30 YEARS OF ECHO RISING STARS
The European stage paves the way for a new generation of musicians
For three decades now, ECHO Rising Stars has been one of Europe’s most significant programmes for showcasing young musicians. It was created by the European Concert Hall Organisation (ECHO), with the aim of discovering and supporting outstanding young soloists and ensembles, offering them the opportunity to present their work on Europe’s most important musical stages.
More than 150 artists and ensembles have taken part in the programme to date. Among them are musicians who went on to conquer the international stage, such as Janine Jansen, Igor Levit, Patricia Kopatchinskaja, Renaud Capuçon, Khatia Buniatishvili, Emmanuel Pahud, Jörg Widmann, Jean-Guihen Queyras, Kirill Gerstein, Benjamin Appl and Kian Soltani, as well as the Belcea, Modigliani and Casals Quartets.
The young artists selected each year undertake a major European tour, performing in the network’s leading concert halls before a new audience each time, gaining experiences that are often decisive for the first steps of a significant international career. ECHO Rising Stars is not, therefore, simply a concert series; it plays a substantial role in shaping the next generation of leading musicians.
Megaron the Athens Concert Hall, a founding member of ECHO, has taken an active part in the scheme since its early years, supporting young artists and strengthening the connection between Greek musical life and the international stage.
To date, Megaron has nominated as Rising Stars, among others: guitarist Elena Papandreou, mezzo-soprano of Greek descent Stella Doufexis, clarinettist Spyros Mourikis, the duo of cellist Christofor Miroshnikov and pianist Dora Satolia, pianist Georgios-Emmanouil Lazaridis, the Tetraktys string quartet, and clarinettist and conductor Dionysis Grammenos.
Thirty years after its launch, ECHO Rising Stars continues to offer audiences the chance to discover today the great musicians of tomorrow — and to give young artists the push to shine on the world’s stages.
Megaron the Athens Concert Hall nominations:
Elena Papandreou
ECHO Rising Star 1997–1998
Guitar
One of the most significant Greek guitarists with an international career. She has performed in leading concert halls across Europe, America and Asia, and has collaborated with major orchestras and festivals. Her participation in ECHO Rising Stars marked one of the first significant international milestones of her career.
Stella Doufexis
ECHO Rising Star 1998–1999
Mezzo-soprano
Stella Doufexis (1968–2015), a German mezzo-soprano of Greek descent, pursued a significant international career in opera and lieder, collaborating with leading opera houses, major orchestras and important conductors across Europe.
Spyros Mourikis
ECHO Rising Star 1999–2000
Clarinet
One of the most significant Greek clarinettists of his generation. He studied at the Athens Conservatoire and the Paris Conservatoire, received top international distinctions, and has appeared as a soloist with major orchestras in Greece and abroad. He is Principal Clarinet of the Athens State Orchestra.
Christophor Miroshnikov – Dora Satolia
ECHO Rising Stars 2003–2004
Cello – Piano
Christophor Miroshnikov and Dora Satolia were selected by Megaron the Athens Concert Hall and undertook the ECHO Rising Stars tour as a duo. They remain, to date, Megaron’s only participation in the scheme as a fixed musical duo.
Christofor Miroshnikov has pursued an international career as a soloist and chamber musician, performing in major concert halls across Europe and America.
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Dora Satolia, an exceptional piano talent, received her diploma from the Athens Conservatoire at a very young age, and went on to continue her studies on a scholarship at the renowned Juilliard School in New York.
Georgios-Emmanouil Lazaridis
ECHO Rising Star 2006–2007
Piano
A pianist, composer and educator with an international presence. He has performed in leading concert halls and collaborated with major orchestras and conductors, while also developing a notable body of educational and artistic work in Greece and abroad.
Tetraktys String Quartet
ECHO Rising Star 2011–2012
The Tetraktys String Quartet was the first Greek string quartet to take part in ECHO Rising Stars.
At the time of its participation in the scheme, the Quartet’s members were:
- Giorgos Panagiotidis – violin
- Kostas Panagiotidis – violin
- Ali Başeğmezler – viola
- Dimitris Travlos – cello
Their European tour showcased the dynamism of Greek chamber music in the ECHO network’s most important concert halls.
Dionyssis Grammenos
ECHO Rising Star 2013–2014
Clarinet
Dionysis Grammenos is counted among the most significant Greek musicians of his generation. As a clarinettist and, subsequently, as a conductor, he has built an international career, collaborating with leading orchestras and festivals. He is the founder and artistic director of the Greek Youth Symphony Orchestra, which is hosted by Megaron the Athens Concert Hall as its Youth Orchestra in Residence.
An institution with an eye on the future
For audiences, every ECHO Rising Stars concert is a unique opportunity to discover today the great musicians of tomorrow.
For young artists, it is an experience that broadens their artistic horizons and opens the way to an international career.
For Megaron the Athens Concert Hall, ECHO Rising Stars represents an enduring investment in new creative talent, cultural dialogue, and the shaping of the future of European music.