Yorgos Manessis

Yorgos Manessis (26 May 1931 – 27 January 2015) was a Greek pianist and pedagogue with a short but significant career as a soloist.

Childhood (1931–1944) Manessis was born on 26 May 1931 in Piraeus, Greece. Soon afterwards, his mother Ioanna Yapapa (a pianist and pupil of Emil von Sauer who had also studied Emile Dalcroze's method at his school in Switzerland) decided that the newly born should be raised in close contact with nature. Thus, the family moved to Manessis’ father's estate in Portoheli, in the region of Argolida (Pelopponisos). There, he had the privilege of a distinctive upbringing, combining freedom and strict discipline (sleep, diet, etc.). Body (gymnastics, Dalcroze Eurhythmics (his mother playing at the piano while he danced), boating, horse riding, trekking, swimming) and mind (piano lessons, attending school, etc.) were equally exercised. It was an upbringing that – according to Manessis himself – laid the foundation for his later artistic endeavours.

Pedagogical career Assistant and later replacing Al. Pashkus in Vienna, New York, and Athens (1960–1972), responsible for the preparation of young, talented pianists for careers as soloists. Al. Pashkus was also the Artistic Consultant for great artists such as Yehudi Menuhin, Charles Muench, etc. Professor of Piano at the Ribaupierre Institute in Lausanne, Switzerland from 1973 to 1977. Professor of Piano at the Piraeus Music Conservatory from 1977 (advanced soloists class). Director of the Piano Department of the University of Indianapolis - Athens Branch from February 1998, teaching piano and chamber music. Professor of Piano at the Lamia Municipal Conservatory from 1987 to 2002. Responsible for the Post-Graduate Department there since 1995. Notable students include Grigorios Zamparas, Marilina Tzelepi, and Vassilis Theofilidis. Professor of Piano at the "Sychrono" Conservatory of Athens from 1998.

Education 1947–1951: Studied music with his mother, Ioanna Yapapa-Manessi (student of Em. Sauer, one of Liszt's apprentices). In the same period also studied with Alex Tourneissen (student of Busoni). 1950–1951: Attended Economic University of Athens (2 semesters). 1951–1959: Munich, High State School of Music. Bachelor in Piano Studies (1956). Studied with: Walter Dorfmueller, Erick Then-Bergh (through whom he gets acquainted with the school of Leimer-Gieseking), Oscar Koebel, Maria Hindemith (with a scholarship of the West Germany Ministry of Education). 1954–1957: Took Musicology Courses at the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (audit). At the same period he also studied with Olga Karabai (student of H. Neuhaus) in Nuremberg, where he became acquainted with the Russian School of Neuhaus. 1956–1959: Munich, High State School of Music, Diploma in Teaching Music. 1959–1962: Vienna and New York – Post-Graduate studies with Alice Pashkus. 1962–1972: Continued with Al. Pashkus as his artistic consultant in his career as a pianist. 1964–1985: Paris and Switzerland – Research in music philosophy, metaphysics and relationship between quality of life and musical performance.

Educational activity 1971–1977: Founder and director of the “Harmony” Artistic Center in Lausanne which became a center of attraction for many well known artists from Europe, Asia, and America, where immense musical performances and conference activities took place. Very favorable coverage in the local press, from artists like Francoise Pollet (soprano-Paris), Thomas Christian (violinist-Vienna), Renee de Mack (flautist-Brussels), and Chantal Bargas-Alleson (violinist-Amsterdam). 1987–1997: Director of the Municipal Music Conservatory of Lamia. 1988-ongoing: Founder and president of the Cultural Society “The Art of Life” which is responsible for the organization of the Porto Heli Festival,