Exochrono of Sappho or the "‘palintonos harmonia’ of the universe”
2020 marks 70 years since the birth of Cypriot composer Faidros Kavallaris (born 6 June 1950 in Lapithos). On this occasion Kavallaris presents the world premiere of his musical work Exochrono of Sappho or the 'palintonos harmonia' of the universe – a music-poetic journey for daring and venturesome musicians.
The Exochrono of Sappho, created in 2014-15, was inspired by the poetry of Sappho, as well as by a fragment by Heraklitos. The piece is a diptych for one or two pianists with seistron and/or other performers incorporating recitation of Sappho’s poetry.
The work will have its world premiere by two internationally acclaimed young German pianists, Danae Dörken and Kiveli Dörken. Together with reciters of Sappho’s poems and accompanied by Cypriot musicians, a special performance will be created aiming at high artistic level, constituting this an exceptional and unique music event for Cyprus.
Sappho (c. 630-570 BCE) was an Archaic Greek poet. She is considered the most important lyricist of classical antiquity and has canonical importance. Sappho lived in Mytilene on the island of Lesbos in the north Aegean, the cultural centre of the 7th century BC. Erotic love plays an important role in her poetry.
The sisters Danae and Kiveli Dörken are German-Greek pianists, who at the age of five were taught to play piano by Marina Kheifets at the music school Subito in Düsseldorf.
Danae Dörken won prizes in national and international competitions and has since been giving concertsin Germany and abroad as a soloist, member of orchestras and with chamber music ensembles. She was invited to the most important German music festivals and gave guest performances in May 2018 with the Vegas Philharmonic Orchestra and in October 2019 with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra. In February 2020 she gave performances in Tokyo and Osaka, in March 2020 at the Wigmore Hall in London.
At the age of five Kiveli Dörken was the finalist at the International Steinway Competition in Hamburg. Further awards and prizes followed. At the age of eight she gave her first orchestra concert performance and has since been regularly giving performances in Germany, France, Austria, Liechtenstein, Italy, Spain, Great Britain, Greece, China and the USA. In 2005 she was filmed by ARTE under the subject "…früh übt sich" (getting a head start) and in 2009 by WDR. In 2007 she performed at the Münsterhalle for the Dalai Lama. In 2009 she was invited by the German Foundation Musikleben to perform in Washington D.C. for the German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
Organisers: Cultural Services of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth and Sports and Goethe-Institut Cyprus
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