- Constantine Koukias
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Constantine Koukias
Constantine Koukias (born 14 October 1965) is a Greek-Australian composer and flautist.
He is the co-founder and Artistic Director of IHOS Music Theatre and Opera, based in Hobart, Tasmania. He is well known for his innovative work in contemporary opera and other forms. In 1993 he was commissioned by the Sydney Opera House Trust in association with REM Theatre to compose Icon, a large-scale music theatre piece for the 20th anniversary of the Sydney Opera House.
In 1995 he composed and directed Medea for the State Theatre of South Australia. In 1997 his Incantation II for soprano and digital delay won the International Valentino Bucchi Vocal Prize in Rome and in 2004 he was awarded a Churchill Fellowship.
His work Prayer Bells, which draws on traditions of Latin, Hebrew and Byzantine chant, was performed at the Melbourne Federation Festival in 2001. Constantine has composed and directed several large-scale operas, including Days and Nights with Christ, To Traverse Water, MIKROVION, The Divine Kiss, and Tesla - Lightning in His Hand, first performed in 2003.
Music theatre works include Orfeo, Rapture - Sonic Taxi Performance, Schwa – The Neutral Vowel, Antigone and The Da Ponte Project. Koukias has been the recipient of numerous international commissions and awards.
His design credits include the internationally acclaimed Odyssey and Medea. He is currently working on his large scale opera Olegas, about eminent Tasmanian wilderness photographer Olegas Truchanas.
Contents
Education
Constantine Koukias studied at both the Tasmanian Conservatorium of Music and the Sydney Conservatorium of Music.
1979 – 1981 Ian Cugley – Composition, University of Tasmania
1981 – 1985 Johannes Roose – Flute, University of Tasmania
1983 – 1984 Don Kay – Composition, University of Tasmania
1984 – 1985 Michael Cubbin – Flute, University of Tasmania
1984 – 1985 Peter Billiam – Composition, University of Tasmania
1985 Keith Humble – Composition, La Trobe University, Melbourne
1985 – 1988 Michael Scott – Flute, NSW Conservatorium of Music
1986 Mark Kopytman – Composition, Rubin University of Jerusalem
1986 Richard David Hames, Composers School, Adelaide
1986 – 1988 Thermos Mexis Greek Instrumentation, Sydney
1986 – 1989 Ross Edwards – Composition, Sydney
List of works
Opera
Days and Nights with Christ
A Opera in Two Parts, Sung in Ecclesiastical & Modern Greek. Premiered 1990.
To Traverse Water
A Opera in Two Parts, Sung in Ecclesiastical & Modern Greek. Premiered 1992.
Mikrovion - 36 Images in a Phantom Flux of Life
A Opera in Five parts . Premiered in 1994.
The Divine Kiss
A Opera in Seven Parts. Premiered in 1998.
Tesla – Lightning in His Hand
An Opera in 2 parts, Sung in English about the life and times of Nikola Tesla. Premiered in 2003.
Music Theatre
Rapture – Sonic Taxi Performance
For solo voices, small chorus and ensemble. Premiered in 1999.
Spirits of the Hoist
For three solo voices, ensemble & Tape. Premiered in 2001.
Schwa – The Neutral Vowel
For two solo voices & Tape. Premiered in 2002.
Orchestral
ICON, for grand orchestra, antiphonal choir ( 80 voices ),8 percussionists and Tape. Premiered on the steps of the Sydney Opera House in 1993.
Within a Prayer at Lamplighting For Orchestra. Commissioned by the China National Symphony Orchestra. Premiered in 2003.
Ancient Immortal Spirit For Orchestra and Mezzo Soprano Soloist. Premiered by the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra in 2004.
Major Choral Works
PENTEKSOTARION – Prayer Bells
For 3 Solo Chanters and Male Choirs with Hand Bells. Premiered in 2001
Choral
TROPARION 1 – 'O 'Gladsome Light' For mixed girls voices with river stones & digital delay. Sung in Greek, Text from the Divine Liturgy.
TROPARION 2 – 'Only-begotten Son' For Solo Counter Tenor and Male Choir ( Treble, Tenor, Baritone & Basses ) with River Stones. Sung in Greek, Text from the Divine Liturgy.
Chamber
Requiescat For Solo Soprano. Premiered in 1983
Echoi 1 – Incantation For Soprano & Digital Delay. Premiered in 1985
Echoi 2 – Byzantine Images For Amplified Flute & Digital Delay. Premiered in 1986
1000 Door, A Thousand Windows For Soprano & Video Projection. Premiered in 2003.
Seven Veils For Piano & Video Projection. Premiered in 2003.
Notable Students
In addition to an esteemed career as a composer, Koukias has mentored numerous composers including Matthew Dewey, Michael Lampard and Thanapoom Sirichang.
External links
Categories:- 1965 births
- Living people
- Australian composers
- 21st-century classical composers
- Opera composers
- Sydney Conservatorium of Music alumni
- People from Hobart
- People from Tasmania
- Australian people of Greek descent
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