The Youth Student Orchestra of the Kalogeropoulos Conservatoire
The Youth Student Orchestra of the Kalogeropoulos Conservatoire
“The Youth Student Orchestra of the Kalogeropoulos Conservatoire and Foundation for Arts and Culture was founded in 2020 by the Conservatoire’s Artistic Director, Panagiotis Theodosiou, in response to the collaborative needs of its students and as the realisation of a vision held by the late founder, Nikolaos Kalogeropoulos, from the very beginning: the creation of a Symphony Orchestra that would contribute, through its artistic and educational work, to the cultural enrichment of Corinthia and beyond”.
“The Youth Student Orchestra of the Kalogeropoulos Conservatoire and Foundation for Arts and Culture was founded in 2020 by the Conservatoire’s Artistic Director, Panagiotis Theodosiou, in response to the collaborative needs of its students and as the realisation of a vision held by the late founder, Nikolaos Kalogeropoulos, from the very beginning: the creation of a Symphony Orchestra that would contribute, through its artistic and educational work, to the cultural enrichment of Corinthia and beyond”.
In pursuit of this goal, the Orchestra brings together students of all available instruments from the Conservatoire itself and from other music institutions, including the Corinth Philharmonic Orchestra. Rehearsals and tuition are offered free of charge by the Kalogeropoulos Foundation, hosted in its own premises under the artistic direction and teaching of Panagiotis Theodosiou.
The first encouraging results were not long in coming, despite the difficulties of the pandemic years. The orchestra’s members, aged between 10 and 20, have become not merely a working ensemble within the Conservatoire but, above all, a family — with the Kalogeropoulos Foundation as their home. They come to rehearsals with enthusiasm and a generous spirit, working together to build their sound, their character and their bonds within this remarkable group.
The Orchestra has performed at the Municipal Theatre of Corinth as part of the city’s Christmas celebrations in 2021, and at the Three-Day Festival of Contemporary Music organised by the Centre for Contemporary Music Research in December 2021 at the Athens Conservatoire. It has also participated, by official invitation, in the 16th Aegina International Festival and the 13th “Gefyres” International Film Festival, and performed at the awards ceremony for successful university entrants from the Municipality of Xylokastro-Evrostini. Further appearances include the Malliароpouleio Concert Hall in Tripoli, repeated performances at the Archaeological Museum of Isthmia, and a special programme of film music with simultaneous projection at the French-Greek Ursuline School and the Archaeological Museum of Sicyon. In 2024 the Orchestra performed at the reception ceremony of the Olympic Flame in the city of Corinth, and in 2025 at the UNESCO closing ceremony for World Cultural Heritage for Youth, as well as at the 2nd International Forum on Sustainable Development and Culture organised by the Club of Rome at the Gennadius Library.
The Orchestra has collaborated with the Chorkunst Children’s and Youth Choir of Munich, the Nordberg Youth String Orchestra from Norway, the Orchestra of the Music and Cultural Society of Psychiko EUTERPE, and the European Music Orchestra of the Music School of Rhodes. It also performed at the unveiling of the bust of Charilaos Trikoupis in the presence of the country’s political, ecclesiastical and military leadership.
Its repertoire includes arrangements of works by J. Strauss, E. Satie, G. Holst, D. Shostakovich, H. Purcell, H. Mancini, E. Morricone, J. Williams, E. Bernstein, A. Newman, R. Strauss and N. Skalkottas, as well as original works by J.S. Bach, G.F. Handel, G. Rossini, W.A. Mozart, F. Schubert, A. Vivaldi, V. Monti, L. Arditi, J. Sibelius, M.A. Charpentier, J.B. Lully and P. Theodosiou.
What people are saying about the Orchestra
We are deeply grateful for the following words of support from distinguished figures in public life, the arts and academia.
“Congratulations to everyone- proud teachers, parents and students, worthy representatives of the Foundation. Bravo a thousand times over!” – Sissy Pavlopoulou, wife of former President of the Hellenic Republic Prokopis Pavlopoulos
“Congratulations, dear Mrs Christara. A monumental achievement.” – Maria Efthymiou, Historian and University Professor
“You are extraordinary. Bravo to all!” – Stefania Merakou, Musicologist and Director of the Lilian Voudouri Music Library of Greece
“Congratulations on your exceptional work. Wishing you continued success, dear Panagiotis- and congratulations to the Foundation’s leadership for supporting it.” – Dimitris Minakakis, Composer, Author and former Artistic Director of the Athens College Conservatoire
