Athens International Music Festival 2025

Athens International Music Festival 2025

October 21-25

Parnassos Literary Society

Pinchas Zukerman opens the Athens International Music Festival

Athens welcomes one of the most important violinists of our time, Pinchas Zukerman, who opens the Athens International Music Festival - an event that brings together brilliant musicians from around the world, transforming the historic Parnassos Literary Society into the center of international musical creativity for five days, presenting the finest works of chamber music.

This year's event features leading artists such as internationally renowned soprano Christina Poulitsi, Asi Matathias and Tosca Opdam (violin), Wenting Kang (viola), Amanda Forsyth and Gabriel Schwabe (cello), Julien Hervé (clarinet), and pianists Victor Stanislavsky and Maria Meerovitch.

Under the artistic direction of Tosca Opdam and Asi Matathias and organized by Spyros Terzis, the Festival highlights music as a bridge between cultures, combining high artistic quality with educational activities and opportunities for young musicians.

As part of the Festival, three violin masterclasses will be held by Pinchas Zukerman, Tosca Opdam, and Asi Matathias for up-and-coming musicians, where the audience will be able to watch this unique teaching experience live. At the same time, a pilot educational program will be held at the Leontios Lyceum in Patissia and for the El Sistema Greece youth orchestra, promoting the power of music as a means of social cohesion and inspiration.

The Athens International Music Festival is not just a series of concerts; it is a cultural event that highlights the timeless importance of Athens as the cradle of Western civilization, while also providing a platform for intercultural dialogue. For five days, Athens is transformed into a global meeting point for music, in a celebration that honors classical music.

Festival Program

• Tuesday, October 21 - 20:30

Grand Opening

We open the festival with a vibrant evening celebrating the essence of chamber music: intimacy, dialogue, and brilliance. From Beethoven's witty Eyeglass Duo, to Mozart's dramatic G minor Piano Quartet, and the lyrical warmth of Mendelssohn's late String Quintet, this program offers a beautiful launch into a week of musical discovery.

van Beethoven - Eyeglass Duo for viola and cello

Pinchas Zukerman, viola
Amanda Forsyth, cello

A. Mozart - Piano Quartet in G minor, K.478
Tosca Opdam, violin
Wenting Kang, viola
Gabriel Schwabe, cello
Victor Stanislavsky, piano

Mendelssohn - String Quintet No. 2 in B-flat major, Op. 87

Asi Matathias, violin
Tosca Opdam, violin
Pinchas Zukerman, viola
Wenting Kang, viola
Amanda Forsyth, cello

• Wednesday, October 22 - 20:30

Romantic Currents

This evening traces the emotional depth and expressive richness of the Romantic tradition. Schubert's graceful trio opens the program with charm and introspection, followed by Arensky's lush and passionate Piano Trio. Brahms's towering Clarinet Quintet crowns the evening with autumnal beauty and profound serenity.

Schubert - String Trio in B-flat major, D.471

Tosca Opdam, violin
Wenting Kang, viola
Gabriel Schwabe, cello

Arensky - Piano Trio No. 1 in D minor, Op. 32

Asi Matathias, violin
Amanda Forsyth, cello
Maria Meerovitch, piano

J. Brahms - Clarinet Quintet in B minor, Op. 115
Julien Hervé, clarinet
Pinchas Zukerman, violin
Asi Matathias, violin
Wenting Kang, viola
Gabriel Schwabe, cello

• Thursday, October 23 - 20:30

The French Connection

An evening of vibrant contrasts and refined lyricism, this program explores the wide-reaching influence of French musical style across borders and genres. Stravinsky's L'Histoire du soldat, written during his Swiss exile but steeped in the elegance and irony of French neoclassicism, opens the night with theatrical flair. A selection of vocal arias by Delibes, Fauré, Mozart, and others showcases the expressive beauty of the art song tradition. The evening culminates in Chausson's luminous and emotionally charged Concerto for Violin, Piano, and String Quartet - a masterwork that blends French sensitivity with romantic grandeur.

Stravinsky - L'Histoire du soldat (The Soldier's Tale)
Julien Hervé, clarinet
Tosca Opdam, violin
Maria Meerovitch, piano

G. Fauré - Le papillon et la fleur
W.A. Mozart - Non mi dir, from Don Giovanni
A. Thomas - Je suis Titania, from Mignon
C. Debussy - Beau Soir
F. Liszt - Pace non trovo, from 'Tre sonetti di Petrarca'
L. Delibes - Ou va la jeune Indoue, from Lakmé

Christina Poulitsi, soprano
Victor Stanislavsky, piano

Chausson - Concerto for Violin, Piano, and String Quartet, Op. 21

Asi Matathias, violin
Victor Stanislavsky, piano
Tosca Opdam, violin
Kristina Georgieva, violin
Wenting Kang, viola
Gabriel Schwabe, cello

• Friday, October 24 - 20:30

Musical Giants

This program bridges centuries of musical genius. We begin with the virtuoso mastery of J.S. Bach, followed by a contemporary voice in Yinam Leef's meditative Nocturne. Debussy's colorful Petite Suite gently leads us into the transcendent world of Schubert's monumental String Quintet-a work of majestic beauty and farewell

S. Bach - Selections from Two-Part Inventions, BWV 772-786
Tosca Opdam, violin
Gabriel Schwabe, cello

Y. Leef - Nocturne for viola and piano
Wenting Kang, viola
Victor Stanislavsky, piano

A.Scriabin: 
Preludes Op.11 nr. 4, 11, 13, 14
Prelude Op.9 nr. 1
Etude Op. 42 nr. 5

Maria Meerovitch, piano

Schubert - String Quintet in C major, D.956

Pinchas Zukerman, violin
Tosca Opdam, violin
Wenting Kang, viola
Amanda Forsyth, cello
Gabriel Schwabe, cello

• Saturday, October 25 - 20:30

Gala Final Concert

We close the festival with two of the most beloved chamber music piece in the repertoire. The joyful, folkloric energy of Dvořák's piano quintet is paired with the passionate and symphonic sweep of Brahms' piano quartet nr. 1. A rousing and heartfelt finale to a week of unforgettable music.

A.Dvořák - Piano Quintet No. 2 in A major, Op. 81
Asi Matathias, violin
Kristina Georgieva, violin
Wenting Kang, viola
Gabriel Schwabe, cello
Maria Meerovitch, piano

J. Brahms - Piano Quartet nr. 1 in G minor Op.25

Tosca Opdam, violin
Wenting Kang, viola
Gabriel Schwabe, cello
Victor Stanislavsky, piano