The Cyclades International Classical Music Festival marks its twentieth anniversary this year with a celebratory event in Syros, running from August 10 to 18. The festival will feature renowned artists from Greece and abroad.

20th International Classical Music Festival of Cyclades 2024 | August 10 – 18, 2024

This year’s festival, under the artistic direction of Giannos Margaziotis, includes chamber concerts, lyrical singing, and high-level masterclasses. The events will be held at the historic Apollo Theater in Ermoupoli.

Among the highlights is the anniversary chamber music concert featuring pianist Ai Motohashi from Japan, violinist and master of the Royal Danish Orchestra Lars Bjørnkjaer, Danish-American violinist David Bogorad, cellist Fulbert Slenczka from Germany, cellist Anastasia Deligiannakis, and violinist and Artistic Director Giannos Margaziotis. They will perform works by Schumann and Brahms. Sponsor awards for 20 years of continuous action will also be presented during this concert (August 10).

Closing Event

“The Diamonds of Chamber Music” concert will feature the distinguished conductor of the State Orchestra of Athens, Katerina Hatzinikolaou (violin), alongside Lars Bjørnkjaer (violin), Panagiotis Tziotis (violin), Angela Giannakis (viola), David Bogorad (viola), Anastasia Deligiannaki (cello), Fulbert Slenczka (cello), and Ai Motohashi (piano). They will be joined by young talented violinists Fotis Asimakis and Argyros Meleniou. The concert will include performances of Cesar Franck’s unique sonata and the octets of Shostakovich and Mendelssohn (August 13).

Other program highlights include a special musical collaboration between German pianist Anton Gerzenberg, winner of the first prize at the 2021 Géza Anda competition in Zurich, and the Athens String Quartet. They will perform works by Beethoven, Debussy, and Brahms (August 16). An Opera Gala featuring internationally acclaimed soprano Christina Poulitsi and baritone Dimitris Platanias will include arias by Verdi, Rossini, Mozart, Leoncavallo, and Massenet. They will be accompanied by pianist Sofia Tamvakopoulou (August 17). The festival will also present a concert by the Athens String Quartet on the grand staircase of Ermoupolis Town Hall, with free entry (August 18), and a violin Master Class by Lars Bjørnkjaer at the Spiritual Center of the Municipality of Ermoupolis.