The Athens Conservatoire (Greek: Ωδείο Αθηνών) is the oldest conservatoire in modern Greece. It was founded in 1871 by the Athens Music and Drama Society. Initially, the musical instruments that were taught there were limited to the violin and the flute, representative of the ancient Greek Apollonian and Dionysian aesthetic principles. Significantly, piano lessons were not included in the program. In 1881 its new German-taught director Georgios Nazos, in a controversial at that time move, expanded the conservatoire's program by introducing modern Western European-style instruments and theory material.
Among the musicians who have taught at the Athens Consevatoire are Manolis Kalomiris, Felix Petyrek, Elvira de Hidalgo, and Yannos Margaziotis. Notables who were taught at Athens Consevatoire include Spyridon Samaras (1875–1882), Maria Callas (1938), Dimitri Mitropoulos (1919), Gina Bachauer, Nana Mouskouri, Dimitris Sgouros, Mikis Theodorakis. Its current artistic director is Aris Garoufalis.
Famous quotes containing the word athens:
“If one doubts whether Grecian valor and patriotism are not a fiction of the poets, he may go to Athens and see still upon the walls of the temple of Minerva the circular marks made by the shields taken from the enemy in the Persian war, which were suspended there. We have not far to seek for living and unquestionable evidence. The very dust takes shape and confirms some story which we had read.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)