The island of Lesvos and Molyvos in particular will be the setting for a rich program of concerts and events, highlighting the concept of friendship and its power to unite people and cultures.

As the artistic directors of the festival, Danai and Kyveli Doerken, state in their note, “in Greek, the word friendship refers on the one hand to the concept of a high ideal, on the other to one of the cornerstones of a prosperous society… During the festival we have experienced unique moments of such friendship – meeting different cultures and people with different social backgrounds, a marriage proposal, relationships that are established and developed through music regardless of age, a wedding, and so many other unforgettable experiences. Classical music remains active and alive because different motifs, cultural references, rhythms, ideas and emotions coexist within it. Let music be the ideal example to awaken within us the same vision – to create new friendships and be grateful for the friendships that already embrace us.”

10th International Pencil Music Festival – Credits: Eleonora Pouwels Pure Photography

The program of the festival

The Festival hosts famous musicians from all over the world. Among them, the Antje Weithaas (Andie Weithaas), who as a soloist has collaborated with most of Germany’s leading orchestras, with many international distinguished orchestras and renowned conductors (among them Vladimir Ashkenazi, Sir Neville Marriner and Mark Albrecht) and has been artistic director, for a decade, and responsible for the musical profile of the Camerata of Bern. THE Sebastian Manz (Sebastian Mantz), who at the ARD International Music Competition in Munich won first prize in the clarinet category and the coveted Audience Award. THE Simon Bode (Zimon Bode) one of the most sought-after lyric tenors of his generation and guitarist Petrit Ceku (Petrit Cekou), who has won first prizes in many international competitions, including the Parking International Guitar Competition (Malibu), the Sand String Competition (Allentown), the Maurizio Biazzini International Competition (Bologna) and the International Competition Classical Guitar Michele Pittaluga (Alessandria).

A special moment of the festival will be the world premiere of the work “On Love and Friendship”, written especially for the festival by the Greek composer Luke Thanos. Besides, this year’s theme will be framed by an interesting conference at noon on August 17, on the theme: “Can the Aristotelian ideal of friendship exist beyond the subject?”, with the participation of Stamatiou M. Krimizis, academic, astrophysicist, President of the Academy of Athens, Head Emeritus at the Department of Space Physics and Space Instruments, Applied Physics Laboratory of the Johns Hopkins University, of Paraskevi Kefala, professor of international relations in the wider Middle East and North Africa, Department of Mediterranean Studies, University of the Aegean, director of the Center for the Study of Mediterranean-Middle Eastern Politics and Culture (KEMMEP) and of Anthony Bossis, clinical psychologist, professor of psychiatry at New York University School of Medicine, professor of classics and religious studies at the University of Ottawa, and researcher at the Lundquist Institute-UCLA. The conference will be coordinated by Chloe Ballaprofessor of ancient philosophy at the University of Crete.

The main Festival (August 16 – 19), as every year, will be framed by the opening concerts which this year will take place on August 9, 10, 11 and 12, in the medieval Saplitza warehouses of the Lower Castle of Mytilene, in the Ottoman Castle of Sigri, in the archaeological site of the Sanctuary of Messos and at the Ancient Aqueduct of Moria, respectively, but also the Molyvos Musical Moments, the spontaneous concerts in alleys, beaches and other parts of Molyvos, which pleasantly surprise the residents and visitors of the village.

Photo-Credits: Eleonora Pouwels Pure Photography