
Soloist
Theodore Kerkezos
- Instrument
- Saxophon
Biography
Theodore Kerkezos is a two-time Grammy Award-nominated classical saxophonist. He has performed with leading orchestras across Europe, North America, and Asia, including the London Symphony, London Philharmonic, Boston Pops, St. Petersburg Philharmonic, Moscow Radio Symphony, Berlin Symphony, Royal Bangkok Symphony and the Vienna Chamber Orchestra.
His concert appearances have taken him to venues such as Carnegie Hall, Royal Festival Hall, Wigmore Hall, Wiener Konzerthaus, Tonhalle Zurich, Moscow State Conservatory, St. Petersburg Philharmonia, Athens Megaron Concert Hall, Odeon Herodes Atticus and Laeiszhalle Hamburg. He has worked with conductors including Vladimir Fedoseyev, Yuri Bashmet, Teodor Currentzis, Günter Neuhold, Michael Nyman, and Odysseas Dimitriadis. In 2018, he made his debut with the Vienna Chamber Orchestra under Myron Michailidis, a collaboration that led to further international tours.
Kerkezos studied at the Athens Conservatory with Babis Farantatos and continued his training with Jean-Marie Londeix in Bordeaux and Daniel Deffayet in Paris. Works by Iannis Xenakis, Mikis Theodorakis, Friedrich Cerha, and Theodore Antoniou have been dedicated to him.
His distinctions include an Honorary Doctor of Musical Arts from IAACC/UNESCO, Honorary membership in the Russian Academy of Natural Sciences and Arts, and Honorary membership in the Greek Composers’ Union. Since 1999, he has collaborated with the Paris-based publishing house Alphonse Leduc and has authored several educational publications.
From 1994 to 2010, he served as Professor at the Athens Conservatory and gave masterclasses at universities and conservatories across Europe, the United States, and Asia. His extensive discography has received wide international recognition. Theodore Kerkezos performs on a custom-made H. Selmer Paris saxophone.