bio
Dimitris Karagiannakidis grew up in Thessaloniki, Greece, before moving to Germany at the age of 21. He has since performed all over the world. From an early age he gathered a lot of experience in solo, chamber music of various formations and orchestra as well as in teaching, which he does since the age of 19.
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He studied the cello with Russi Dragnev (Greek State Violoncello Diploma), Ulrich Voss (B.Mus.), Mick Stirling and Matias de Oliveira Pinto (M.Mus. and currently pursuing a soloist diploma-Konzertexamen) and attended several masterclasses with Marcio Carneiro, Arthur Hornig, Valerie Aimard among others.
Furthermore he studied String Quartet in Amsterdam, working frequently with artists such as Marc Danel, Sven Arne Tepl and Eberhard Feltz. Around that time he had lessons with Vera Martinez, Dmitry Ferschtman, Stefan Metz and all members of the String Quartets Danel, Debussy and Quiroga.
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He participated in Festivals such as Janine Jansen and Friends in the Netherlands, ProQuartet and Cordes en Ballade in France, Semana da Musica de Ouro Branco and Concertos Tribanco in Brazil and Mediterranean Festival in Egypt. He gave concerts all over Europe, in Brazil and in China. He has appeared as a soloist with the Thessaloniki State Symphony Orchestra.
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He has been playing with several orchestras in Germany, Greece and the Netherlands, frequently as leader of the celli and as a soloist as well. Since 2020 he is leader and tutor of the cello team of the CJD Youth Orchestra.
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He has been playing since 2011 together with pianist Alexios Lizos and he is a founding member of Oros Ensemble. For more information about both groups you can visit the Projects section.
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In 2019 he recorded a CD with the Sonatas for Violoncello and Piano by Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy with pianist Risa Adachi.
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Since 2015 he is co-artistic director of PelionFestival, a classical music festival on Mount Pelion, Central Greece (Projects - pelionfestival.com)
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Teaching has a very central place among his activities. Having had students since the age of 19, he has had experience with all age groups and levels of cello playing. He currently teaches at Musikschulkreis Lüdinghausen. For more information you can visit the Teaching section.
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He plays on a cello made by Urs Mächler in 2017.