Dimitris Fampas (1921-1996)

Composer, performer and teacher

Dimitris Fampas has been Greece's most celebrated classical guitarist. His artistry reached far beyond the borders of his country, and for long he was considered as one of the world's leading performers receiving the warmest applause from the audiences and ovations by the press who wrote for him "Dazzling guitar from Greece" (Abendzeitung, Germany, 1968), "Greek guitarist - formidable style" (Ottawa Journal, Canada, 1971), "Dimitris Fampas, a great Greek guitarist" (La voz de Galicia, Spain), "Guitarist shows great sensitivity" (Independent Journal, California, 1971).

Dimitris Fampas (1921-1996) was born in Milina (Lafkos), a small village near the harbor city of Volos, in Greece. He studied music theory with Th. Vavayiannis and counterpoint with K. Kydoniatis at the Athens Conservatory, and classical guitar with Nicholas Ioannou. In 1953, he received a diploma in classical guitar performance 'Com laude' from the National Conservatory of Greece. In 1955-56 he received a scholarship to study guitar with Andres Segovia and musicology with Emilio Pujol at the Accademia Chigianna in Sienna, Italy. In 1959, invited by Segovia who also offered him a scholarship, he studied once more with him at the Academy of Santiago de Compostella, Spain. Segovia selected him in the performing team of his legendary class, together with Alirio Diaz, John Williams, Jose Tomás.

Fampas performed extensively in England, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Austria, former Czechoslovakia, Hungary, former Yugoslavia, Turkey, USA, Canada, former USSR, and the Vatican. He also appeared in most major cities of Greece as well as in the ancient theater of Epidavros. He performed concerts with symphony orchestras, he collaborated with many exceptional artists.

Dimitri Fampas recorded some fine theater and film music for Greek composers such as Mikis Theodorakis, Manos Hatzidakis (including the Oscar award winning movie "Never on Sunday"). He was a member of the Greek Composers Union, and of the National Council of Music (IMC UNESCO), and he served as a President of the Union of the Conservatory' Professors.

Dimitri Fampas taught at the National Conservatory of Athens since 1954, where he created a world famous guitar school. Very often he was member of the juries in international competitions, and gave master-classes in numerous seminars and international festivals . He also gave lots of lectures for the history of the guitar in the Greek Radio and TV, in BBC as well as in Hungary, Czechoslovakia, USA etc.

Simultaneously to his performing and teaching activities, Fampas composed over two hundred works, suites, studies, dances, preludes, variations and songs for solo, duo, trio and guitar orchestra enriching the guitar literature with some very original and wonderful pieces. His work has been published by Ricordi (Italy), Ricordi (Brazil), Max- Eschig (France), Columbia Music (USA), Lathkill Music Publishers (Great Britain), Mel Bay (USA), Ph. Nakas, M. Nikolaidis-Orpheus ed. and Papagrigoriou - Nakas (Greece).

DIMITRIS FAMPAS