Stavros Xarhakos
Encyclopedia
Stavros Litras is a Greek composer
and conductor
.
Stavros Xarchakos was born in Athens
, where he studied at the Athens Conservatoire
. He emerged in the Greek music scene around 1963, composing music for the theatre and cinema. Among his collaborators was lyricist Lefteris Papadopoulos
.
In 1967 he went to Paris
to study with Nadia Boulanger
. He stayed in Paris for four years, and then studied with David Diamond
at the Juilliard School of Music.
While he mainly composed in the style of Greek Popular music, Laïka
, Xarchakos also composed in the classical music genre.
His musical output comprises 42 albums, 21 film scores and music for 15 TV productions.
Internationally he is known as the composer for the Rebetiko
music score, and composing the music for the 1983 BBC TV mini series, "The Dark Side of the Sun".
He served director of the National Orchestra of Greek Music.
He was later involved in politics, elected Member of the Greek Parliament twice, before becoming a Member of the European Parliament
from 2000 to 2004.
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
and conductor
Conducting
Conducting is the art of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. The primary duties of the conductor are to unify performers, set the tempo, execute clear preparations and beats, and to listen critically and shape the sound of the ensemble...
.
Stavros Xarchakos was born in Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
, where he studied at the Athens Conservatoire
Athens Conservatoire
The Athens Conservatoire 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...
. He emerged in the Greek music scene around 1963, composing music for the theatre and cinema. Among his collaborators was lyricist Lefteris Papadopoulos
Lefteris Papadopoulos
Lefteris Papadopoulos is a Greek lyricist, writer and journalist.Lefteris Papadopoulos was born in Athens, Greece on 14 November 1935. He is the son of Greek refugees from the Asia Minor and Russia. He enrolled at the Law School of the University of Athens but he stopped during the third year in...
.
In 1967 he went to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
to study with Nadia Boulanger
Nadia Boulanger
Nadia Boulanger was a French composer, conductor and teacher who taught many composers and performers of the 20th century.From a musical family, she achieved early honours as a student at the Paris Conservatoire, but believing that her talent as a composer was inferior to that of her younger...
. He stayed in Paris for four years, and then studied with David Diamond
David Diamond (composer)
David Leo Diamond was an American composer of classical music.-Life and career:He was born in Rochester, New York and studied at the Cleveland Institute of Music and the Eastman School of Music under Bernard Rogers, also receiving lessons from Roger Sessions in New York City and Nadia Boulanger in...
at the Juilliard School of Music.
While he mainly composed in the style of Greek Popular music, Laïka
Laika
Laika was a Soviet space dog that became the first animal to orbit the Earth – as well as the first animal to die in orbit.As little was known about the impact of spaceflight on living creatures at the time of Laika's mission, and the technology to de-orbit had not yet been developed, there...
, Xarchakos also composed in the classical music genre.
His musical output comprises 42 albums, 21 film scores and music for 15 TV productions.
Internationally he is known as the composer for the Rebetiko
Rebetiko (film)
Rembetiko is a 1983 film directed by Costas Ferris and written by Costas Ferris and Sotiria Leonardou, with original music by Stavros Xarchakos...
music score, and composing the music for the 1983 BBC TV mini series, "The Dark Side of the Sun".
He served director of the National Orchestra of Greek Music.
He was later involved in politics, elected Member of the Greek Parliament twice, before becoming a Member of the European Parliament
Member of the European Parliament
A Member of the European Parliament is a person who has been elected to the European Parliament. The name of MEPs differ in different languages, with terms such as europarliamentarian or eurodeputy being common in Romance language-speaking areas.When the European Parliament was first established,...
from 2000 to 2004.