Dimitris Kotronakis

Dimitris Kotronakis was born in Heraklion, Creta (Greece) in 1973.  He begun studies in classical guitar at the age of seven, under the supervision of Vassilis Kanaras, and graduated from the International Conservatory of Athens with a guitar diploma in 1992.  He attended post-graduate studies in classical guitar at the Athens Conservatory, graduating again in 1996. He also undertook advanced theoretical and musicological studies that led to a degree in Musicology from the University of Athens in 1996. Currently he is a PhD candidate at the University of Athens, with his thesis having as its subject: Greek Guitar Composers in the Twentieth-century.  

He is a multiple prize winner in many guitar competitions in Greece, Spain and Romania. He also won the major honorary mention award at the 12^th Web Concert Hall competition (USA – March 2011), among 39 competitors of all classical instruments.

He has recorded two CDs with music by Nikos Mamagakis, namely New Excursion for solo guitar and Spring Symphony for guitar and voice.  As lead guitarist of the guitar quintet Epsilon, he has recorded a CD titled Angel Guitars featuring the music of Christos Nicolopoulos, arranged for five guitars by Epsilon.  His fourth CD, titled Echomythia, was released in the USA by the ClearNote publications. This disk contains pieces of the modern guitar repertory that has been influenced by Jazz, Latin and Brazilian music. Next one, recorded for EMI in 2010, is entitled Pictures for the sadness of the blond girls and of Eleni. It includes the Amsterdam Concerto by Thanassis Moraitis, played by Dimitris and the Camerata Orchestra. He also recorder another album for Clear Note, named Our Old House, that has been released in 2011, featuring music for one, two and three guitars, composed by Kostas Milonas.

He has performed in numerous guitar recitals throughout Europe and North and South America; he has also co-operated as a soloist with the Philharmonic Orchestra of Kielce (Poland), the Philharmonic Orchestra of Craiova (Romania), the Orchestra Artave (Portugal), the National Symphonic Orchesta (Greece), the Camerata Orchestra (Greece), the Orchestra of Colours (Greece) and the Nicolaos Mantzaros Orchestra (Greece).

No less than the prestigious publication based in the UK Classical Guitar Magazine said about Dimitris’ recordings, “...the speed at which Kotronakis can knock out some of this music is quite breathtaking…this is a startlingly exciting recording which captures the amazing artistry of a very distinct player”. Dr Albert Kunze wrote in the Soundboard magazine: “He sound like a one-man Quintet of the Hot Club of Paris…Kotronakis can really fly around the guitar”. The Guitar International portal raved of him, “Kotronakis performs with perhaps one of the most virtuosic techniques in modern times and a deep passion that make him, a stand out in the classical guitar world”.

http://www.kotronakis.com

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EyTqu3lnFAk