14 - Sigma [2:50]
Complete Program: [54:52]
Greek guitarist Thanos Mitsalas recently surprised me with this recording of a substantial part of my music written for solo guitar. The disc is quite impressive and presents a very personal interpretation of my works. Thanos has remarkable technique and a highly sensitive musical intuition.
The compositions featured in this recording were written over the course of many years and consequently reflect different phases of my musical life.
Three Divertimentos were written in 1996 for some students I had for a short period of time while teaching at the Conservatoire Royal in Belgium.
Valseana is the second movement of a longer work called Aquarelle and was written around 1984 representing quite well my song writing of that time.
Fantasia Carioca dates from 1994 when I had my phase of motif development and it celebrates the city of Rio de Janeiro, Remembrance and Farewell are also from 1994 and were written for the Japanese movie Natsu No Niwa.
The Sonata was commissioned by the Japanese magazine Gendai Guitar in 1999 and mirrors one of my first attempts in bridging different musical cultures.
3 Greek Letters were written in the year 2000 and although they are not based in Greek traditional music they are my personal homage to the great Greek culture and civilization.
Thanos Mitsalas has lots to say as a skilled guitarist and fine musician. I'm pleased he has chosen my unpretentious solo guitar works as his first recording project.
Sergio Assad - May 2009
About Thanos Mitsalas
Placed among the leading Greek artists of the guitar Thanos started his international steps at a very early age, being the youngest winner ever in the history of competitions like Volos -Greece (while 15 years old), Silesian Guitar Autumn-Poland (while 16 years old) and Carrefour Mondial de la guitare- Martinique/South America (while 18 years old). Since then he has performed successfully in most of the major international events of the instrument. He graduated with the greatest honors from New Conservatory of Thessaloniki-Greece (class of Costas Cotsiolis), Hochscule fur Music in Koln/Aachen-Germany (class of Thomas Muller Pering) and finally from the prestigious Juilliard School-NY (where he studied on a full scholarship at Sharon Isbin's class, evaluated as one of the most brilliant talents of the school).
In addition to his solo activities he frequently performs in chamber music ensembles or collaborates with orchestras conducted by such important personalities like Leo Brouwer, Josif Conta, Emir Saoul, etc. Thanos has premiered nationally and internationally substantial works by composers like Sergio Assad, Leo Brouwer, Roland Dyens among many others. He currently teaches at the State Conservatory of Thessaloniki where only gifted talents study on state scholarships. From 1999 until 2007 he has been the artistic director of the Municipal Conservatory of Naoussa-Greece.
