Greeting by Stefanos Stefanou, General Secretary of the Central Committee of AKEL at the Concert-Tribute to pianist and composer Nicolas Economou

 

15 January 2024, Rialto Theatre, Limassol

I welcome you all to the concert-tribute to the pianist and composer Nicolas Economou on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of his death.

Tonight’s event is a fitting tribute to a great cultural artist who passed away far too soon, at just 40 years of age, but who managed to leave us all an enviable body of work.

Nicholas Economou was a musical genius. He dared to apply innovative and revolutionary ideas to the art of music and to cultural creation in general. His whole life was devoted to music, travelling to many, many countries and collaborating with great artists such as Chick Corea and Martha Aggerich.

As a pianist he was a rare talent, and the same as a composer.  He wrote music for piano, for small ensembles, for symphony orchestras and for films with major awards, including the first Palme d’Or at Cannes.

In January 1982, Nicolas Economou gave a concert with the Athens State Orchestra performing Beethoven’s 3rd concerto. A few days later, one of the most important Greek musicologists and critic, Fivos Anoyianakis, wrote in the Athens magazine “Epikaira”: “He should have been heard by all pianists, old, young, everyone. To see how much scope there is for a pianist to take on Beethoven, as long as he is gifted, of course. To see how the “hard” sound can coexist with the tenderest of touches, the robustness next to the most pure lyricism… What a joy, Nikolas Economou”.

It is no coincidence that important institutions and organizations, recognizing the magnitude of his value and contribution, honored Nicolas Economou with important awards.  In 1979, the city of Munich honored him with the “Best Interpreter of the Year” award. Since 1988, a seat bearing his name, together with other important artists, has been located in the Prinzregentetheatre in Munich. In 1991 he was awarded the ‘Tefkros Anthias – Theodosis Pierides’ Award for Cultural Contribution of the Central Committee of AKEL. In 1992 he was elected a member of the ‘European Academy of Sciences and Arts’.

Nicolas Economou was at the same time a humble man of culture who worked hard to bring classical music to the people. Nicholas very often used to say the following: “The position that there is one music for the people and another for the ruling class is profoundly reactionary. Our duty is to show the people that they too can listen to Beethoven and enjoy him.”

His great concern and anxiety was that music should become the property of all people. He was firmly convinced of the irreplaceable role music, and culture in general, can play in the development of people’s personalities and the progress of society. “The spark of creation,” said Nicholas Economou, “keeps the human race alive. As long as art and culture serve values, the collective good and not individual interests.  Anyone who bows his head and thinks that in this way he will later realize his ideas, slowly becomes alienated and nothing of him/her remains. Don’t give up, knowing that life without beauty becomes a headless cow.”

Dear friends,

The love of the cultural artist we are honoring tonight, for Cyprus and our people, was immense and passionate. Many of his compositions have themes and rhythms from Cyprus and the Mediterranean. Among the former, he very often raised the issue of Cyprus acquiring its own Music Academy and creating a full State Symphony Orchestra. Goals which, unfortunately, have not yet been realised, even though 30 years have passed since then.

In 1978, with the cooperation of the Municipality of Munich, Nicolas Economou organized a “Cyprus Week” in which artists from our country including actors, musicians, painters, sculptors and traditional puppet artists participated.

His last concert was given in Cyprus on 7 December 1993, organised by AKEL, which he had close and excellent relations with. Nicolas Economou was the soul of this concert, which bore the name “Lykostratos”, which is the Greek translation of Wolfgang, Mozart’s name. In the programme of the concert, the great composer wrote a text which, among other things, said:

“Our main goal is to show what levels Cyprus has. There are, in my opinion, artists of a high level who are misunderstood in their own country, which is so small that we know each other intimately and, on the other hand, because we know each other intimately, we do not have the necessary distance to properly appreciate their value, so that we live next to each other in an endless internal isolation”. It is worth mentioning that all proceeds from the “Lykostratos” Concert were donated to the then newly established Student Union of the University of Cyprus.

A few days later, on 29 December, Nicolas Economou was killed in a car accident, plunging into morning his family, his friends, the movement of the Left and all those in Cyprus and abroad who knew him and appreciated his humanity and great talent.

Dear friends,

By bringing back to the forefront the multifaceted work of Nicolas Economou, we also bring back his own dreams for raising the cultural level of our people.

We also feel particularly proud because the protagonists in this tribute are two of the most important cultural creators of our country. Ourania Menelaou who edits and participates in the tribute and Manolis Neophytou who also participates in the program to follow. Ourania and Manolis have an enviable career as performers and as teachers and lecturers in music schools and universities in Cyprus and abroad.

I warmly congratulate them for their participation and contribution in tonight’s event.

Enjoy the music!