Discussing the First Performance in Crete of Mikis Theodorakis’s Complete String Quartet Works with Giorgos Demertzis

The concert will take place in Chania, on July 19, 2025, at the Museum of Typography by Yiannis and Eleni Garedakis.

In this episode, conductor Dionysios Dervis-Bournias talks with internationally acclaimed artist, violin soloist, and accomplished musician and educator George Demertzis about his participation in the Festum Pi festival, the first complete performance of Mikis Theodorakis’s works for string quartet, curated by Demertzis himself, which he will present in Chania in July 2025. The conversation also delves into his relationship with the great composer Mikis Theodorakis, as well as with his artistic team and body of work.

George Demertzis was born in Chalkida in 1958. He studied violin under Stelios Kafantaris and Max Rostal. As a soloist, he has focused on promoting Greek musical creation, both historical and contemporary. He founded the New Hellenic Quartet, which was active for over two decades, performing widely in concerts and recordings with a consistent focus on Greek repertoire. His CD releases featuring works by Skalkottas, Theodorakis, Sicilianos, Dragatakis, among other Greek composers—as well as works by Respighi and Nielsen—have earned international acclaim, with glowing reviews from publications such as The Strad, BBC Music Magazine, and Gramophone. He has also taught at Lawrence University in Appleton, USA.

Event: George Demertzis & Friends: Mikis Theodorakis: Complete String Quartets The first full performance of the complete string quartets by the great Greek composer, presented in his homeland, Crete. July 19, 2025 | 8:30 PM