Managing director of the Friends of Hungary Foundation, Orsolya Karlócai, paid a visit to the Kodály Conservatory – Greek Kodály Institute in Athens. Michalis Patseas, founder and director of the conservatory, member of the Friends of Hungary Community, presented the operation and the most important milestones in the history of the institution.

The Athens-based Kodály Conservatory is one of the most important institutions of Hungarian interest in Greece. It helps to improve the public image of Hungary and Hungarians in the country by use of cultural tools, particularly music. Michalis Patseas acted as the President of the International Kodály Society between 2011 and 2015 and helped shape this image worldwide by promoting the heritage of Zoltán Kodály.

The Kodály Conservatory was founded in 1989 by Michalis Patseas, with Valentinos Patrikidis as its first artistic director, under the auspices of Madame Sarolta Peczely-Kodály. It is hosted in an elegant building specially designed for its purpose in Halandri, a northern suburb of Athens, the capital of Greece.

Kodály Conservatory has departments covering most of the Classical music instruments, singing, music theory and composition. It provides diplomas certified and recognized by the Greek state for all of them. Beside them it has departments for Old music, Popular music, Traditional Greek music, Music theatre as well as Music Therapy and Special Education.

Greek Kodály Institute is a special department of the Conservatory offering professional training in Kodály’s Music Pedagogical Method and in Choir Conducting. Finally, Kodály Conservatory is proud of its musical ensembles, Orchestras, Mixed and Children’s Choirs.

Kodály Conservatory has accomplished many things during the thirty years of its existence:
It boasts for its alumni: more than a hundred of them are important music professionals in various subjects, including some famous opera singers, pianists and conductors. Tens of them teach in Conservatories, State Music High-schools, and general schools. Many continue their studies in Music Universities around the world.

It plays an important role in popularizing Hungarian Art Music in Greece, alone or in collaboration with other Greek Institutions like the Athens State Orchestra, the National Opera of Athens and the National Radio Orchestra: Kodály (Psalmus Hungaricus, Peacock Variations, Dances of Galánta), Liszt (Dante Symphony, Piano Concertos), Bartók (Viola Concerto) as well as many Choral and Chamber music works of many contemporary Hungarian composers.

Thanks to the cooperation with the Zoltán Kodály Pedagogical Institute of Music of the Ferenc Liszt Academy of Music, the alumni of the Greek Kodály Conservatory can continue their studies in Hungary and pursue bachelor and master’s degrees in many musical subjects! Many hundreds of Greek musicians have attended the International Kodály Seminars in Kecskemét while many Hungarian Soloists and Master Teachers have taught in Seminars organized in Greece.

A big concert is organized in collaboration with the Embassy of Hungary in Athens, in December 12, 2018, marking the beginning of the festivities for the 30^th anniversary of the Conservatory’s inauguration.

Photos:

1. Main photo: 2014 – 0328 KC Choirs with Athens State Orchestra. Kodály Psalmus Hungaricus
2. 2008 – 0726 Márta Sebestyen visiting KC
3. 2017 – 1207 KC Children’s Choir at the Palace of the Greek President
4. 2008 – 0518 KC Children’s Orchestra perform in Roman Agora of Athens
5. 2007 – 0530 Katalin Bogyay visiting KC
6. 2007 – 0309 MP with Madame Sarolta Kodály – Peczely
7. 2017 – 0624 Michalis Patseas conducting
8. 2009 – 0412 Péter Nagy teaches at KC
9. 2003 – 0804 Group of the KC participating at K Seminar in Kecskemét  
10. 2006 – 1112 Gergely Bogányi teaches at KC (future great pianist Nefeli Mousoura)
11. 2017 – 0624 KC Orchestra and Mixed Choir celebrating the Kodály 135th anniversary