elc team
For the ninth consecutive year, Kalamata welcomes the International Music Days. From August 24 to September 6, the city transforms into a vibrant hub of artistic creation, hosting musicians and soloists from Greece and abroad.
This year’s festival offers a rich program of concerts and masterclasses, celebrating diversity by uniting a wide range of musical genres and styles. From the contrast between written and oral musical traditions of the Middle Ages to the creative dialogue of pop and avant-garde in recent decades, the program seeks the timeless common ground of human creativity and artistic expression. In a world on fire, this ground can only be found in the shared experience of being human, an experience that transcends cultural and individual differences.
The 2025 edition features performances by renowned international artists including cellist Jean-Guihen Queyras, violinist Ionian Elias Kandesa, mezzo-soprano Ema Nikolovska, the cello and percussion duo Hugo Rannou & Emil Kuyumcuyan, the vocal ensemble TRËI, the Balkan music group TRI i DVE, as well as the Greek ensemble of medieval and Renaissance music Lycabettus.
In parallel, the festival hosts masterclasses in piano, violin, viola, cello, voice, and chamber music. For the first time, the festival also launches an International Young Artists Competition, aiming to showcase and support emerging musical talent.
The artistic direction of the festival is led by cellist Indira Rahmatulla, composer Stathis Gyftakis, and cellist Dimitris Lampos. Since its founding in 2017, the festival has fostered creative collaboration, artistic exchange, and the development of young talent through both education and live music productions.
Events are hosted in venues such as the Ancient Messene Ecclesiasterion and the Kalamata Dance Megaron (Alternative Stage). By encouraging collaboration across different generations and artistic backgrounds, the festival strengthens the presence of music within the broader arts and lays the foundation for future creative endeavors.
Festival Program
TRI i DVE: BALKAN O’CLOCK
Monday, August 25, 20:30
Kalamata Dance Megaron (Alternative Stage)
Tickets: €10 / €5
A musical journey through the Balkans
- Felix Froschhammer: violin
- Nico Prinz: cello & tambura
- Ivaylo Dimitrov: accordion
- Tashko Tasheff: double bass & zurna
LYCABETTUS ENSEMBLE: THE CASTLES OF MORIA
Tuesday, August 26, 20:30
Kalamata Dance Megaron (Alternative Stage)
Tickets: €10 / €5
Written and oral musical traditions of the Middle Ages
- Eirini Bilini Moraiti: voice, medieval vielle, saz, percussion
- Athanasia Teliou: medieval vielle, viola da gamba
1st International Young Artists Competition: Final Round
Wednesday, August 27, 20:30
Kalamata Dance Megaron (Alternative Stage)
Free admission
Young talented musicians perform works for soprano, piano, violin, and cello
THE CARNIVAL OF THE ANIMALS
Thursday, August 28, 20:30
Kalamata Dance Megaron (Alternative Stage)
Free admission
A family-friendly concert featuring Camille Saint-Saëns’ famous work
FINAL CELLO CONCERT
Friday, August 29, 20:30
Kalamata Dance Megaron (Alternative Stage)
Free admission
Masterclass with Jean-Guihen Queyras
QUEYRAS – NIKOLOVSKA – KADESHA
Saturday, August 30, 20:30
Ancient Messene Ecclesiasterion
Free admission
Works by Bach, Saariaho, Ravel, and Villa-Lobos
- Jean-Guihen Queyras: cello
- Ema Nikolovska: mezzo-soprano
- Ionian Elias Kadesha: violin
Co-organized with the Region of Peloponnese in collaboration with the Ephorate of Antiquities of Messenia
RANNOU – KUYUMCUYAN: DANCESUITE
Sunday, August 31, 20:30
Kalamata Dance Megaron (Alternative Stage)
Tickets: €10 / €5
A contemporary “dance soirée” for cello and percussion
- Hugo Rannou: cello
- Emil Kuyumcuyan: percussion
FINAL VIOLIN CONCERT
Monday, September 1, 20:30
Kalamata Dance Megaron (Alternative Stage)
Free admission
Masterclass with Felix Froschhammer
TRËI: ONE’S FOR SORROW, TWO’S FOR JOY
Tuesday, September 2, 20:30
Kalamata Dance Megaron (Alternative Stage)
Tickets: €10 / €5
Vocal folk music from various cultures and original compositions by the ensemble
- Gizem Şimşek, Mara Miribung, Abélia Nordmann: concept, compositions, arrangements, vocals, cello, keyboard, psaltery
NIKOLOVSKA – KNUTSON: LES BONNES CHANSONS
Wednesday, September 3, 20:30
Kalamata Dance Megaron (Alternative Stage)
Tickets: €10 / €5
The Lieder tradition in Germany, France, and the Czech Republic
- Ema Nikolovska: mezzo-soprano
- Cole Knutson: piano
- Pablo Hernán Benedí: viola
FINAL LIED & ARIA CONCERT
Thursday, September 4, 20:30
Kalamata Dance Megaron (Alternative Stage)
Free admission
Workshop with Ema Nikolovska and Cole Knutson
FINAL STRINGS & PIANO CONCERT
Friday, September 5, 20:30
Kalamata Dance Megaron (Alternative Stage)
Free admission
Masterclasses with Hernán, Kadesha, and Mouza
FROM FOOTPRINTS TO MILESTONES
Saturday, September 6, 20:30
Kalamata Dance Megaron (Alternative Stage)
Tickets: €10 / €5
Modern jazz
- Sofia Braila: vocals
- Gabriele Milozzi: alto & soprano saxophone
- Sotiris Choutos: guitar
- Arion Gyftakis: double bass
See the full program here
Info
August 25 – September 6
Festival Venues:
-
Kalamata Dance Megaron
-
Ancient Messene Ecclesiasterion
Location: Kalamata Dance Megaron
