A YEAR OF CZECH MUSIC with Andreas P Nicolaou and Galina Dimova for PASYKAF
Markideion Municipal Theatre, Paphos
28 March - 8pm
Entrance: €10 (Students Free)
Ticket available online at www.technopolis20.com
Information: 70002420
The violinist Andreas P. Nicolaou and the pianist Galina Dimova invite you to a unique charity concert dedicated to classical Czech music, organised in collaboration with the Czech Embassy. The concert will take place on Friday, 28th of March 2025, at 8pm at the Markideio Theatre and all net proceeds will be donated to Cyprus Association of Cancer Patients and Friends (PASYKAF).
Czech music has a unique place within the Western European tradition. Czech composers, especially during the 19th century, established a distinct voice by incorporating of Slavic dance forms, rhythms and modal structures into symphonic and chamber compositions. The national character of these works reflected the folklore, history and culture of their homeland, thus enriching the Western musical language.
The concert’s programme is a captivating journey through Czech classical music, featuring works by some of the country's most renowned composers. The evening begins with Romance by Leoš Janáček, a piece of lyrical beauty and emotional depth, followed by the expressive Grave by Jan Jiří Benda, a work rich in baroque elegance. Bohuslav Martinů’s Sonatina brings a vibrant contrast, with its rhythmic energy and folk-inspired melodies. The iconic Bedřich Smetana is represented by Z Domoviny (From My Homeland), two heartfelt duos that embody Czech musical identity. Josef Suk’s evocative pieces, Raduz and Mahulena and Písen Lásky (A Love Song), further enrich the programme with their romantic and dramatic character. After the break, the music of Antonín Dvořák takes center stage with the deeply expressive Romance in F minor and the delightful Sonatina in G major, a work full of warmth and youthful spirit. The evening concludes with Zdeněk Fibich’s Poem, a touching and widely beloved piece, bringing this tribute to Czech music to a poignant and memorable close.
Join us for an evening of magnificent music and heartfelt giving, celebrating Czech musical heritage while supporting a noble cause. We look forward to welcoming you to this special concert!
Main Sponsor: Unicars Škoda as the main sponsor. Special thanks are extended to the Mayor and the Supporter: The Municipality of Paphos
A few words about the musicians
Andreas P. Nicolaou graduated from the Conservatory and Music Academy of Prague with distinction and he holds the MgA (Master of Fine Arts) title. He studied at the Conservatory and Music Academy of Prague with the teachers J. Štětina and J. Tomášek and Chamber Music with the teacher J. Hála. Since 1989 he has lived, worked and created music in Cyprus. He performed and still performs many recitals in Cyprus, as well as in foreign countries. He cooperates with Cypriot and foreign artists in different projects such as duo, trio, string quartet and chamber orchestra. In 1994 he formed Collegium Cyprium, a flexible music scheme based on the development and the enrichment of the music movement in Cyprus, trying to bring the Cypriot audience closer to classical music. Since 2000 he is the first violin of the string Quartet of the Municipality of Limassol, which played many concerts in Limassol and the whole island, as well as in France and Greece. Its repertoire contains works from the Baroque period to the present and also contains Greek and Cypriot music. He has taken part in many festivals and seminars about Bach, Mozart and Prokofiev. He has made many recordings for radio and RIK television and also for the Czech radio.
Galina Dimova Born in Chirpan, Bulgaria, she studied piano at the Hristina Morfova Music Lyceum in Stara Zagora and graduated in 1990 from the Academy of Music, Dance and Fine Art in Plovdiv with an M.A. in Music Education and Piano Pedagogy. In 2017, Galina obtained a PhD on the piano compositions of Cypriot pianist and composer Nicolas Economou under the advisory of Professor Dr. Romeo Smilkov. She presented her work at the International Scientific Conference of Art and Education in Plovdiv, Bulgaria (2014); Modus-Modi-Modality - European University, Nicosia, Cyprus (2017); Moesgaard Museum – Aarhus, Denmark (2017) and many other institutions. She has authored multiple publications in English, Greek and Bulgarian.
Galina performs extensively as a soloist and is an avid chamber musician. She has given numerous solo recitals, took part in the concert Five Steps into the Future (2017) as part of the Paphos 2017 Cultural Capital of Europe, Francophonie (2017), Piano Synergies (2018), J.S. Bach: Brandenburg Concerto No.5 (2019), From Theory to Practice (2019), Clara Schumann - 200th Anniversary of her Birth (2019), Homage to Bach (2021), Piano Encounters (2023) and many others. In July 2021, she was a musician-in-residence in NES, Skagaströnd, Iceland, where she performed Sonitus Borealis, a multidisciplinary collaboration between visual and sound artists, poets, writers, and musicians. Galina initiated and curated the project Musical Bridges: The Piano Quartet in 2019, performed in all major concert venues in Cyprus. In June 2023, The Piano Quartet performed in front of Edro III Shipwreck as part of The Piano Tour, organised by Avantgarde Cultural Foundation. In February 2024, The Piano Quartet presented Sparks of Music, masterpieces for four and eight hands on two pianos.
Galina is the Head of Music at The International School of Paphos and a piano tutor at the Paphos Music Schools. She has been a jury member at international piano competitions and collaborates regularly as a performer and composer with video artist Yiannos Economou
