Piano & Classical Guitar Duo
Despina Betini was born
in Athens in 1979. She studied piano and advanced theory at Attiko
Conservatory, Athens, with the renowned pianist Dimitris Toufexis and composer
Ioannis Christophilos, and received her Piano Diploma with distinction of 1st
Prize, as well as Harmony and Counterpoint Diplomas with distinction. Despina also studied at
the
American College of Greece (Deree) and received her BA in Music in 2002
with distinction.
Upon graduation,
Despina moved to the UK where she studied piano with the distinguished pianist,
David Murray, at University of Newcastle and was awarded her Masters Degree in
Performance (MMus) in 2004. She later attended University of Durham to receive
her Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) in Music in 2006.
Despina has
attended several Masterclasses in Greece and England with renowned pianists,
such as Dimitri Toufexis, Orsolya Szabo, George Hatzinikos and Sarah Beth Briggs.
She also attended the Kodály Music Institutes Pedagogy Summer Course,
Hungary in 2003.
She has worked with NEMCO (North-East Musicians Co-operative), teaching piano
at secondary schools, Newcastle, in 2006-8. At the same time, she played the
organ in Allen Memorial Methodist Church for Sunday services. She has also collaborated
with the International Piano
Magazine, publishing articles on John Cages Prepared Piano.
She is currently
teaching music at British International School of Istanbul.
Emre Aki was born in Istanbul in
1978. He started classical guitar and theory at the age of thirteen at
Timur Selçuk
Music
School. Emre moved to Newcastle upon Tyne
in 1996 to continue his music studies. He initially received classical guitar
tuition with Alan Robertson and moved on advanced guitar
performance and composition studies with Gilbert Biberian, the internationally renowned
classical guitarist and composer.
He
has also received lessons in chamber music with David Murray, and cello with Tabitha Tuckett.
Emre obtained a
Higher National Diploma (HND) in Music Production in 2003 and in 2006 he
graduated from the University of Newcastle with BA in Music (Composition and
Performance). During his final year he conducted the Universitys Medical
School Orchestra.
Emre later
studied at the University of Durham obtaining his Postgraduate Certificate in
Education (PGCE) in Music in 2007 and taught composition and music
technology at several schools in NE England.
Emre has
attended Masterclasses by renowned soloists Emmanuel Segre and Orsolya Szabo. In
addition to performing, he has also presented some of his compositions
for various ensembles at Newcastle University. He is currently working
with British International School of Istanbul teaching music at secondary and IB
level (International
Baccalaureate).
As
Piano & Classical Guitar Duo,
Despina and Emre have performed since 2006 at several concert venues at Athens,
Istanbul,
Aberdeen, Belfast, Praha and Newcastle.
Their ever
expanding repertory includes compositions by M. Castelnuovo-Tedesco, M. Ponce,
A. Vivaldi, C. M. von Weber, J. Rodrigo, G. Biberian, Emre Aki, A. Piazzolla, F.
Carulli, L. Boccherini, F. Schubert, F. Molino, Panos Demopoulos and E.
Marchelie.
Photo: Fatih Küçükçolak
Concerts
Repertory
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