We are here introducing with great pleasure a classical composer: M° Nikos Galenianos.
He has acquired degrees in classical piano and music theory studies, at his early music steps. He also studied and graduated ”cum laude”, composition, from the Classical Music Academy of Rotterdam (Codarts). Being active in the music theatre world, he has cooperated with many Greek theatre directors and music theatre groups. His music-theatre work ”Return, a polyphonic work based on the original text of Dante’s Inferno”, presented at 2019 at the Greek National Opera, uses the original text of Inferno and the sound of Dante’s language, as primal material. This project relates to his general work on ancient and medieval texts and the ancient Greek tragedy as well.
Thanks being here with Art-Waves M° Galenianos. We are so delighted to meet you and learn
more about your music career. Before we get going, we would like you to introduce yourself to
our readers. Tell us a little bit about your background: how did you discover your passion for
music, your studies, music influences…
I am playing the piano and composing almost as much as I remember myself. I started framing this
tendency since a very young age, with all sort of classical music lessons. After many adventures, which
also includes passing by the law profession, eventually I left for the Netherlands. I experienced a cultural crossover and a fertile ground to experiment and look for my own (not only) musical voice. I got in touch with Indian, Ottoman, Latin, Gregorian, European Renaissance and all sorts of electronic music. I have studied composition at the Classical music Academy of Rotterdam (Codarts), at the Royal Conservatory of the Hague and have taken part in significant masterclasses. Classical music lies at the bottom of the pyramid, it was the first thing I ever studied, a valuable path that shows you how to deeply connect with sound. On the other hand, stricto sensu, it comes together with a lot of presets. The more I was growing up, the more I had the need to break this strict feeling of classical expression and renegotiate the way to use all the tools I had acquired. Currently I think that all this background has been filtered through my personal lens and has transformed into a hybrid organism.
What lead you to write music for the first time?
When I was about 5, I was given a little electric piano which I somehow directly played (I suppose this
must have been a bit scary!). I started writing songs instinctively a little after that. It is one of these
actions that feel so connected to one's experience that I can't recall how or when it exactly begun.
3. Who are your masters and inspirational muses? (not just for music). Most such inspirations do not come from the field of music music, possibly because of the need to avoid an already existing musical filter. Some of them are Jung's readings for his psychic openness, Tarkovsky's meditative images and ability to imply the deepest feelings without words, Dostoevsky's analytical eye towards human behaviour, Balkan polyphony in all its variations when sung by non-professionals, for its
raw connection to the ground.
Did you have any teachers who had a profound influence on your decision to write also for the
musical theatre?
Not really. I am engaged with theatre many years now, since I am composing music for theatre. Greece
is not the centre of contemporary music experimentation, but it is a theatrical centre, and it also carries
the tradition of ancient theatre. In the middle of it all, is the human voice, which always fascinated me,
as the most natural instrument. Theatrical elements started naturally “invading” my music practice. At
first, it was the music dramaturgy, which became more vivid. Then it was the stage awareness of the
performers. Later, the theatrical origins became more tangible. In the end, it all functions as extension
of the composed sound.
photo by Yorgos Kyvernitis
Is there any particular reason for choosing a text from the Dante's Divine Comedy? (we remind
photo by Yorgos Kyvernitis
readers that the piece “Canto 1” received an honorable mention for "On The Music Waves
International Song Contest" by Art-Waves and She Lives).
Dante's Divine Comedy, especially Inferno, was ''haunting'' me since my teenage years. It was the
multiple layers you can read, the overwhelming images, the spiritual and psychological connotations
and I always knew I would deal extensively with this text. It all started with vocal improvisations on the
original text, somewhere at 2016. I was focusing on making little motives, I strangled the words, basically my flatmate thought I was crying at nights.. But actually I was just being thrilled for finally
conveying my personal feelings for this text, through these improvisations. This process took the shape
of a 15-minute vocal piece called “Grey earth, serpent”, first performed in Gaudeamus Muziekweek in
2017. I did this with fellow-composers who I knew from the Netherlands (their names are in the
soundcloud file). None of the was a professional singer, but they knew how to read between the notes
and convey the idea. In the end it clearly worked better than having classical singers. Later, this piece
became the centre, around which a whole music theatre worked was weaved. It was performed at the
Greek National Opera at 2019 and part of this work is “Canto 1”, the very first words of Inferno. The
female voice belongs to the great Savina Yannatou.
What advice would you give to a young person who wants to write for the musical theatre?
I would advice to be fully aware of which are the elements in use (eg sound, sound spasialization,
acting, stage awareness, light, set design, objects – even the music stands, clothes) and how to
use them, to the extent that they transform into one medium. The more routes an element develops inside the others, the more the general effect increases. Most of the times we observe attempts to create a music theater piece, or an opera (especially traditionally opera), but only few of the aforementioned disciplines are given proper attention. Or, some of the disciplines (foreg acting in the opera) are thought to be secondary. This results in highly awkward performances, which is unfortunately taken for granted.
We would like to imagine your music as a metaphor with certain colors, particular scents, images of scenery … how would you describe yourself?
The soil's smell after an autumn rain on a rocky mountain. I often have the fantasy that I am in such a
place, possibly because I often miss the actual contact with myself. Whenever I experience such an
environment I am dealing with a resultant of senses which is “bigger” than me, it overpowers my lack of concentration and I return to the present. I many times feel frustrated seeing and realizing how the new age-stream of information flows, and how it affects human concentration and contact. The amount of useless information we are dealing with daily is vastly increasing. You see children unable to focus and read a book. Perhaps people like me are already considered traditional by the new generations. The
quality of human interaction is right now shifting towards an unknown path, much more isolated I believe, but perhaps much more efficient for the human brain in the long-term, who knows.
If you had to pick one piece that best encompasses who you are as an artist, which would it be
and why?
I would say Morton Feldman's Rothko Chapel. It is related to the omonymous chapel in Houston, Texas. It slowly digs around and inside you. After 25 minutes of raw counterpoint it all comes to a simple viola melody and you just wonder how it is possible such a simple gesture to carry all the world inside. Then it is the pan-religious dogma that the chapel stands for and the depth-less Rothko's paintings. All these, in one piece. It is impossible to be self-defined by an object created through other's filter. I also never start creating something thinking of how it can appeal to the audience. On the other hand, I always aim at a strong connection between myself and the piece, which, surprisingly enough, is quite rare. I would like to believe that, If I am honest with my material, this is audible by everyone regardless the background, it directly turns into an open window that everyone can use for finding a new personal view, with at least some of the virtues connected to this Feldman's piece.
What is the general creative path of piece writing for you?
The beginning of process is not always the same. It may start from a vague idea, a strong feeling, a
commission, an obsession with a sound pattern, or who knows what else. I avoid directly working out
the idea, I prefer to let the initial feeling be situated inside and grow without bothering it too much. All
these of course If time and deadlines allow. I often work separately on different textures that I imagine
as related to my main subject and, at further step, I superpose them, observing what kind of “chemical
reactions” they create. It becomes a game of feedback, during which you need to be aware of where
your material is leading you. Especially in the beginning you need to guide it, but, gradually, you need to let it take you by the hand instead of fighting against it. The moment I feel that the piece has acquired
an own life, a mechanism I no longer control, is the moment I consider a piece is finished.
Do you have any recording all ready published? If so, could you tell us something about?
All my recordings are self-published.
How do you stay inspired and creative?
There's no recipe for inspiration, at least that I know of, this would sound contradictory anyway.
Someone can be creative (in the sense of production) even without inspiration as long as there is
technical capability of developing any idea. In that sense, even If I am constantly creative, I do not
constantly feel inspired. I believe that inspiration is related to the density and quality of someone's
connection to life. In my perception, inspiration is experienced as a “wave” but, first of all, you need to
be able to recognize the wave, also be able to ride it, and, most important, you need to be able to find
your way after the sea has calmed down. Literally speaking, this means that inspiration is important, but
it takes more to make a piece of music or whatever else.
What does music and making music mean to you? Tell us about the power of music.
I experience music making as an extended natural gesture, it says the things I can't, or I don't know how
to say and points to directions I want to go, no matter If I know which they are or not. It is something
like a compass, a self-psychoanalytical tool. For those who want, it can even be experienced as a
metaphysical act, with transcendent powers. But, for me, it always remains a mirror of the actual world,
without which it cannot exist.
photo by Yorgos Kyvernitis
photo by Yorgos Kyvernitis
Which are your next compositions on stage?
On the 20th of April the piece “Embracement”, for SATB, will be performed in the context of the “Spring festival” at the Hague. Later, on the 17th of May, the piece “Eve's Lament”, for 4 female voices, will be performed in the context of the “69th International Rostrum of Composers”, also at the Hague. Both pieces are a capella, based on John Milton's Paradise Lost and are a continuation of my exploration on the limits of human voice's expressiveness.
What other projects are you currently working on?
The main project, for which I have already started composing and will soon start rehearsing, is the
production of the ancient Greek tragedy “Hecuba”. The main music body will be for female chorus,
accordion and electronics. Of course, the whole tragedy will also be musically processed. The production will tour Greece during the coming summer. On the 11th and 12th of August it will be performed at the ancient Epidaurus theatre, one the most important surviving ancient theatres.
We close this interview with our usual question: what is Art and who are the artists in your
opinion?
Before answering this, I need to say that I avoid calling myself an artist! Apart from the fact that this
word has been over-abused, I do not feel comfortable inserting myself to a group of people, just
because of a natural tendency. I understand there are some controversies in this, I haven't solved it yet..
Maybe it is also because I avoid big groups of people, a little bit! But, to stay in the spirit of the question, emotional openness, discipline, dedication, technical skills and a certain view towards the world should be characteristics of an artist. No fear for diving into unknown fields, swimming in the mud and constantly questioning of the self.
To keep up with Nikos Galenianos and listen to more of his music follow him on:
Offical Website : https://www.nikosgalenianos.com
Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/nikos.galenianos
Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/nikos-galenianos
Interview by Marianna L. for Art-Waves
NIKOS GALENIANOS biography
Nikos Galenianos (b.1985) acquired degrees in classical piano and music theory studies, at his early music steps. He also studied and graduated ”cum laude”, composition, from the Classical Music Academy of Rotterdam (Codarts). Ηe has attended composition lessons with Peter Jan Wagemans, Yannis Kyriakides, Peter Adriaansz, Rene Uijlenhoet, masterclasses with Johannes Schoellhorn, Mark Andre, Klaus Lang, Simon Steen-Andersen and also courses at the ”sonology department” of
the Royal Conservatory of the Hague.
Amongst else, works of his have been performed at venues and occasions such as Gaudeamus Muziekweek Festival, De Doelen, Boijmans van Beuningen museum, the Athens Concert Hall, Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center, Onassis Stegi Foundation, Athens Tedx Academy, the Greek National Theater, the ancient theater of Epidaurus etc. He has composed, after commission, for Doelen ensemble, for the ”Classic Young Masters” organisation, for the Greek National Opera, etc.
Being active in the music theatre world, he has cooperated with many Greek theatre directors and music theatre groups. His music-theatre work ”Return, a polyphonic work based on the original text of Dante’s Inferno”, presented at 2019 at the Greek National Opera, uses the original text of Inferno and the sound of Dante’s language, as primal material. This project relates to his general work on ancient and medieval texts and the ancient Greek tragedy as well. Often, part of his work is the manipulation of the language in such a way that the words' semantic direction is lost and substituted by the re-composed acoustic impression. Sound relics, repetitive motives, distorted syllables or phonemes, all coexist in complex counterpoint models, recreating the text through a purely sound-based perspective.
He is member of the contemporary music ensemble TETTTIΞ, found in 2017. The ensemble mainly consists of composers and instrumentalists who met during their staying in the Netherlands. Its goal is bringing classical contemporary repertoire to the foreground and the creation of holistic performances.
Currently he is attending the master composition course at the Royal Conservatory of the Hague.
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