Strumming like no other

Greek guitarist Nikos Zarkos will perform on his classical guitar in Paphos on Friday and in Nicosia on Saturday. Both performances are held under the auspices of the Municipality of Geroskipou.

The guitarist, who has recently performed a series of recitals entitled ‘Greek Music for Guitar’ in Athens and Thessaloniki, is now bringing his act to our island. As he did in Greece, Zarkos will dive into the works of some of the Greek composers including Nikos Kypourgos, Christos Samaras, Theodore Antoniou and Christina Athinodorou, and bring their works to the musical surface once again. Three of these compositions were premiered by Zarkos over the last five years.

Zarkos, who was born in Kavala, started playing the guitar at the age of eight and received academic training at the Guildhall School of Music and and Drama in London. During his studies and musical career, he has shown a keen interest in exploring the uncharted peripheries of the modern guitar repertoire, while at the same time understanding the importance of Greek guitarist literature.

He has performed in masterclasses run by some of the world’s greatest guitar players, including Leo Brouwer, Manuel Barrueco and Kazuhito Yamashita. The guitarist has also performed as a duo with cellists Asterios Pouftis and Angelos Liakakis, and as a member of the Greek Ensemble of Contemporary Music, the Ergon Ensemble and the Ionian Festival Ensemble. He has also given recitals and chamber music concerts in Great Britain, Germany and Greece and he plays exclusively with Hannabach Titanyl strings.

His debut album, Greek Guitar Music for the 21st Century, was released in April 2011, and his second – Female Writings for Guitar – came out in June 2013.

This is the first time he will perform on our island.

Greek Music for Guitar
Live performance by Nikos Zarkos. September 23. Technopolis 20, Paphos. 8pm. €10/7. Tel: 70-002420
September 24. ARTos Foundation, Nicosia. Tel: 22-445455

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