Image credit: Archilochus, photo by Costas Kafouros
Concert and pre-performance Talk
Supported by the APGRD, Archilochus' Fragments is a new musical work by composer Costas Kafouros blending ancient Greek poetry with modern sound; a contemporary reimagining of the poetry of Archilochus of Paros (c. 680 B.C.), one of the boldest and most original voices of antiquity. Performed by world-class musicians Sarah Dacey (vocals), Rami Sarieddine (piano), Mariana Parás (bassoon) and Bebei Wang (percussion), the piece explores timeless themes and the enduring dialogue between past and present, voice and instruments.
Prof. Armand D’Angour will give a pre-performance talk entitled “The Poetry of Archilochus”
Book tickets
Costas Kafouros Music is selling tickets for this event, which can be acquired on their Eventbrite page.
The artists
Costas Kafouros is a composer, a graduate of Goldsmiths’ College and King’s College London, Costas studied composition under Sadie Harrison and Silvina Milstein. As artistic director, he organized contemporary music concerts at the Hellenic Centre in London and collaborated with artists like Alison Wells and Ian Pace. His works have received funding from the Niarchos Foundation and Arts Council England. He has also worked as an expert at the European Commission, evaluating festival funding proposals.
Sarah Dacey is is a versatile performer with a particular passion for contemporary music rooted in classic poetry and literary texts. She performs widely in opera, theatre and interdisciplinary projects. She is a member of Riot Ensemble, winners of the Ernst von Siemens Ensemble Prize, and also sings with Juice Vocal Ensemble, Vocastrale and Ursula’s Arrow.
Rami Sarieddine is a Cypriot-born musician who holds degrees from the Royal Academy of Music, New England Conservatory, and USC. He has held teaching positions at Bard College and in cities like Los Angeles and Beijing. Rami has performed worldwide, showcasing his expertise in piano performance.
Mariana Parás is a Mexican-born, sought-after performer on both modern and historical bassoons. She has performed with major orchestras including the Swedish Radio and the Irish National Symphony. She has recorded for the "Mexican Composers Series" and won the Best Instrumentalist award at the Selifa International Competition in 2019.
Beibei Wang has a background in both Classical and traditional Chinese percussion. She has performed around the world with leading orchestras and participated in multi-disciplinary projects, including collaborations with RPS-award winning ensemble Manchester Collective, Aakash Odedra Company, composer and conductor Tan Dun, and award-winning composer Hannah Peel. Beibei premiered ‘Earth Concerto’ at Grafenegg Festival and performed ‘Tears of Nature’ concerto with the BBC Concert Orchestra on their China tour with conductor Barry Wordsworth.
Accessibility
The Jacqueline du Pré Music Building is located at St. Hilda’s College, Cowley Place, Oxford (OX4 1DY). Please see their website for more details about the building's accessibility. Feel free to contact the APGRD with any queries.