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Yiorgos Vassilandonakis is a Greek composer of contemporary classical music. He was born on December 14, 1979, in Heraklion, Crete, Greece. Vassilandonakis grew up in a family of musicians, with his father being a composer and his mother a pianist. He started playing the piano at the age of six and began composing his own music at the age of 12. Vassilandonakis studied music composition at the Athens Conservatory and later at the Royal Conservatory of The Hague in the Netherlands. He also holds a PhD in music composition from the University of York in the United Kingdom. Vassilandonakis has composed works for a variety of ensembles, including orchestras, chamber groups, and solo instruments. His music is characterized by its use of extended techniques, unconventional sound sources, and a focus on timbre and texture. One of Vassilandonakis' most notable works is his "Concerto for Piano and Orchestra," which was premiered in 2010 by the Athens State Orchestra. The piece features a solo piano part that is both virtuosic and lyrical, and the orchestration is rich and colorful. The concerto has been performed by several orchestras around the world, including the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and the National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine. Another significant work by Vassilandonakis is his "String Quartet No. 2," which was commissioned by the Arditti Quartet and premiered in 2014. The piece is a complex and intricate exploration of the timbral possibilities of the string quartet, featuring extended techniques such as harmonics, glissandi, and pizzicato. Vassilandonakis has also composed several works for electronics and live performers, including his "Electroacoustic Music for Violin and Live Electronics," which was premiered in 2012 by the violinist Peter Sheppard Skærved. The piece features a violin part that is processed and manipulated in real-time by a computer, creating a unique and immersive sonic environment. In addition to his work as a composer, Vassilandonakis is also a professor of music composition at the Ionian University in Corfu, Greece. He has received numerous awards and honors for his work, including the prestigious Gaudeamus Award in 2011. Overall, Yiorgos Vassilandonakis is a highly respected and innovative composer in the world of contemporary classical music. His works are characterized by their exploration of timbre and texture, their use of extended techniques, and their focus on the intersection of acoustic and electronic sound worlds.

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