Music

Christos Tzifakis, a unique guitar performer, a composer and teacher

These were the words of the famous composer, conductor and guitarist Leo Brouwer in 1994 (Hollywood) for the composer and classical guitar soloist Christos Tzifakis. The Cretan artist definitely belongs to the innovative generation of guitar players and composers, as he gradually developed a unique style that combines classical, flamenco and jazz.

Christos Tzifakis was born in 1969, Athens. In 1988, he was accepted at the Dutch Royal Academy – Conservatorium Maastricht as an exceptional talent. He finished his studies as a classical guitar soloist with distinctions and honors (“Cum Laude”, a unique distinction at the Academy). During his studies in the Netherlands, he participated in outstanding guitar festivals of Europe -Köln, Amsterdam, Volos, Cordova-, where he had the chance to meet masters of classical guitar, such as Hubert Kaeppel, Thomas Muehler Pehring, Abel Carlevaro, Pepe Romero, Leo Brouwer and Costas Cotsiolis. In 1991, he gained a scholarship by the Dutch Royal Academy and moved to Cordova, Spain, where he studied flamenco guitar with Manolo Sanlucar. In 1994, he returned to Athens where he continued his formal education with Michalis Travlos (composition) and Markos Alexiou (jazz).

As a classical guitar soloist, he has performed many concerts in Greece and abroad, and he has cooperated with the following orchestras: Symphony Orchestra of Limburg (Netherlands), performing the ‘Concerto Elegiaco’ of Leo Brouwer, the Orchestra of Colours (Greece), performing the ‘Duo Concerti’ of Michalis Travlos, the Symphony Orchestra of Sofia (Bulgaria) performing and recording the ‘Duo Concerti’ and the Chamber Orchestra “Intrarti” (Athens), performing his own concerto “Flamenco Alchemy”. This last work for chamber orchestra, solo guitar and flamenco-jazz group, is a brilliant sample of his music. The work has been choreographed initially by the world-renowned flamenco dancer and choreographer Joaquin Grilo and then by Oscar De Los Reyes.

Furthermore, he has composed several pieces for solo guitar, flamenco - jazz group, string orchestra, for theatre and dance performances. Moreover, he has made transcriptions of classical works for guitar. Ch. Tzifakis, apart from being a brilliant performer, teaches classical and flamenco guitar at the Athens Conservatory “Filippos Nakas”.

In 2000, he founded together with his wife and dancer Melina Ioannidou-Ivanisheva, the flamenco - jazz group “Flamenco Aire” that performed at many jazz and ethnic festivals, cooperating with various musicians and dancers. Furthermore, he is the founder of the first flamenco guitar festival in Athens, as well as the artistic director of the international Anogeia Guitar Festival

The Artbassador proudly represents Christos Tzifakis’ grand rights on his musical work “Flamenco Alchemy”.