde
  3. Ride in Blue
  4. How I Feel
  5. Only Ice and Snow
  6. First Variation
  7. Foreboding
  8. Cryptic Sounds
  9. Back to the Same Mood
  10. Sleepless Night
  11. Seriously
  12. Second Variation
  13. Quiet
  14. Just Thoughts
  15. Far Away
  16. How Can I Know?
  17. Heading South
  18. Alone
  19. Third Variation
  20. Beyond the Bounds

ROAD BLOCKS (Music for the film by Stavros Ioannou)  (2000)

MUSIC FOR THE DOCUMENTARY FILM  "THE SECRET WORLD OF BIRDS" (By Stavros Ioannou) Series of 30 episodes.

BETWEEN HEAVEN AND EARTH  (Music for a documentary film by Stavros Ioannou) 

MUSIC FOR THE DOCUMENTARY FILM "MIHALIS ARFARAS" (by Pandora Mouriki) (1998)

CHRISTMAS EVE  (Music for a TV film by Eric Thalassinos)  (1994) 

THE COLONISTS or THE FROG'S JUMB  (A series of 10 TV episodes, including a MUSICAL directed by Stelios Rallis) 

THREE KINDS OF LOVE  (music for a film by Stelios Rallis)  

KAKOLYRI  (Music for a documentary film by Stavros Ioannou) 

MUSIC FOR THE 2004 OLYMPIC GAMES (Rowing)  

THE CLOSED WINDOW  (Music for a film by Hermes Velopoulos) 

DE HUMANI CORPORIS FABRICA  (Music for a film by Thanasis Renjis) 

 

 

Vangelis Katsoulis’ Discography 

 

Minimal Suite - Double Image

(with M.Alexiadis, D.Lynch, H.Davidson, P.Allen, S.Yannatou, A.Anthimos, Y.Maglaras, Y.Ekmektsoglou) 

Minimal Suite - Double Image

(New edition) 

  

The Slipping Beauty

The Slipping Beauty (New edition)

  

Through the Dark

(with M.Stockhausen, A.Andersen, D.Lynch, G.Kontrafouris, S.Panagiotopoulos, S.Yannatou, N.Touliatos, V.Katsoulis) 

Through the Dark (New edition)

  

Silent Voyage

(with P.Fresu, B.Hofseth, A.Andersen, P.Wertico, T.Farazis, V.Tsabropoulos, T.Nikoloudi, V.Ivanovic, P.Kourtis, S.Panagiotopoulos, A.Anthimos, Y.Ekmektsoglou, V.Katsoulis)  

Silent Voyage

(New edition)    

 

An Unbearably Short Glance

(with P.Fresu, B.Hofseth, A.Andersen, P.Wertico, T.Farazis, V.Katsoulis and guests) 

 

The Exile of Dreams

(with P.Fresu, B.Hofseth, A.Andersen, P.Wertico, T.Farazis, V.Katsoulis and guests) 

  

Piano Works

(with Alexandra Papastephanou) 

 

Pictures from Inside

(with Y.Maglaras, A.Polyzogopoulos, L.Grigoriou, Mohani, S.Tsani, Y.Kiourtsoglou, T.Nicoloudi, V.Ivanovic, Y.Ekmektsoglou, V.Katsoulis) 

 

Para-phrases

(with A.Polyzogopoulos, M.Farantouri, V.Katsoulis and guests) 

 

Orfeo

(with N.Spanos, S.Theodoridou, Th.Baka, T.Apostolou, Kyklos Ensemble) 

 

Sing as if Nobody's Listening 

 

The Sleeping Beauties

The Sleeping Beauties Remixed 

 

If Not Now When

(with A.Polyzogopoulos, A.Linardou, Mohani, V.Katsoulis)   

 

Back to Minimalism

(with A.Linardou, A.Anthimos, Th.Papadopoulos, V.Katsoulis) 

 

Film Music One (with V.Katsoulis) 

Film Music Two (with V.Katsoulis) 

 

Seven Pianists Play the Music of Vangelis Katsoulis

(with A.Papastephanou, C.Papageorgiou, E.Kounalaki, N.Semitekolo, N.Mousoura, T.Kotepanos, V.Katsoulis) 

 

Five songs in poetry by Giolanta Pegli

(with Th.Baka, V.Katsoulis)

 

Allusion 

(with Takis Farazis, Petros Varthakouris, Thanos Hatzianagnostou)

 

Across Mountains 

(with Arild Andersen, Markus Stockhausen)

 

Discography with other artists 

 

Through the Door into a Dream (with M.Grigoriou) 

 

Earth Beat (on ECDISIS Vol. II) 

 

The Night (with L.Platonos, M.Grigoriou, M.Alexiades) 

 

Grateful (with Mohani) 

 

Traces (Remixed by Blend) 

 

Prelude (with M.Vourtsis, S.Gazouleas, M.Kalomiris, Y.Papaioannou, M.Varvoglis, E.Agrafiotou piano)

 

Whispers of Darkness (on 10 Jazz Favorites) 

 

Longing (Audio, August 1996) 

 

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