Dionysis Grammenos spoke about his forthcoming show on November 3rd at New York’s Carnegie Hall with the Greek Youth Symphony Orchestra (GYSO).
Background on Dionysis Grammenos
A young Greek conductor, Dionysis Grammenos first established himself internationally as a clarinetist, winning a place on the ECHO Rising Stars program in 2013/14 which led to performances with many major orchestras and in some of the most prestigious venues worldwide.
In 2016, he received a Conducting Fellowship at Aspen Music Festival and since this time has conducted widely across the world both in the concert hall and opera pit, including a very last-minute jump-in at the Megaron Athens when he was invited to conduct the London Philharmonic Orchestra in a performance of Brahms 4, receiving a standing ovation and huge acclaim from both players and audience alike.
In July of 2024, he made his American debut with the Houston Symphony Orchestra.
In recent seasons, Grammenos has conducted orchestras including the Cameristi della Scala, Belgian National Symphony, Malta Philharmonic, Royal Northern Sinfonia, Ulster Orchestra, Lucerne Festival Strings, Vienna Chamber, Orchestre Symphonique de Quebec, Thailand Philharmonic, Thessaloniki State Symphony Orchestra, Athens State Orchestra and National Youth Orchestra of Scotland, and with soloists such as Khatia Buniatishvili, Renaud Capuçon, Daniel Ottensamer and Anna Fedorova.
Grammenos made his opera conducting debut in Würzburg with Puccini Gianni Schicchi; he has assisted Johannes Debus on productions of Tchaikovsky Eugene Onegin and Mozart: The Abduction from the Seraglio at the Canadian Opera Company and conducted Mozart La Clemenza di Tito at the Aspen Music Festival and Verdi Il Trovatore at the Theatre Vorpommern.
In 2021, he was the Principal Conductor of English Touring Opera’s production of Puccini La Bohème and in the Summer of 2023, he made his debut at Nevill Holt conducting Rossini La Cenerentola.
Greek Youth Symphony Orchestra (GYSO)
Grammenos is Founder and Artistic Director of the Greek Youth Symphony Orchestra (GYSO).
Under his leadership, the GYSO joined the European Federation of National Youth Orchestras and was invited to perform at the opening concert of the Young Euro Classic Festival at the Berlin Konzerthaus, and then re-invited to perform there again in 2023.
Since 2020, the GYSO has been Orchestra in Residence at the Megaron in Athens.
Carnegie Hall concert in November
On November 3, 2024, the Greek Youth Symphony Orchestra will perform at Carnegie Hall in New York City under the direction of Grammenos.
“We are thrilled to be performing at Carnegie Hall,” he exclaimed. “It is going to be the debut of the Greek Youth Symphony Orchestra. It’s a historic moment for our country. We have a very exciting list of works that we are presenting, which will include a piece by Anna Clyne called ‘Rewind.’ That will be on November 3rd.”
“The Greek Youth Symphony Orchestra (GYSO) consists of the most talented young Greek musicians, which come from Greece and from all over the world. They gather together to rehearse and to perform projects, so it’s a very exciting project for us to be performing here for the very first time,” he explained.
Motivations as a conductor
On his daily motivations as a conductor, Grammenos said, “Each day, I am motivated by my passion for music and my passion for the world.” “That is what inspired me to become a conductor,” he admitted. “I was discovering new composers and the symphonies of the great masters and operas too.”
“When I was younger and I was listening to those works, I just wanted to be fully immersed in this music, so I felt compelled to become a conductor,” he said.
The digital age
On being a part of the digital age, Grammenos said, “It’s a useful tool as long as it remains a tool. It should not become the norm. During the pandemic, I thought all those streaming concerts were so much noise.”
“The beauty of the performance is to connect with an audience,” he said. “You are on stage because you are sharing something with the audience. I did one concert via a Livestream, and there was no actual audience that was present in the room, and it felt so strange to me. Of course, there were people that were watching us virtually, but the live experience is one of a kind.
“It is a part of our artistry to connect with people,” he underscored. “It is not just about performing a piece or playing an instrument, an artist’s job is to connect with an audience.”
“The audience is an essential part of the performance; it nourishes the performers,” he acknowledged.
Future plans
On his future plans, Grammenos shared, “We have a very exciting season with the Greek Youth Symphony. After our Carnegie Hall performance, we will continue our tours abroad next year (outside of Greece).”
“I am returning to the London Philharmonic Orchestra next season among some other important engagements that I have, so that’s the plan,” he noted.
“These will entail a lot of hard work… learning new pieces, rehearsing, and always striving for the best possible interpretations and executions. It’s as simple as that,” he said.
Advice for young and emerging conductors
For young and aspiring conductors, Grammenos said, “To be open and to always seek to learn something from everyone because everybody has something to teach you.”
“Have your ears and eyes open, always be open, and never think that what you are doing is the only way that something can be done, especially in music. There is no such thing as a manual that tells you exactly what you have to do,” he said.
“The beauty of being a conductor is continuously learning, discovering, and consistently trying new things and changing the ones that you think you know. I think that is crucial,” he added.
Greek heritage: The pride of Corfu
Grammenos shared that he was born and raised on the island of Corfu. “I’m from Corfu. I grew up there and I went to school there,” he said. “Then, I moved to Athens for a few months, and then, I lived in Germany for 10 years. I studied in Germany.”
“I love Corfu, and I love Greece; it has played a vital role in my development as a musician. Corfu is like an Italian city; it’s a beautiful place to live. Corfu has a great quality of life there, and I understood all that once I left there,” he elaborated.
Stage of his life
On the title of the current chapter of his life, Grammenos said, “Life starts at 30.”
Superpower of choice
When asked what superpower he would have, he responded, “I would follow my instincts and I would have faith, where I find great value in doing something.” “I think it’s important to always have faith,” he said.
Success
Regarding his definition of success, he said, “Success is the accomplishment of something that has meaning, and you give value to it. When you reach that, it can be a milestone or a specific point, which is crucial in order to go further.
“Success is a personal achievement; it’s about reaching our full potential. That’s a pattern for life. When you reach something higher or when you understand something more or when you try something new, that’s what I consider success,” he explained.
Closing thoughts on the Carnegie Hall show
For fans, he remarked about the Carnegie Hall show, “This is something that is a historic moment. It is not just a concert… it’s something that has great value. Can you imagine 100 of the best young Greek musicians coming to New York to perform at the mecca of concert halls.”
“Carnegie Hall is the crown jewel of those, and that is something that does not happen every day. It is indeed a historic moment,” he concluded.
To learn more about Dionysis Grammenos, check out his official homepage, and follow him on Instagram.
