Dreams of Twilight

Once More, My Heart

Come Dance, My Love

Premiere: MISE-EN festival 17/06/2022, MISE-EN hall, Brooklyn, New York.
Guest ensemble: Amorsima Trio (violin, cello)

Ensemble MISE-EN
Kelley Barnett - Flute
Ford Fourqurean - Clarinet in Bb
Yumi Suehiro - Piano
Josh Perry - Percussion
Mark Broschinsky - Trombone
Violin - Mia Detwiler
Cello - Kourtney Newton
Electronics coordinator: Ford Fourqurean, Moon Young Ha

Program Note

 Inside, inside, inside... is a work for mixed media inspired from our soul's soundscape during lockdowns. The tools I use feature mostly fixed media and pre-recorded instrumental parts which blend with the live instruments complementing the internal monologue many had during this period. Limited filtering has been applied to selected parts in a textural ongoing change which resembles our rapid psychological transitions while being inside inside inside...

Inside Inside Inside, for ensemble and  mixed media (2022)

Σενάριο και Έρευνα : Νατάσα Σέγκου 
βασισμένο στο βιβλίο "Τα όπλα της Ελλάδας" του Robert Elgood.
Σκηνοθεσία : Χρήστος Καρακέπελης
Μουσική : Ρωξάνη Χατζηδημητρίου 
Δ. Φωτογραφίας : Αντώνης Κουνέλας 
Ήχος : Γιώργος Πόταγας 
Μοντάζ: Γιώργος Γεωργόπουλος
Σχεδιασμός Ήχου και Μιξάζ: Σπύρος Αραβοσιτάς 
Παραγωγή : Polaris Εκδόσεις

Epic theme (sample) - Ta opla tou Agona (COSMOTE TV) 2021

Compositions for piano and soprano based on the poem cycle "Yearnings of the Lagoon" by Kostis Palamas.The poems are inspired by the poet's childhood experiences in his hometown, Messolonghi.

1. Η Φαντασία και η Kαρδιά (The Fantasy and the Heart) (0:01)
2. Το Φεγγάρι (The Moon) (3:53)
3. Μια Πίκρα (A Bitterness) (7:32)

Piano/composition: Roxani Chatzidimitriou
Soprano: Vassia Alati

Recorded on 29 September 2022
Recorded, Mixed & Mastered at Sierras Studios, Athens Greece
Sound Engineer: Alexandros Chrysidis

Photography: Haris Krikelis
The photos are taken on Missolonghi Lagoon which is located in the south of Aetolia-Acarnania, Western Greece.

WEBSITES:
https://roxanichatzidimitriou.com/
https://www.instagram.com/roxani_chat...
https://www.facebook.com/rwxanh.rocks...
https://soundcloud.com/roxani-chatzid...
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5cQ...



1. Η Φαντασία και η καρδιά (0:01)

Η Φαντασία μάς πάει αλλού, στα τάρταρα και στ’ άστρα,
κι είναι πλανεύτρα μάγισσα και ξένη ξελογιάστρα·

μόνη δική μας η Καρδιά· ζωές κι αγάπες δένει
με τις πατρίδες άσφαλτα· και σα να μην πεθαίνει.

Κορφές, βυθοί, σας γύρεψα την ορφική Ευρυδίκη·
τί πόθος τώρα μέσα μου πρωτόγονος και βόγκει;

Να ήμουν, ξυπνώντας ρυθμικά, ψαράς με το σταλίκι,
τα κοιμισμένα σου νερά, καημένο Μισολόγγι!

2. Το Φεγγάρι (3:53)


Το αζωγράφιστο φεγγάρι,
των ονείρων ο Χριστός,
είναι απάνου από τ’ αηδόνια,
μουσική του είναι το φως.

Είναι πιο πολύ από τ’ άστρα,
και σαν όραμα, κι ανθεί,
κι είναι σαν τα περιβόλια
της Αρμίδας·

κλει τα λιγώματα, τα μάγια,
τα σαλέματα του νου,
το φεγγάρι της θυσίας,
το φεγγάρι του καημού,

των ερωτοχτυπημένων
ο καλός πνεματικός,
που πονεί και νυχτερεύει,
κι είναι αναπαμός…


3. Μια Πίκρα (7:32)


Τα πρώτα μου χρόνια τ’ αξέχαστα τα ’ζησα
κοντά στ’ ακρογιάλι,
στη θάλασσα εκεί τη ρηχή και την ήμερη,
στη θάλασσα εκεί την πλατιά, τη μεγάλη.

Και κάθε φορά που μπροστά μου η πρωτάνθιστη
ζωούλα προβάλλει,
και βλέπω τα ονείρατα κι ακούω τα μιλήματα
των πρώτω μου χρόνω κοντά στ’ ακρογιάλι,
στενάζεις, καρδιά μου, το ίδιο αναστένασμα:
Να ζούσα και πάλι
στη θάλασσα εκεί τη ρηχή και την ήμερη,
στη θάλασσα εκεί την πλατιά, τη μεγάλη.
Μια μένα είν’ η μοίρα μου, μια μένα είν’ η χάρη μου,
δε γνώρισα κι άλλη: Μια θάλασσα μέσα μου σα λίμνη γλυκόστρωτη
και σαν ωκιανός ανοιχτή και μεγάλη.

Και νά! μες στον ύπνο μου την έφερε τ’ όνειρο
κοντά μου και πάλι
τη θάλασσα εκεί τη ρηχή και την ήμερη,
τη θάλασσα εκεί την πλατιά, τη μεγάλη.
Κι εμέ, τρισαλίμονο! μια πίκρα με πίκραινε,
μια πίκρα μεγάλη,
και δε μου τη γλύκαινες, πανώριο ξαγνάντεμα
της πρώτης λαχτάρας μου, καλό μου ακρογιάλι!

Ποιά τάχα φουρτούνα φουρτούνιαζε μέσα μου
και ποιά ανεμοζάλη,
που δε μου την κοίμιζες και δεν την ανάπαυες,
πανώριο ξαγνάντεμα, κοντά στ’ ακρογιάλι;

Μια πίκρα είν’ αμίλητη, μια πίκρα είν’ αξήγητη,
μια πίκρα μεγάλη,
η πίκρα που είν’ άσβηστη και μες στον παράδεισο
των πρώτω μας χρόνω κοντά στ’ ακρογιάλι.

A Bitterness (Yearnings of the Lagoon) for soprano and piano

The fantasy and the heart (Yearnings of the Lagoon) for soprano and piano

Performed on 23/6/2023 in the Lamp Composition Academy (Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, Canada).

composition: Roxani Chatzidimitriou
conductor: Sarah Watts 
percussionist: Tyler Mcdonald
bass clarinetists: Heather O'Gara, Margali Grenier, Milo Pomerance 

Program note

This piece draws inspiration from the philosophical texts of the Greek writer Nikos Kazantzakis and can be best described as a self reflection process towards a goal for transformation, change and personal freedom. It depicts the need of the man to escape from absurd thoughts and dead ends that often surround his world interior, the need to feel his deeper core of existence and his pulse of his inner voice and the need to be in contact with his raw, authentic inner self. Τhe first section of the piece reflects his decision to dive into the unconscious unraveling hidden parts of himself that he wants to confront and fight. Sudden bursts of short gestures that sometimes become aggressive reflect his inner impulses and the desire and effort to escape from something, while a repetitive rhythmic motif symbolizes a state of inertia and the fear for change. Melodic themes that travel around different tonal centers project his approach to his inner pulse and self, while chromatically descending bass lines express musically a sort of weakness and the fear to take risks. Through this internal struggle he achieves to feel and listen to his inner impulses while approaching a state of freedom and a new outlook towards life that is more luminous, active and spiritual, guided by his own will.

Roxani Chatzidimitriou - Impulse

This piece draws inspiration from contemporary dance and describes the movements of a dancer who moves from a state of inertia and emotional/physical stiffeness to a state of freedom. It was selected among other pieces to be performed in a concert in Picture Gallery of Royal Holloway University. It was recorded live at RHUL 17 March 2017
CHROMA
Flute (doubling Piccolo) - Julian Sperry
B-flat Clarinet (doubling E-flat Clarinet) - Stuart King
Cor Anglais - Emma Feilding
Horn in F - Richard Steggall
Piano - Harry Sever
Viola - David Aspin
Cello - Clare O'Connell
Double Bass - Elena Hull
www.chromaensemble.co.uk

Chatzidimitriou - Choreographing Feelings

Dancing with my dream (sample)

Recording: ERT National Symphony Orchestra, Conductor: Zoe Zeniodi. Radiomegaro, Athens (January, 2019).

Recording: ERT National Symphony Orchestra, Conductor: Zoe Zeniodi. Radiomegaro, Athens (January, 2019).


The composition is an orchestral piece in three movements
which draws inspiration from the poem Zero Star Cognac by the greek poet Kiki Dimoula. In this poem a photograph arouses memories and nostalgic feelings to the poet about the beautiful, carefree and vivid moments of the past that over the years have vanished. The title of the poem Zero Star Cognac refers the inevitable loss of her youth and its vigour due to the relentless passing of time.

Zero star cognac

The prattle of tears is all to no avail.
When disorder speaks order must remain silent - loss is very experienced indeed.
Now we must stand by the side of What’s futile.
So that memory can little by little recover its eloquence
So it may offer fine advice on longevity
To whatever’s dead. Let’s stand by the side of this little
Photograph still in the prime of its future: young people embracing somewhat
unavailingly before an anonymously merry beach.
Is this Nafplio Euboea Skopelos? But then again Wasn’t everywhere by the
sea back then?

Kiki Dimoula

In the composition, I created a metaphor of this idea, reflecting musically the
transcience of the beautiful, romantic, innocent, childlike and naïve part of ourselves that can easily fade away due to external influences. In Kiki Dimoula’s poem, the distancing of the beautiful is not upon us but upon time, as time is the crucial factor of that distancing. In the metaphor I created, this kind of ephemerality depends on our decision to keep alive or not this romantic, innocent and honest aspect of ourselves throughout the course of our lives. Thus, throughout the whole piece two contrasting elements are featured:
a) The musical element of the “inner, innocent and romantic self” is inspired by the
theme of “youth” explored in the poem.
(b) The musical element of the “external influences of a decaying chaotic world” is inspired by the theme of “time” explored in the poem.
In an attempt to depict musically these features, I combined both expressive, lyrical and melodic musical material to reflect the youth/innocence, as well as contemporary elements and techniques – where polyrythms, extended techniques and ambiguities prevail – in order to express the passing of time/the intrusion of the “external”. The piece has a linear narrative character which is based on the idea of the gradual distancing of youth/ innocence. This idea determines the formal structure of the piece.
The intensity of the presence of youth/innocence is different in each movement. For example, it is more intense in the first movement, less obvious in the second movement and more subdued and faint in the third movement.

A Bitterness (Yearnings of the Lagoon) for soprano and piano

ROXANI CHATZIDIMITRIOU

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