Manolis Kalomiris Society

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International Association of Music Libraries, Archives and Documentation Centres

MANOLIS KALOMIRIS SOCIETY

Myrto Economides Manolis Kalomiris

Archive Manager, Secretary

Анотація

manolis kalomiris society composer

Економідес Мирто, співробітник Архіву Маноліса Каломіріса в Афінах, Секретар Грецького відділення IAML (Міжнародної Асоціації Музичних Бібліотек)

ТОВАРИСТВО МАНОЛІСА КАЛОМІРІСА

Маноліс Каломіріс - основоположник Грецької композиторської школи, який після закінчення Віденської консерваторії протягом 1906-1908 років за власним вибором працював у Харкові. Видатний композитор, музичний критик і засновник двох грецьких консерваторій, він відіграв визначну роль у розвитку грецького професійного музичного мистецтва і в становленні національної музичної мови.

Представлене дослідження присвячене діяльності Товариства Маноліса Каломіріса [MKS], заснованого в Афінах 1980 року донькою композитора. Досліджуються різноманітні проекти Товариства по популяризації творчості композитора, зокрема, діяльність Архіву композитора, організація концертів, фестивалів і публікація творів майстра, співробітництво з культурними інституціями.

The main text

Manolis Kalomiris is the founder of the Greek School of Music Composition. During 1907-1908, after graduating from the Vienna Conservatory he worked by his personal choice in Kharkiv Gymnasium. Outstanding composer, music critic and proprietor of two Greek conservatories, he played a leading role in the development of Greek professional music art and the national musical language.

These studies are devoted to the activities of the «Manolis Kalomiris Society» [MKS], created in Athens in 1980 by daughter of the composer. Different projects of the Society for popularization of composer's heritage, activities of composer's Archive, organization of concerts, festivals a nd publication of his works, as well as the collaboration with the cultural institutions are investigated.

Manolis Kalomiris, the father figure of the Greek national music school, played a key role in shaping the musical landscape in Greece during the first half of twentieth century. He was a prolific composer, music critic, teacher, author of music textbooks and the founder of two important conservatories in Athens (the Hellenic and the National Conservatory) which maintain a large number of branches in Greece and Cyprus. Kalomiris also influenced the musical matters of his country through important administrative positions in the public and private sector. He was a member of the Academy of Athens and for his compositional oeuvre and his services in Greek music, he received several prices and medals.

Apart from his hefty legacy, Kalomiris has also bequest us with a voluminous and diverse material related to his activities which, he systematically collected throughout his life - an indication of his concern about his posterity.

Manolis Kalomiris Society. The Manolis Kalomiris Society [MKS] was founded in 1980, as a non-profit organization by a group of supporters of the composer and it was aided in various ways by the composer's daughter, Krino. Originally, the aim of the Society was the preservation, publication and promotion of the works and legacy of Manolis Kalomiris. Over the years it has played a key role in promoting Kalomiris's music to the wider public through concerts, recordings, publications, festivals, lectures, radio and TV programs.

The MKS has an active involvement in the cultural scene of Greece and has been receiving support by its members. Some of them are simply genuine music lovers while some others are leading music professionals such as the conductor Byron Fidetzis, the current and longest in office president, and the composer Periklis Koukos.

Soon after the foundation the Society undertook the difficult task of collecting and archiving the material, which included the composer's personal archive as well as later acquisitions.

The biggest part of the collection is kept at the offices of the Society housed in the main building of the National Conservatory in central Athens, whereas the remaining archival material, mainly constituted of manuscripts of musical works, is currently situated in Kalomiris's home in Palaio Phaliro, where his granddaughter, Hara Kalomiri-Seaille, Director of the National Conservatory and Honorary member of the Society, still lives.

More specifically, the entire Archive collection includes: Kalomiris's own handwritten scores and parts (c.165 manuscripts), Kalomiris's handwritten scores by others, many of which contain the composer's own corrections, personal and professional correspondence, typed and printed presentations, music books and treatises, many of which are out of print, photographical collections, performance material (parts), printed concert programs, newspaper and magazine clips, videos and recordings of Kalomiris' works in tape recordings, 33 and 45 RPM records and CDs, books from his library, as well as many personal belongings and other personal documents (diplomas, medals, passports etc.).

The Archive is constantly enriched by material directly or indirectly linked to Kalomiris, as well as published material such as articles and academic papers -many of which have been acquired with the help of the Societyextracts from encyclopedias, reference books and other publications related to music, history and literature.

Music material and publications. Obtaining orchestral material for performing Kalomiris' works, had been a significant problem for orchestras, especially in the past, and an obstacle in disseminating Kalomiris's symphonic music in general.

Most of the original orchestral scores were old, illegible and with many errors. To remedy this, the Society, has already produced new material, and is currently cooperating with a publishing house specialized in publishing works by Greek composers. The MKS has also published the memoirs of Manolis Kalomiris, My Life and my Art in Greek (1983), in Spanish in cooperation with the Greek community of Chile (1998), while the English translation is being prepared. A translation of the catalogue of works by Manolis Kalomiris was published in English in 1986. The New Catalogue of Kalomiris's Works was edited by Philippos Tsalachouris in 2003. The MKS offers valuable assistance, by providing scores and information for the program notes of concerts featuring Kalomiris's works. One of its mains goals in the foreseeable future is to produce a critical edition of Kalomiris's complete works.

Performances of musical works. The Society has made possible the performance of many of works by Kalomiris's in Greece and abroad. It has also organized series of public events such as conferences and audio-visual presentations devoted to Kalomiris and his music.

Recordings. The MKS has managed to produce recording for most of the major works of Kalomiris and continues to support new recording projects. Moreover, the Archive holds rare records and many historical recordings, especially from the Greek National Radio.

Micro-photographing the autographs. An important activity (completed in 1990) of the Archive was the microphotography of its original scores and the dissemination of these microfiches to public and private organizations which promote Greek music in Greece and abroad.

Cooperation with cultural institutions. The MKS is in regular communication with orchestras and cultural institutions that are interested in promoting and supporting Greek music. It has cooperated in a regular base with the Ministry of Culture, the Greek Cultural Society, the General Secretariat for Greeks Living Abroad and different local and regional authorities.

It played a crucial role in the centennial celebrations of the composer's birth (1883-1983); it has assisted the setting up of a summer Festival in Samos (1997-2012) and of a Children's Choir in Athens both of which bear the composer's name.

In 2002, to mark the 40th anniversary of the composer's death, the Ministry of Culture sponsored and funded a series of events (concerts, exhibitions, conference etc.) that were organized by the Society.

Webpage. The MKS launched with great success its first webpage about Kalomiris, with texts in English and in Greek in 1997. Currently, due to technical problems, its latest webpage remains incomplete.

Archive's contribution. A significant number of researchers are attracted to the MKS Archive and benefit from the diversity and easy access of the primary material. The Archive assists them in writing scientific papers, doctoral dissertations, research papers and conference presentations. The archive can also provide digital material for those unable to visit its premises in Athens.

Moreover, the Society dispatches material to schools, academic libraries and individuals in Greece and abroad. It liaisons with other institutions and individuals when a particular archival item is requested or needs to be located in another archive. Archived material has been often used for periodic exhibitions, for documentaries and talks, concerts and other public events. Selected archival material is on a permanent display and open to public at the National Conservatory.

The major challenge MKS is currently facing, is the lack of funding. The Ministry of Culture, that used to be its main source of funding, has ceased sponsoring its activities. Despite its financial difficulties the MKS manages to preserve a unique part of Greece's cultural heritage and musical history and will continue to fulfill its vital role and to offer its services to both the academia and to the broader public and to be in the position to implement its educational, artistic and research projects.

Myrto Economides born in Athens, Greece. She studied piano, clarinet and advanced theory (degree in Fugue). A graduate from the Department of Music Studies of Salonika University, currently she is a doctoral candidate in Musicology at the Athens University. Since 1994 she is working as an Archive Manager of the Manolis Kalomiris Society. Active participant in Greek and international musicological conferences, her main interest is the Greek national School.

Myrto Economides has collaborated with various organizations such as Athens Megaron Concert Hall, «Manolis Kalomiris» Festival, Greek National Opera, undertaking literary, musicological editing and writing of texts. She is a contributing author at the Grove Music Online. Since June 2019 M. Economides holds the position of Secretary at IAML (International Association of Music Libraries, Archives and Documentation Centers) - Greek Branch.

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