Dear colleagues,

The Kalogeropoulos Foundation of Corinth, in partnership with the DIAZOMA Association, the Athens Concert Hall, the Third Programme of ERT, and the cultural organisations Athens State Orchestra, Thessaloniki State Orchestra, The Underground Youth Orchestra, the Conference and Cultural Centre of Heraklion, and the SYRREO International Classical Music Festival, invites final-year students and graduates of music studies in symphonic orchestra instruments and piano to apply for the competitive programme “Listening to the Young 2026.”

The programme aims to give talented young artists the opportunity to present and develop their work through multiple concerts and recordings, and to connect with established musicians, festival organisers and potential sponsors.

Candidates for the auditions must be aged 25 or under and are invited to prepare a video of 15–20 minutes featuring works from three different periods. Movements from larger works are permitted; transcriptions and arrangements are not.

The jury, comprising:

• Panagiotis Theodosiou –   composer and Artistic Director of the Kalogeropoulos Conservatoire
• Thodoris Tzovanakis –   pianist and piano professor at the Athens Conservatoire
• David Alexander Bogorad –   violinist and associate principal second violin of the Thessaloniki State Orchestra
• Asterios Pouftis –    cellist and associate principal cello of the Athens State Orchestra
• Ilias Sdoukos –   violist and principal viola of the Greek National Opera Orchestra
• Spyros Mourikis –   clarinettist and principal clarinet of the Athens State Orchestra

will select ten candidates.

1. From these ten, three soloists will be chosen in a final evaluation by Yannis Vakarеlis, pianist and Artistic Director of the Athens Concert Hall. The selected soloists will present their work in three individual recitals and two joint concerts-  five performances in total. The three recitals, in which collaboration with established soloists will be encouraged, will be held as follows: one in Corinth (at the Kalogeropoulos Foundation’s concert hall), one in another Greek city, and one at a venue chosen by our sponsors. The Corinth concerts will be recorded for broadcast on ERT’s Third Programme and on the programme “In Search of the Lady with the Strychnine” by Christos Papageorgiou. Each individual recital will run for approximately 50 minutes.

The two joint concerts will take place: one at an ancient theatre in Greece, where the soloists will perform chamber music alongside distinguished musicians of the Athens State Orchestra, and one at the Dimitris Mitropoulos Hall of the Athens Concert Hall.

1. From the ten shortlisted candidates, the Athens State Orchestra, the Thessaloniki State Orchestra, the Underground Youth Orchestra, the Conference and Cultural Centre of Heraklion and the SYRREO International Classical Music Festival-  through their respective directors Loukas Karytinos, Simos Papanas, Kostas Iliadis, Myron Michailidis and Nikolas Kavakos-  will each select up to three musicians to whom they will offer the opportunity to collaborate during the 2026–2027 concert season, whether in chamber music performances or potentially as soloists.

Participation in the competition is free of charge.

Application Process

• Candidates should upload their video or videos-  with a total running time of up to 20 minutes- to YouTube. Separate videos may be submitted for each work performed.
• The YouTube link and a brief CV in PDF format should be sent to akoumetousneous@gmail.com, with a copy to pmalapani@gmail.com (Popi Malapani, pianist and programme coordinator). Please include the following in the subject line: Listening to the Young 2026, candidate’s name and instrument.
• Videos must be filmed from a single camera and must not have been edited or subject to any sound processing.
• The deadline for applications isSaturday, 28 February 2026.

We warmly invite you to take part in the “Listening to the Young 2026” programme and remain available for any queries at the above email addresses.

For further information about the programme and its concerts, please visit www.akoumetousneous.gr and www.fondationkaloy.com

Yours sincerely,

Maria Christara, President, Kalogeropoulos Foundation
Popi Malapani, Programme Coordinator