Pandolfis Consort & Nicholas Spanos
Biography Pandolfis Consort & Nicholas Spanos
Pandolfis Consort
was founded in 2004 by Cracow Music Academy graduate Elżbieta Sajka, violist, with the intention to bring rarely performed works by both well-known and long forgotten composers to a wider audience. Focusing mainly on baroque music, the ensemble is named after the viola d’amore they use, a copy of an instrument originally built by Giuseppe Galieri Pandolfis in 1728. The Consort usually performs as a four-piece (Ingrid Rohrmoser – violin and viola, Elzbieta Sajka – viola, viola d’amore and violetta, Günter Schagerl-cello, Hermann Platzer – theorbo, lute and baroque archlute). Among the distiguishing features of the ensemble is their use of the continuo theorbo cello. They have also performed with soloists, choirs and the Royal Ballet „Cracovia Danza“.
Pandolfis Consort performed at the 32nd International Festival „Music in Old Krakow“ (Poland), at the 29th International Festival of Early Music in Stary Sacz (Poland), at the Festival of Organ Music in Lohja (Finland 2007), at the opening of the 8th International Academy of Fine Arts in Krakow (Poland 2009), at the 3rd International Festival of Early Music „Chiaro lo specchio dell´acqua“ in Castelfranco (Italy 2009) and at the opening of the 4th International Festival of Early Music in Wieliczka (Poland 2010).
In 2011 they played the hugely successful „Johannespassion pur“ production for the „Radiokulturhaus Wien“ and also performed at the ORF Festival „Italia mia“.
Since 2007 the Consort has been featured in their own series of concerts entitled „Music at the Church of the Teutonic Order“ in Vienna.
Nicholas Spanos
studied with Aris Christofellis in Greece. He furthered his studies at the University of Maryland School of Music (U.S.A.) in the studio of Linda Mabbs, as a scholar of the “Friends of Music” society of Athens; he also held an assistantship from the University. He graduated with a Master’s Degree on Voice / Opera Performance. His higher education includes a Postgraduate Course in Lied & Oratorio with Charles Spencer in the Hochschule für Musik und Darstellende Kunst in Vienna. He has participated actively in many Vocal masterclasses taught by prominent teachers, such as Kurt Equiluz, Delores Ziegler, Anna Tomowa - Sintow and Michael Chance. He has been acclaimed for his appearance in opera, oratorio and recital. Both Greek and international Press has commented on his vocal and stage presence very favorably. He has collaborated often with the National Opera of Greece, Opera Lorraine, Athens and Thessaloniki Megaron Concert Hall, Athens State Orchestra, Thessaloniki State Orchestra, National Theatre of Greece, Orchestra of Colours, Bach Sinfonia (U.S.A.), Denmark Radio Symphony Orchestra, Camerata Stuttgart, Venice Baroque Orchestra, Les Talens Lyriques, Armonia Atenea, Ensemble Alraune, in Greece as well as worldwide. For many years he has been a regular collaborator of the “Ex Silentio”, “Latinitas nostra” and “Pandolfis Consort Wien” Early Music Ensembles. He was been awarded the “Best Young Artist of the Year” award by the Association of Theater and Music Critics of Greece, for his interpretation of the role of Arsamene in Händel’s “Serse” in the National Opera of Greece, First Prize at the “TECHNI” National Competition for Lyric Singers, held in Thessaloniki, as well as a few more awards for his participation in recordings, which include the CD recording of Händel’s “Oreste” (2004) and “Tamerlano” (2006) by the German label MDG as well as a CD based on Metastasio's “Olimpiade” libretto, with the Venice Baroque Orchestra (V.B.O., 2011) for NAÏVE Records. In 2014 he was the first to revive the role of Ruggiero in Ristori's "Le Fate" with Ensemble Alraune, a production that was made into DVD.
