Ivory Duo - Piano Duo

Biography

The Ivory Duo is an up-and-coming two-piano ensemble with pianists Natalie Tsaldarakis and Panayotis Archontides. Active since 1996, the husband-and-wife duo has performed in such venues as The Philadelphia Complex for the Arts, Sibelius Academy (Helsinki), Sydney Opera House, and in the past few months at St John’s, Smith Square, St-Martin-in-the-Fields, Blackheath Halls, Charlton House, the Reform Club, as well as appearances in festivals such as the Alkan Festival, the New Masters Series 2007, and the Trinity College Concert Series.

P. Archontides received his Master of Music from Trinity College of Music in 2007, receiving a high distinction for his final recital before an esteemed jury which included Gordon-Fergus Thompson, and a distinction for his lecture - recital before another esteemed jury which included Philip Fowke. In recognition of outstanding performance he was awarded the 2006 Mehroo & Byram Jeejeebhoy Prize for Piano at Trinity College, where he also gained the title of Trinity scholar for the academic year 2006-2007. In 2007, Panayotis was also awarded the coveted Silver Medal from the Worshipful Company of Musicians for excellence. His earlier studies have led to the award of Associate of Music in piano performance from the N. S. W. State Conservatorium of Music with Honours (1989), from the class of Elizabeth Powell, pupil herself of Claudio Arrau. While at the Conservatorium (Sydney University) he also won a scholarship to study with revered pianist and pedagogue Lev Vlassenko. Panayotis has won first and second prizes in piano competitions in Australia and in the UK (2nd place- Highly Commended at the 2006 John Halford Piano Competition for new music, and TCM runner-up for the Jacques Samuel’s Piano Competition 2006). Finally, in summer 2004, he appeared in concert with the Feminarte Orchestra and famous tenor Jose Cura for the induction of the Olympic Flame (Olympics 2004).

N. Tsaldarakis’ teachers include former pupils of illustrious teachers Lateiner (D. Toufexis), Gorodnitsky (Dr. Bedford), Masselos (Dr. McHugh), and Gina Bachauer (D. Kara). She has performed in master classes by well-known American pianist and adjudicator James Tocco and Russian Larissa Dedova (first teacher of Ivo Pogorelich and herself pupil of Lev Oborin). In 2005 the pianist relocated to London to expand her concert career under the guidance of pianist Elena Riu (professor at Trinity College of Music), parallel to her musicological research at Royal Holloway into Modern British Pianism. Natalie, who interviewed pianists of such stature as Martino Tirimo, Philip Fowke, Stephen Hough, and Yonty Solomon for the needs of her research, has been invited to submit her dissertation by the International Piano Archives at the University of Maryland (US). Her academic career has indeed won her many distinctions and awards. She holds a MMus in Musicology (Performance Studies) from the Royal Holloway (University of London, ’07), a Soloist Piano Diploma with distinction (class of D. Toufexis awarded when she was still only 19), a B.A. in music from the American College of Greece again with distinction, and a further MM in piano performance from West Chester University of Pennsylvania (US), which lead to her becoming member of the American Music Honor Society PKL in 1994 (membership by invitation only). Natalie won first and second prizes in piano competitions in the US (Wurlitzer Young Artist Competition 1993- District Winner, Pottstown Concerto Competition 1993- 2nd place, University Concerto Competition 1994-only winner among the graduate and piano categories), and had the privilege of being selected to compete at prestigious international competitions such as the 1997 International Beethoven Piano Competition, Vienna and the 1998 Gina Bachauer (US).

Please, visit the artists' site for updated concert schedule and downloads at www.natalie-peter.com

Repertoire

Arensky Suite no.1; Brahms Haydn Variations op.35b; Brahms Hungarian Dances Bk. 1 (complete); Brahms Neues Liebeslieder Waltzes; Debussy Deux Danses; Debussy Petite Suite; Debussy En Blanc et Noir; Gershwin Three Preludes; Grieg 4 Norwegian Dances; Constantinides Dances from the Greek Isles; Liszt Grand Gallop Chromatique; Mozart Sonata for 2 pianos K.448; Mozart Larghetto and Allegro in Eb; Rachmaninoff Suite no.1; Ravel La Valse; Schubert Three Military Dances op.51, D.733; Schubert Children’s March D.928; Schubert Fantasia in F minor; Shostakovich Concertino for 2 pianos; Bach Concerto No.1 c-moll for two pianos and orchestra BWV 1060; Britten Scottish Ballad op.26; Mozart Concerto in Eb major, KV365; Saint Saens The Carnival of the Animals

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