Mastoras Variations

This concert was conducted in Lavrio, on 27.12.2024.

Composition: Alkiviadis Mavridis (theme by Andreas Strilligas).
Piano: Akiviadis Mavridis

About the piece:

n the winter of 2013-2014 and for a few weeks
I stayed at the house of Andreas, my brother's father,
known by his loved ones as "The Mastoras"
(translating to something like "craftsman" in English).

Back in the day, I was working as a musician in various orchestras,
after getting my piano and viola diplomas a few years before.

Among our fascinating discussions, foods and drinks, music and movies,
Andreas confessed to me that he had a musical idea.

Although Andreas was not a musician, that didn't surprise me
because of his character - always full of curiosity, creativity and
appetite for exploration.

In his house there was a small portable piano.
The type having only 3-4 Octaves and operating with batteries.
Andreas presses a button on the piano, and this, as you know,
automatically started to play the chord on the bass.
Then Andreas, with the two fingers of his right hand, played this theme to me. Nothing more than 16 notes.

"Do something with it," he told me.
"What can I do, Mastoras?" I replied and thought:
"I can make a Theme with Variations from this".

The years passed and there were many changes in my life.
But I did not forget my promise.
10 years later, I got it done.
Unfortunately Mastoras is no longer with us to hear it.

The piece has 4 parts. Each part consists of several variations.
Each part and each variation has a title.
The titles may not make much sense to you.
The truth is that they often don't make sense to me either.
You see, we were very different. He called me "scientist". I saw him as a mystic.

But this piece is about Mastoras.
His way of thinking, his interests, his history.
I'm sure he would understand the titles.

[Αλ.Τσοπάνης]

Remarkable ! a combination of classical and oriental music styles 👌

[ΝίκοςΓαρδέλης-υω]

HATS OFF my friend!! there are more people that can understand the believe me not only he has heard your composition but he has already made many comments on it. You know it as well!