Klaudia Delmer
Klaudia is born a Northerner but she is brought up and lives in The South. The difference and the tension between these two worlds (these two ways of being) is the source of her inspiration in music making and in the choice of her repertoire.
From a very young age she admires different expressions of the art of song.
In her native Poland she was exposed to classical music (her beloved composers are Chopin, Szymanowski, Lutosławski, Penderecki and Gorecki) and a very highly developed tradition of so called character (theatre) song so beautifully represented by Preisner and, a rather unknown outside of Poland composer, Konieczny, whose imaginative music rendition of polish poetry has always had a spell on her.
In her adoptive homeland Spain she encounters a fascinating world of flamenco tradition and there she takes her first voice lessons and gives "recitals" in various bars of Lavapies district of Madrit.
At 17 she travels to Georgia, U.S. as an exchange student. To her surprise she wins an opera contest for the state of Georgia. She decides to make singing the subject of her university studies. She moves to New York and gets her formal training at Mannes College of Music.
While in New York she takes part in opera productions and she is a finalist at the prestigious Rosa Ponselle voice competition at Lincoln Center and Koussevitzky competition. After completing her studies she planes to come back to Europe.
She moves to Greece and she is amazed by the beauty of the Greek art and folk song. In Greece she collaborates with the National Symphony Orchestra and the Contemporary Music Orchestra of E.R.T., the Orchestra of Colors, the Greek Composers Contemporary Orchestra, the Athens Hall as well as the National Opera of Athens and the Theodorakis Ensemble. She continues her search within the art of the art song by giving voice recitals with repertoire spanning from baroque to 20th century song, classical to popular.
The love for song and the life experience of "moving around" in the world of music languages and lyrics and the world itself brings about her first solo album "Ainola", a multilingual - multigenre project and it featured her own original lyrics in Italian and poetry by the Greek lyricist Michalis Bourboulis and the Spanish poet Antonio Gala with the original music composed by Vangelis Fampas and Nikos Xidakis. She also participates in the creation of several other CD projects, as a guest singer and co-author.
Her new album LaMAR - 15 songs dedicated to the sea with lyrics by Spanish and Greek poets and music by Mimis Plessas - a thrilling composer, great pianist and a leading figure in the Greek music scene for the last 50 years. (Universal - February 2007).
She is the founder and the artistic director of summer music festival "Icarus" Festival for Dialogue between Cultures" - on the Island of Ikaria in the Aegean.
Listen to the music of Klaudia Delmer
- Klaudia Delmer "1964 tango de bordes"
- Klaudia Delmer "El mar, la mar"
- Klaudia Delmer "Playa en el palo"
Mimis Plessas
Dimitris Mimis Plessas was born In Athens, Grecce. Studied Chemistry in the Universitas of Athens.
With a natural talent for music, he was the first soloist in the Athens broadcast. In 1951 won the First Price of the Annual Music Contest in the University of Minnesota. His master in the Duluth branch was followed by his Phd in Cornel University.
During his living in the USA became popular and had the chance to meet and play with Harry James, Coleman Hawkins, Lester Young, etc., and later with Dizzy Gillespie and Quincy Jones.
Returning in Athens through series of broadcasts with his Quartet and Orchestras became famous and decided to devote himself to music.
He soon became the most awarded greek composer winning greek and international awards in Poland (Sopot 1961 I 1962), Spain, USSR, France, Belgium, USA, Japan, etc.
For his scoring (101 films) and his theatrical music (75 plays) was repeatedly awarded with greek and international prizes.
He discovered or led to fame Nana Moushouri, Marinell, J. Vanou, Yovanna, R. Koumioti, J. Vagiagis, J. Poulopoulos, T. Voscopoulos, etc.
On June 12, 2000 received the Golden Medal of Athens from the Mayor and on January 17, 2001 the President of Democracy awarded him with the Golden Phoenix ( Highest Distinction for his contribution to our civilization).
During the Athens Festivities of 2002 Ministry of Culture offered the Herodes Atticus Theater for the celebration of his Jubilee (50 years of his career with outstanding achievements).
In the coming years his fame reached through concerts with International Artistic of Renown an appreciation that lead to New Honors.
The Salamina Distinction for his contribution to the World Civilization.
During 2003-2005 he was selected the Personality of these years by the Academy of the Leader Awards. For his Oratorio "S. Paul" awarded by 21st International Byzantine Congress and once more he was acclaimed as the Most Awarded Greek Composer.
The 25th of February "Sunday of Orthodoxy " he presented his new album "LaMar" based on Greek and Spanish poetry interpreted by Klaudia Delmer.
The Patriarch of Orthodoxy honored him with the cross of St. Andrew for his contribution to the arts and civilization.
