Efi Christodoulou - Biography

www.efichristodoulou.com

'This is playing almost of the old school, reminiscent of Menuhin or Oistrakh at their best’ (Fanfare Magazine, USA).

Efi Christodoulou studied at the Athens National Conservatory, graduating with honours & 1st prize. She was selected for 5 years to play in the European Union Youth Orchestra's European Tours, which led her to a scholarship at the Guildhall School of Music in London. She studied with Detlef Hahn, then with Yfrah Neaman and later with Eugene Sarbu. She has participated in masterlasses throughout Europe with Ruggiero Ricci, Aaron Rosand, Sylvia Rosenberg, Eric Friedman, Vladimir Spivakov, Mark Lubotsky, Hermann Krebbers and Roman Totenberg. She has previously been awarded the British Graduates Society / British Council / Vakarelis Fellowship, the Greek State Foundation Award, the Ministry of Culture Scholarship, as well as awards by the Leventis and the Hellenic Foundation, the S. Niarchos and Mundo en Armonia. She was also awarded the Sir Jack and Lady Lyons Performance Scholarship and 'Master of Arts in Performance' from City University, London.

Efi gave the Scottish premiere of the William Schuman concerto in Edinburgh (Fringe Festival) and has appeared at the Athens Megaron, St. John's, Smith Square, Brussels’ European Parliament, Salle Cortot, Paris, and as a soloist with the Athens Symphony Orchestra, the Arcademia of Stuttgart, the Oxford Philharmonic, the Bournemouth Symphony, the State Academic Orchestra of the Capella St. Petersburg and others. Efi's extensive recital activity demonstrates a particular interest in contemporary compositions, having given premieres of works by David Matthews, Malcolm Arnold and the UK Premiere of the Concerto-Fantasia by Theodore Antoniou. Her 2nd Wigmore Hall recital dedicated to American music featured the UK Premiere of works by Bernstein and Ned Rorem.

In 2013 Efi presented two World Premiere performances, of the Violin Concertos by Matthew Taylor in St. Petersburg and by Robert Still in London, which demonstrated ‘the highest standard of virtuosity with the use of a quite dazzling technique’ (Musical Opinion).

Somm Recordings recently issued Efi's second CD of the Dvorak, Glazunov Concertos and Sibelius' Six Humoresques with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, under John Carewe. It was described by Sunday Times as 'an attractive disc' with 'a grand Dvorak Concerto' and by Gramophone as ‘full of natural exuberance'.