ZESSES SEGLIAS

Zesses Seglias is a composer of sonic bodies and lingual structures. His compositional output focuses on the relationship between the sound of voice and its semantic, as defined by language. Much of this repertoire is staged, although concert pieces also share the same principle. Latest compositional activity focuses on unifying musical and spoken language in an hybrid of sound and meaning described as spoken sound theatre.

Born in Edessa, Greece in 1984 he pursued studies in Composition and Music Theatre with Dr. Michalis Lapidakis at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (2002 – 2008, Bachelor Degree) and with Beat Furrer at the University for Music and Performing Arts of Graz, Austria (2009 – 2011, Masters Degree). He is currently a PhD candidate at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, under the supervision of Dr. Dimitri Papageorgiou.

Selected as an active participant to master classes such as Voix Nouvelles Royaumont 2014, Tzlil Meudcan 2014, Centre Acanthes 2011, Tschaikovsky Academy 2012 and more (Darmstadt Summer Academy 2010, Impuls Academy 2011, 2013) with G. Aperghis, P. Billone, G. F. Haas, C. Czernowin, Μ. Andre, M. Stroppa, Ph. Hurel, K. Lang, P. Ablinger, J. Schölhorn, D. Kourliandski among others.

Performed in various cities in workshops and festivals by various ensembles and performers, such as D. Michel-Dansac, P.-S. Meuge, Klangforum Wien (AT), Diotima Quartet (F), MCME (Ru), the DissonArt Ensemble (Gr), the Helsinki Chamber Choir (Fi), L'Instant Donné / Opus XXI Akademie (D – F), Ensemble Berlin PianoPercussion (D), Schallfeld Ensemble (AT), Trio Amos (AT), Vertixe Sonora Ensemble (S), UMS ‘n’ JIP (Sw), and others. 

In May 2014, his chamber opera hystéra was performed in Graz under the baton of Beat Furrer. In September 2014, his piece ΣΤΕΑΡ was performed during the Voix Nouvelles Royaumont academy by Quartet Diotima; the realisation of the live electronics was made by the composer and Greg Beller at IRCAM. In July 2012, his piece [α-] for chamber choir won him the 1st prize at the International Einojuhani Rautavaara Chamber Choir Composition Workshop and Competition 2012. In 2012 he was also prenominated for the Impuls Competition. After attending Impuls Academy 2013, he was awarded with the Ernst. Composition prize, receiving a residency at the Ernst Krenek Institute in Krems and a commission for the Klangforum Wien. He was a finalist at the 6th and 7th Joseph Fux Opera Composition Competition. In August 2017, his opera To the Lighthouse (libretto by Ernst Binder) was given its premiere at the Bregenzer Festspiele, receiving rave reviews by magazines and newspapers such as Opernwelt, Süddeutsche and Frankfurter Allgemeine. 

Next projects include a multimedia work with Schallfeld Ensemble and a new piece for Ensemble MusikFabrik. 

All of his studies have been funded by Greek Foundations, namely the State Scholarships Foundation (IKY), the Onassis Foundation and the Greek Composers Union. 

[last update: October 2018]

[click here for full CV]