(photo ©Panayiotis Hadjisergis)

Since I was a student I've been composing stuff for kids. One could call them educational pieces.

2005 - Les Extra-Violoncellistes
2015 - The Cypriot fourth dimension
2018 - Unknown pieces
2020 - Kinderlebenslieder

2005 - Les Extra-Violoncellistes

An experimental musical theatre piece for three actors, eight students (all levels) and their teacher. Premièred at the Conservatoire de Lausanne in 2005. Music written by Brice Catherin and Dragos Tara. Text by Brice Catherin.



Selection of pieces:

Ouverture


N'importawak 1


N'importawak 2


Tout de bon


Lamor de lohn (composé par Dragos Tara)


Mayo


Quotidiens (composé par Dragos Tara)


Agonie 1 (composé par Dragos Tara)


Agonie 2


Autophagie 2

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2015 - The Cypriot fourth dimension

Η Τέταρτη Κυπριακή Διάσταση (The Cypriot Fourth Dimension)
For three pianists to an infinite number of performers
playing on and around one grand piano
Ideally designed for the pupils of a piano class and their audience at the concert.

The story

Cyprus is the most amazing country in the world. Everything there is beyond what can be expected. The landscapes seem to be opening their arms to embrace you in their love and warmth. Eating Cypriot food is more like swallowing millions of Lilliputians that tickle your digestive system with ecstasy. The villages smell of fresh lemons and oranges and make you feel like a ladybug in a never ending garden. Paradise is not lost. It is just hidden in a silver 1 green leaf thrown in a far eastern sea.

But it is not just about beauty and ecstasy. Cyprus is also famous for its (at least) one a day Kubrick moment. Oddness awaits for you in the most unexpected situations. There, you will meet a grandma who makes bread only with Holy Water that she secretly collects at the church every Sunday. You will see a young woman hugging five alive chickens in the passenger’s seat of an old Mercedes. You will encounter a military policeman whose passion in life is to sing traditional songs at weddings with tremolos in his voice and tears in his eyes. You will admire political activist cats that trespass the green line, which divides the country in two, reminding humans of their vanity. You will see giant fires and people kissing plastic Christs, sobbing and trembling. You will glimpse at an old quiet monk who lives in a remote church in ruins, by the beach, with his donkey, a very dedicated crookbacked Sister and some giant sea turtles visiting them from time to time.

I am telling you, my young friend: Cyprus is the fourth dimension.

Each piece of Η Τέταρτη Κυπριακή Διάσταση illustrates the constant amazement that Cyprus is. Of course there are many other amazing things happening here, so there might be more pieces added to this cycle in the Future. Stay tuned, and enjoy!

Première by Maria Paz's pupils, Brussels, 2016

General introduction (in French)


Μια Μπουκιά Φαγητού Μαγειρεμένο από την Κύρια Ανδρούλα (A bite of Mrs Androula’s food), for eight pupils:

Introduction (in French)


Enregistrement de concert


Η Ευτυχία στα Μάτια των Κοτόπουλων του Κυρίου Γιώργου (The Happiness in the eyes of Mr Giorgos’ chickens), for three pupils:

Introduction (in French)


Live recording


Галя (Galia), for five pupils:

Introduction (in French)


Live recording


Μου Φτιάξανε τον μπαγλαμά (They fixed my baglama), for four to an infinite number of pupils:

Introduction (in French)


Live recording


Ο Τζον Κέιτζ στην παραλία των χελωνών (John Cage on Turtles Beach), pour three to eleven pupils:

Introduction (in French)


Live recording by Anna Benzakoun's pupils, Lausanne, 2017:


A few photos from the première in Brussels:

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2018 - Unknown pieces

These are the pedagogical pieces per se contained in the Symphonie pour une femme seule. They can serve (and indeed did serve) as an introduction to improvisation.

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2020 - Kinderlebenslieder

It is a piece for young flutists. The students are asked to play, dance, paint, write, reflect, and propose all kinds of free-form artistic artefacts. The first version was created by Eva Stavrou's students in Cyprus in April 2022.

Video of the première:



The score:


Click here for the HD version!

Panayiotis Hadjisergis' photos:



The photos taken by Maria and myself:



A film made by Theo, one of the young flautists:

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