Concert Pianist
Danae Kara

CONTACT

50, Omirou Street
10672 Athens GR
FAX: +30 210 3614396

EMAIL

Discography & Press Quotes

 

Biography

Acclaimed Greek pianist, known for her pioneering performances in promoting Greek composers in world premieres such as in her last CD. For this significant contribution to the Greek art music, The National Music Council of Greece-UNESCO awarded her with the Greek Music Prize 2003.

Trained at The Juilliard School of Music in New York (B.M. & M.M.) where her principal teacher and mentor was Jacob Lateiner, Kara has performed with several orchestras among which are the Athens State Orchestra, National Hellenic Radio Orchestra, Thessaloniki State Orchestra, Camerata Orchestra of the Friends of Music, Lithuanian State Orchestra, Cervantino International Festival Orchestra, Budapest Camerata, Moscow Virtuosi, Salzburg Symphony Orchestra "Mozarteum", Bangkok Symphony Orchestra, London Festival Orchestra, Vienna Kammerorchester, Orchestre du Conservatoire de Paris, and The BBC Philharmonic.

Since her professional debut at the age of sixteen in Athens, she has given numerous performances worldwide in major venues of European cities, has toured in Latin America, throughout Russia and the former soviet republics.

She featured in numerous Radio & television broadcasts for the Hellenic networks, France Musique, Radio France, former Soviet Union, Mexican Radio Educacion and UNAM, the WGBH Boston-USA and for the BBC Radio Three with the BBC Philharmonic.

Danae Kara’s repertoire is marked by unusual premières and discoveries, which are reflected in her discography of 14 CDs. Her interpretations won high critical acclaim in The American Record Guide, Klassik Heute, Record Geijutsu, Diapason, Gramophone, Musica and Classica CD. These recordings include world premières of major greek composers’ profiles (Mitropoulos, Skalkottas, Kalomiris, Konstandinidis, Sisilianos piano concerto, Theodorakis, Hadjidakis, Mikroutsikos), as well as the 62 piano sonatas by Cimarosa, the three piano concerti by Mendelssohn and the last piano cycles by Brahms.

She is the recipient of the Recording 2000 Award by The Union of Greek Theater & Music Critics.

 

Discography
 

l NIKOS SKALKOTTAS: Concertino for Piano. & 3d Concerto for Piano.
 l JOHANNES BRAHMS: Piano Works. op. 116, 117, 118 & 119.
 l THANOS MIKROUTSIKOS: “Dance and memories”, Piano Works.
l FELIX MENDELSSOHN: The Three (3) Piano Concerti
l YORGOS SISILIANOS: Concerto for piano and Orchestra (1992)
 l DOMENICO CIMAROSA: The 62 Piano Sonatas, COMPLETE EDITION
 l DIMITRIS MITROPOULOS: Piano Works & (PREMIÈRE) & N. SKALKOTTAS 3 Pieces
l MANOS HADJIDAKIS: The Piano Works
l COMPOSIZIONI da CAMERA: Christophoros STAMBOGLIS, bass, Danae KARA, piano
l "PIANO GEMS" Danae Kara, piano
l  MANOLIS KALOMIRIS: "EVENING LEGENDS" For voice and piano, Markela HATZIANO, mezzo, Danae KARA, piano
l DANAE KARA plays: MANUEL De FALLA & MIKIS THEODORAKIS
l DANAE KARA plays Greek Composers
 l KYRIAKOS SFETSAS: "SUNSTREAM" 12 pieces for piano.

 

 PREMIÈRE         JUST RELEASED

NIKOS SKALKOTTAS:  Concertino for Piano  &  3d Concerto for Piano
 Orchestre National de Montpellier, Friedemann Layer conducting
2004  "accademia classics'  (Italy) AC 521.1 CD


 




JOHANNES BRAHMS:  Piano Works. op. 116, 117, 118  & 119
2000  AGORA'  (Italy) AG 221.1 CD
MUSICA (Nov. 2000): “... This recording (Brahms Last Piano Works) is destined to remain as a reference point at least till the day when Pollini decides to propose his own interpretation ...” Francesco Lo Cascio 
 



 
FELIX  MENDELSSOHN:  The Three (3) Piano Concerti
La Camerata, Alexandros Myrat, conducting. 1998  AGORA'  (Italy) AG 127.1 CD
KLASSIK heute  (Sept. 1998): “... Umso erstaurlicher mutet es an, wenn ... hier protegiert, die diese beiden Mendelssohn-Kostbarkeiten mit sicherem Griff, mit sicherem Gespür für Tempo, Tonfall und Atmosphäre, anzufassen verstehen. Hier spielt eine junge Pianistin sachkundig Klavier, verleiht den scnellen Ecksätzen beherrschte Fahrt und den triumphalen wie seitidigen Themen genügend Kolorit, um mit einem agilen ...Orchester knapp 80 Minuten lang für gehobene Kurzweil zu sorgen...”. Peter Cossé.
 

PREMIÈRE
YORGOS  SISILIANOS:  Concerto for piano and Orchestra (1992)
La Camerata, Alexandros Myrat, Conducting. 1998  AGORA'  (Italy) AG 126.1 CD  
Gramophone (June 1998): “...Yorgos Sicilianos's Piano Concerto has an engaging astringency. Worth acquiring … R.Whitehouse
KLASSIK heute (Nov. 1998): “... Auch hier (Sicilianos's Piano Concerto): hinreißende Darbietungen des Orchesters und der wendigen Pianistin, klanglich solide dokumentiert. Christoph.Schlüren.
CLASSICA CD (Dic. 1998): “...e la pianista Kara, prima interprete del Concerto di Sicilianos. mostra di saperne dominarne con disinvoltura le asperità tecniche. Giuseppe Rossi
 



 

 COMPLETE EDITION
DOMENICO  CIMAROSA:  The 62 Piano Sonatas
1997  AGORA'  (Italy) AG 118.2 Double CD
diapason (Mai 1998):  5 diapason SUPERB “... Danae Kara nous en apporte la preuve. Avec elle - qui nous propose les soixante-deux sonates -chacun de ces petits “tableaux de genre” a droit à l'éclairage (subtilité des nuances, effets de legato ou de staccato, vivacité “perlée” ou cantabile souplement alangui, raffinements galants ou velléités carrément populaires) qui, à coup sûr, le mettra parfaitement en valeur... Des interprétations finalement convaincantes et remarquables...” Jean Dupart
 

 		 PREMIÈRE  
DIMITRIS  MITROPOULOS:  Piano Works  &  NIKOS SKALKOTTAS: 3 Pieces. 1997  AGORA'  (Italy) AG 099.1 CD
The Record GEIJUTZU (June 1997): “...Danae Kara has been brought to our attention by her previous CD recordings ... this time she displays an entirely new facet of her talent through this crystal clear rendition of Mitropoulos’s highly complex piano music...” Akira Takahisa
American Record Guide (Jul/Aug 1997): "...Danae Kara-who plays with conviction and even a certain ferocity ... I hope she gives us more Skalkottas, and soon. Lehman
CLASSICA CD (Sept. 1997): “...La pianista Danae Kara esegue ogni brano  amorevolmente ... e con la giusta scioltezza tecnica. Interpretazione: 0TTIMA.” Francesco Lo Cascio.
Gramophone (Nov. 2001) ... D.Kara strikes me as preferable in the two "Reverias"... where she finds greater rhythmic clarity... R.Woodhouse


 
MANOS  HADJIDAKIS:  The Piano Works. 1996  AGORA'  (Italy) AG 022.1 CD
American Record Guide (Jan/Feb 1997): “...Danae Kara, ... plays the hell out of this stuff, with plenty of rubato in the faster pieces and delicate understatement in the slower ones. For fanciers of unusual piano music, this disc is a must.”  Jack Sullivan
MUSICA (Sept. 1996):”... Ascoltando queste musiche interpretate dalla brava pianista greca Danae Kara ...vien voglia di cantare e di battere le mani su Il' onda dei temi antichi e dei ritmi senza fine di Hadjidakis, che entrano nelle ossa e fin sotto la pelle, per non lasciarci pià. Bellissimo.”  
 

 PREMIÈRE  
THANOS MIKROUTSIKOS: “Dance and memories”, Piano Works
2001 EMI CLASSICS (UK) 5 5712622  CD
diapason (Mai 1998): "... témoignage d'une interprète irréprochable (Danae Kara), ... "
Gramophone (June 1998): "... these four works, capably executed by Danae Kara, make diverting listening as they skillfully navigate the dividing line between anodyne and ingratiating. Richard Whitehouse
 

 
"Composizioni da Camera":
DURANTE - STRADELLA - MARCELLO - BELLINI - DONIZETTI - VERDI - HADJIDAKIS
Christophoros STAMBOGLIS, bass,  Danae KARA, piano  
1996  LYRA (GR)  CD


 


"PIANO GEMS"  
FAURE - CHOPIN - LISZT - GRIEG - RACHMANINOV - DEBUSSY - SATIE -
KONSTANTINIDIS - MOMPOU - SAINT-SANS - Chick COREA
1992  LYRA (GR) CD

 

 
Manolis KALOMIRIS:  "EVENING LEGENDS"  For voice and piano.
Markela HATZIANO, mezzo, Danae KARA, piano
1987 CONCERT ATHENS LP, 
1989 LYRA (GR) CD


 


 
DANAE KARA plays:
MANUEL De FALLA  &  MIKIS THEODORAKIS
1983 PHILIPS- POLYGRAM LP,
2000 UNIVERSAL CD


 

 
DANAE KARA plays Greek Composers:
KALOMIRIS-SKALKOTTAS-HADJIDAKIS-KONSTANTINIDIS-THEODORAKIS 
1983 PHILIPS-POLYGRAM  LP
2000 UNIVERSAL  CD 

 



PREMIÈRE
Kyriakos SFETSAS: "SUN STREAM" 12 pieces for piano.
1982 EMI-COLUMBIA LP,  1995  FINEA SOUND CD
 

 

 

Press Quotes

· Since the late Gina Bachauer there has been no other greek virtuoso on the international scene. With Danae Kara this has changed. " GENERAL ANZEIGER

· "She has a dashing virtuosity, of manly character which is sprung from endless power reserves" ...equipped with a glittering arsenal of pianism she recreates the compositions she interprets... ...the public responded with the warmest ovation"  BONNER RUNDSCHAU 

· "...An authentic pianistic talent of a rare communicative power... high virtuosity flying to dizzy heights rewarding one with glorious sonorities... she speaks straight to the heart... " NOUVELLE REVUE DE LAUSANNE

· "...Kara has demonstrated a rare and original musical personality giving the most unusual and powerful interpretations..."  UNO NAS UNO

· "A unique artist and an admirable pianist..." NOVEDADES

· "a volcanic "piano tiger" combining the contrasting attributes of extreme sensitivity and impetuosity of an endless energy..."  NEUE ZEITUNG

· "...Kara belongs to that rare league of artists where noble sincerity imposes itself against all theatricality’s. There were infinite variety of nuances in her discovery of every inner and intimate of each composer's intention. Her original version of well known music is startling as well as persuasive through constant musicality of the highest order... " L' EST ECLAIR

· "...with an arresting originality... a flamboyant technique caused that frenzy of applause". TIROLER TAGESZEITUNG

· "...she has the most remarkable range of nuances from whisper to an almost demonic display of pianistic bravura never loosing control and with such natural ease away from all artificiality’s". L ' UNION

·  "...played with exceptional limpidity and exactitude marvelously conveying al/ the nuances of the frightfully demanding Liszt-Verdi score. Her playing is of incredible power and technical mastery". THE ATHENIAN

· "...we were in the presence of an exceptional artist with an inner passion for delivering a message through meaningful interpretations". LlBERATION

· "...technical brilliance... graceful... fascinating interpretation..."  NORD BAYERISCHER KURIER

· "...her interpretation of Mephisto Waltz was a real spiritual waterfall a powerful generator of ideas, images, meditative thoughts. her introspective nature and amazing virtuosity contribute to a highly exciting performance... the audience was deeply moved... " KATHIMERINI

· "...rare combination of tempered virtuosity and refined sensibility... giving an urgency and vision lacking in most of her generation's pianists... " DAVID DIAMOND
 

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