Opera
“RA…PATSIA…OU” – 2016
Love and Death… Possibly the only events in our lives the existence of which is undisputable. No matter how much they differ, in some occasions they are related and even connected… “Ra…Patsia…Ou” is the second part of the opera “Ou…Patsia…Ra”, which introduced us to the world of a sculptress who fell in love with one of her creations, her sculpture. In “Ra…Patsia…Ou”, the sculptress brings her sculpture to life, but witnesses its procedure of falling apart as time goes by. Incapable of interfering in this deconstructive procedure, she is haunted by guilt that she has created a creature and condemned it to its own disintegration. The sculpture embodies the role of the sculptress’s consciousness, since it loves her because she had brought it to life, but nevertheless it enforces her with remorse and hatred that drive her to paranoia and madness. “Ra…Patsia…Ou’ is a contemporary opera, set in the Cypriot dialect and performed by nine musicians along with electronics and pre-recorded Gamelan music.
“OU…PATSIA…RA” – 2014
The title: “Ou…Patsia…Ra!” reflects various elements of the piece. Firstly, Upacara in Balinese language means ritual, giving the whole image of how the piece is being performed and realized, giving the essence of being in a ritual apart from anything else. Another element is dividing the world into three, which reflects the 3 dimensions/realities the piece involves which will be explained later. Lastly, the transliteration of the word in Cypriot dialect (which the libretto is written on) suggests an action happening, where one slaps himself/herself (ou = sound “ou” , patsia = slap, ra = hey you (femine) ). The story reflects a sculptress who falls in love with her sculpture, or in other words her creation. While falling in love, she realizes that she can create the love she wants (since she is sculpting it), same as she can create anything else in life. She finds herself in two parallel worlds, her conscious (social reality) and subconscious (her own reality). The whole piece is a constant struggle of the sculptress shifting from our reality to hers, in order to create a sense to what she is seeing, listening and ultimately feeling. She attempts, she fails and tries again and again.
Large Ensemble
“The deeper you go…the deeper you go…the deeper you go…deeper you go…you go…you?” – 2011
The deeper you go…The deeper you go…The deeper you go…The deeper you go…The deeper you go…The deeper you go…The deeper you go…The deeper you go…deeper you go…deeper you go…deeper you go…deeper you go…deeper you go…you go…you go…you go…you…you…you?”
for 5 soprano, 5 clarinets, 5 trombones, 5 cellos, 2 percussionists, piano and harpsichord.
Awarded the Buma Toonzetter Prize 2012.
“Ο Ιππής…του Ιππή…Ε Ιππή…Ποιός Ιππεί;” – 2013
The piece is a ballet composed for Symphony orchestra, and inspired by the Greek Myth of the abduction of Europe by Zeus. According to the myth, Zeus fells in love with Europe after being shot by the arrows of God Eros. He disguises as a handsome white bull, and he approaches Europe in order to seduce her. The bull charms Europe and she decides to ride him. As soon as she rides the bull, the animal starts running furiously into the sea and Europe cannot escape the norm of the animal. As soon as they cross the sea they arrive at Crete, where the bull disappears and Zeus appears, taking Europe by the hand and leading her to Diktaion Antron where they make love. After their intercourse, Zeus abandons Europe to claim his throne at mount Olympus. Nevertheless, he marries Europe with king Asterion making Europe the queen of Crete and the mother of the future king Minoas.
Ballet for Symphony Orchestra
Awarded the 1st prize at the Competition held by Cyprus Symphony Orchestra 2013.
Chamber Ensemble
“Ou…DA” – 2016
Inspired by the sculptures of Incantadas, a series of sculptures found in Thessaloniki from the Roman Era. According to an urban myth, Incantadas were frozen human beings (most specifically Alexander the Great and his lover) that got frozen under a spell in order to hide their love. Frozen suggests something opposite from being alive, since its something still and timeless. However, I perceive frozen as something more alive than being alive since it stays eternal; in other words something that would happen in order for something to last forever, or stay alive forever.
for flute, clarinet, trombone, el. guitar, keyboards, percussion, violin, cello, contrabass, tape and electronics
“TIR…MBO” – 2014
Tirmbo is an attempt to recreate a ritual dedicated to a fictional creature named “Tirmbo”. The creature arrives and embodies the performers changing how they behave. By the end of the piece everyone is engaged in the practise apart from the horn.
for Bass clarinet, Horn, Percussion, Piano, Viola and Cello
“An empty something…something empty” – 2012
The piece explores the relationship of a performer with the orchestra. Similarly to our society, sometimes we function as a collective, therefore our actions are unified having the same task. In some other cases we are completely alone, in a context filled with individuals who have their own unique task.
for flute,oboe,clarinet,bassoon,horn, trumpet, trombone, 2 percussion, 2 pianos and string quartet.
Oratorio
“E…SOU…A?” – 2015
“And if I were to see you, elsewhere you would be, lost in the flow of willingness, nowhere to be found…just there waiting…”
for two sets of Gamelan (Semar Pegulingan and Gong Kebyar) and choir
“Extrasolar voices in an Absentminded Land” – 2010
The oratorio presents a fictional story happening inside the mind of a person. The person hears sounds and an unfamiliar language, seeking to create a story based on his imagination.
for large ensemble, choir and two narrators.
Other
“Filoktitis” – 2017
Music for the play “Filoktitis” by Sophocles, directed by Martha Frintzila.
“Silkstone…are you ever going to shatter?” – 2010
The piece is about a consant effor to break the unbreakable. No matter what you keep on trying and trying until it breaks, but it doesnt!
for 3 Soprano and ensemble
“So we commence…where?” – 2011
Starting and finishing are rational terms that are always apparent in our lives. How would something be if it never started? it would never finish, and the other way around…This piece is an effort to make something simply moving.
for piano trio
ANDYS SKORDIS 