16th International Pharos Chamber Music Festival

The 16th International Pharos Chamber Music Festival will open on Thursday 19 May 2016, at The Shoe Factory, with a recital by the exceptional young Viennese violinist Emmanuel Tjeknavorian, who has impressed audiences worldwide a few months ago after winning the second and special prizes at the Jean Sibelius International Violin Competition in Helsinki. Emmanuel will join forces with another rare young talent from Vienna, pianist Maximilian Kromer, in works by Mozart, Schubert, Franck and Kreisler. After an intensive week of educational activities, the 16th International Pharos Chamber Music Festival will move to the Royal Manor House of the ancient village of Kouklia near Paphos, which is specifically transformed by the Festival to a first class recital hall. Some of the world’s greatest musicians will join forces for six concerts, between 27 May and 2 June 2016, in an impressive array of works. The Festival will host, for the first time in Cyprus, the great Yuja Wang – a pianist who radiates palpable magnetism and a distinctly contemporary sensibility, described as “simply, the most dazzlingly, uncannily gifted pianist in the concert world today”. The Festival will also welcome the return visit of the exceptional Yevgeny Sudbin – hailed as “potentially one of the greatest pianists of the 21st century”. Along with the Festival’s regular guests – distinguished cellist and artistic director of the Festival Alexander Chaushian, Concertmaster of the Berlin Philharmonic Daishin Kashimoto, the impressive violinist Boris Brovtsyn, violinist Levon Chilingirian and violist Diemut Poppen this year’s Festival will also host, the fascinating German pianist Katharina Treutler, violinist Henning Kraggerud – famed for his deep natural musicianship, virtuosity and beauty of tone, renowned double-bass player Nabil Shehata, the remarkable Alessandro Carbonare – principal clarinettist of the Orchestra di Santa Cecilia in Rome, Fabio Zanon – one of the pre-eminent guitarists of our times, violinist Monika Urbonaite, violists David Abrahamyan and Shira Majoni, cellist Tim Park, and two wonderful and extremely charismatic young singers – soprano Ruzan Mantashyan and Cypriot baritone Markos Kleovoulou. On Saturday 4 June 2016, some of these amazing soloists will guide the Festival back to where it started – at The Shoe Factory in Nicosia, for a suitably festive finale with an exciting and wide-ranging programme of works for strings, guitar, piano and voice. WHAT, WHEN & WHERE: Thursday 19 May @ The Shoe Factory, Nicosia: A violin and piano recital with Emmanuel Tjeknavorian (violin) & Maximilian Kromer (piano) Friday 27 May – Thursday 2 June @ Royal Manor House, Kouklia: Six chamber concerts with 18 renowned soloists in a wide-ranging programme. Saturday 4 June @ The Shoe Factory, Nicosia: Festival Finale with some of the Festival’s soloists **Concerts start at 8.30 pm Find the program attached THE VENUES: The Royal Manor House in Kouklia is one of the finest surviving monuments of Frankish architecture on the island and an unparalleled venue for intimate chamber music performances. The building also houses an archaeological museum, which records the rich history of human activity in the region from about 2800 BC to the present day. The Royal Manor House, which is part of the Cyprus Tourism Organisation’s “Aphrodite’s Cultural Route”, is also a UNESCO World Heritage site. Palaipaphos, or Old Paphos, was a city-kingdom of Cyprus and one of the most celebrated pilgrimage centres of the ancient Greek world. It was the site of a famous sanctuary of Aphrodite, the oldest remains of which date back to the 12th century BC. Join us in a leisurely exploration of the history and cultural heritage of the western region of Cyprus. The Shoe Factory is situated in the old part of Nicosia, near the buffer zone. Through it, the Pharos Arts Foundation is helping to revitalize this beautiful and historic section of the capital city by attracting a wide and diversified younger audience. All concerts are characterized by a unique feeling of intimacy and music is performed in an exceptionally inspiring setting: a modern venue decorated with contemporary art by mainly local artists; a venue situated in the “run down” part of Nicosia that offers the audience the unique opportunity to sit within an amazing proximity to world famous artists and experience performances in a venue like no other. THE ARTISTS: Piano: Yuja Wang, Yevgeny Sudbin, Katharina Treutler, Maximilian Kromer Violin: Daishin Kashimoto, Henning Kraggerud, Boris Brovtsyn, Levon Chilingirian, Monika Urbonaite, Emmanuel Tjeknavorian Viola: Shira Majoni, Diemut Poppen, David Abrahamyan Cello: Alexander Chaushian, Tim Park Double-Bass: Nabil Shehata Clarinet: Alessandro Carbonare Guitar: Fabio Zanon Soprano: Ruzan Mantashyan Baritone: Markos Kleovoulou TICKETS: Tickets: €10 Box Office: Directly from the Foundation’s website www.pharosartsfoundation.org or Tel. 9666-9003 (Monday - Friday 10:00am-3:00pm) Tickets also available from: KYRIAKOU FULLPAGE BOOKSHOPS: 30 Ellados Ave., 8020 Paphos, Tel. 26-822850 ***Please note: tickets will be available as of April