Alkis Baltas
Conductor
He was born in Thessaloniki. He studied violin under Stavros Papanastasiou and higher music theory under Solon Michaelidis at the State Conservatory of Thessaloniki (1959-1971). In 1974, he received a law degree from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. He has been a partner of the Music Department of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, a member of the State Orchestra of Thessaloniki (1969-1974), and director of various Thessaloniki-based choirs. He was one of the founding members of the “Week of young artists” (Evdomada neon kallitechnon), organized by the Thessaloniki International Fair. In 1970, his first work for orchestra was performed by the Thessaloniki State Orchestra, conducted by Solon Michaelidis. During the same period, he composed music for play performances at the State Theatre of Northern Greece. In 1974-1978 he continued his musical studies at Berlin’s Hochschule der Künste under Max Baumann and Hans-Martin Rampenstain, graduating with a diploma in composition and conducting. He collaborated with the Macedonia Radio Station (1979-1983). He has been artistic director of the Thessaloniki State Symphony Orchestra (1983-1992) and the Music Ensembles of Greek State Radio and Television – ERT (1997-1999), and professor at the State Conservatory of Thessaloniki (1980-1984). He is the artistic director of the Festival of Patmos island, director of the Conservatory of Music College (Thessaloniki) and the Hellenic Conservatory of Music and Arts (Athens). At the same time, he teaches/lectures at the Musicology Department of the Fine Arts Faculty of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. As of October 2004, he is the artistic director of the Corfu Municipal Orchestra. He is a member of the Greek Composers Union. His works have been performed in Greece and abroad. His compositions have been awarded by the Onassis Cultural Centre and the Ministry of Culture, as well as at international competitions in Spain and Italy (2004). He has conducted orchestras in Western and Eastern Europe, Turkey, USA, Argentina, Australia and England. He has been artistic director of the GNO in the period 1994-1997.