Theodore Kerkezos
Theodore Kerkezos is a Greek classical saxophonist.
Theodore Kerkezos graduated with honors from the class of B. Farantatos at the Athens Conservatory and continued his musical training in Bordeaux, France with the famous saxophonist Jean-Marie Londeix. He later studied in Paris with Daniel Deffayet, the saxophone professor at the conservatory there.
Kerkezos received the Papaioannou award in 1992 and 1993.
He has performed all existing classical repertoire for saxophone and orchestra, and has appeared with major orchestras throughout Europe, including the London Philharmonic, the Philharmonia of London, the St. Petersburg Philharmonic, the Tchaikovsky Symphony of Moscow Radio, the Athens State Orchestra, the Thessaloniki State Orchestras, the Athens Radio Symphony, the G. Enescu Bucharest Philharmonic, the Bucharest Radio Symphony, the Sudwestfalische Philharmonic, the Sofia Radio Symphony, the Mediterraneo Symphony of Spain, the Slovak Philharmonic, the Armenia Philharmonic, and the Ensemble Modern.
He has performed in Carnegie Hall in New York City, the Royal Festival Hall in London, the great halls of the St. Petersburg Philharmonic, the Tchaikovsky Conservatory in Moscow, and the Athens Megaron concert hall.
He has had works dedicated to him by composers such as Xenakis and Antoniou.
He is director of the Saxophone Orchestra of Piraeus Prefecture.
Since 1999 he has collaborated with Alphonse Leduc publisher in Paris in promoting new works for the saxophone. He is a professor at the Athens Conservatory and has given master classes at conservatories in Moscow and Boston, and at the Gnesin and Kiev Academies.
Bold text==Recordings== His recordings include
- Music for Saxophone and Orchestra, Naxos 8.557063
- Ballades for Saxophone and Orchestra, 2004, Naxos 8.557454
THEODORE KERKEZOS
The saxophone soloist and professor Theodore Kerkezos was twice nominated for the 50th Grammy Annual Awards 2007 in New York in the categories #102: "Best Instrumental Soloist Performance with Orchestra" and #98: Best Classical Album”.
He has performed and recorded the complete repertoire for saxophone with orchestras including the London Symphony, London Philharmonic, the Philharmonia (of London), St. Petersburg Philharmonic,“Tchaikovsky” Symphony. of Moscow Radio, Moscow Soloists, Moscow New Opera Orch., Zurich Symphony, Berliner Symphony, Nuremberg Symphony, Sudwestfalische Philharmonie, Thuringen Philharmonie Gotha, Janacek Philharmonic, Bilbao Symphony, Athens and Thessaloniki State Symphonies Orchestras, Bucharest Philharmonic, Bucharest Radio Symphony, Sofia Radio, Slovak Radio, Slovak Philharmonic, Armenian Philharmonic.
He has worked with Yuri Bashmet, Vladimir Fedoseyev, Yuri Simonov.
Theodore Kerkezos graduated from Babis Farantatos' class at the Athens Conservatoire and continued in Bordeaux with Jean-Marie Londeix and in Paris with Daniel Deffayet.
He has given concerts at the: Royal Festival Hall, Queen Elizabeth Hall, Wigmore Hall -London, Carnegie Hall-New York, “Shostakovich Hall”-St. Petersburg, “Tchaikovsky Hall” Moscow State Conservatory, Tonhalle (Zurich), Opera of Rome, Athens Megaron Concert Hall, the ancient Theatre of Herod Atticus (under the Athens Parthenon), and at the Beijing Concert Hall.
Works have been dedicated to him by Iannis Xenakis and Mikis Theodorakis. He is a professor at the Athens Conservatoire and has given master classes at Conservatories in Moscow, Boston, New England, at Princeton and Boston Universities (USA), the Agricultural Univ. (Beijing); also at the Chopin (Warsaw), Gnesin (Moscow) and Kiev Academies.
He is Artistic Director of the Saxophone Orchestra of the Piraeus Prefecture.
His advanced students around the world have received many Awards and distinctions. From 1999 he has collaborated with the “Alphonse Leduc Editions Musicales-Paris1840” creating and issuing new works for saxophone. He is playing with a unique instrument by “H.Selmer Paris” specially made for him under his direction.
He has received the following distinctions: “Papaioannou Chamber Music Award” (1992 and 1993) “CD of the month” ("The sound" 10/2002), “Best classical saxophone album” (“Fono Forum” 2/2005), “Artist of the Week” (11/2006 Naxos label), No1 “Best Seller” (Top 20-UK 12/2006), “Bargain of the Month” (Musicweb-International 12/2006), two “Pizzicato: Supersonic Award” (Luxemburg 02/2007 and 1/2011), “Album Choice”: Hi-Fi Critic (11/2010 London), “Maestro” (El Correo-Spain 1/2011), “Editor’s Choice” Gramophone (12/2010, first time that this award is given to a saxophonist).
