Ohrid, 5 August 2024 (MIA) — Greek cellist Christos Grimpas and Greek pianist George Emmanuel Lazaridis will give a concert of works by Ludwig van Beethoven, Solon Michaelides, and Franz Liszt as part of Ohrid Summer festival's Greek Evening at St. Sophia church at 9 pm, organizers said.

Christos Grimpas studied at the State Conservatory of Thessaloniki and the Universität der Künste in Berlin, further receiving his post graduate music degree from the Folkwang Hochschule Essen. He was a member of the Rhineland Youth Orchestra, the International Youth Orchestra and the EU Youth Orchestra. 

He has won the Pan-Hellenic Competition for Young Soloists 1997, International Chamber Music Competition of HELEXPO 1998 as well as merit scholarships such as Music Friends Society of Athens, the “Alexandra Trianti” Trust and the “Alexandros Onasis” Foundation. 

He has performed as a soloist with the State Orchestra of Thessaloniki, the Municipal Orchestra of Thessaloniki, the Municipal Orchestra of Sliven and the Sofia Symphonic Orchestra. He has recorded with the Greek Radio Symphonic Orchestra. 

George Emmanuel Lazaridis (b. 1978, Thessaloniki) started performing at the age of eight and since then he has won numerous awards, honorary awards and scholarships. He graduated from the Royal College of Music and the Trinity Laban Conservatoire in London.

Over the past 35 years, he has performed – either in recital, as soloist with world renowned orchestras and conductors, or in collaboration with chamber music ensembles and distinguished artists – in the USA, Mexico, Russia, Ukraine, Egypt, throughout Europe and the Middle East, including at venues such as the Royal Albert Hall, Carnegie Hall, and the Musikferein in Vienna.

His highly acclaimed CD releases have been deemed "beyond comparison" by the BBC Music Magazine and have been praised by The Pianist, International Piano, Gramophone, and Classic FM. mr/