The orchestra was just formed this year and arose from the International Organ Festival of Ano Syros. It was the personal wish of the Festival’s artistic director, distinguished conductor Stefanos Tsialis, to work with young people. The orchestra currently consists of 13 young musicians from Greece, the Czech Republic and Poland, who are under the tutelage of experienced musicians from the Athens State Orchestra. The AFO’s first two appearances will take place this year in August in Syros and Santorini, and it is hoped that it will appear annually as part of the ΑΝΩ Festival as its regular orchestra, with ambitious plans and excellent prospects.

The members of the orchestra:

Αpollon Gramatikopoulos (Greece), violin
Terezie Štanclová (Czech Republic), violin
Dionisis Pylarinos (Greece), violin
Vassilis Mourikis (Greece), violin
Zofia Aleksandra Zowczak (Poland), violin
Hanna Chylinska (Poland), violin
Katarína Kožúriková (Czech Republic), violin
Egela Kokolani (Greece), violin
Ariana Suleiman Shack (Czech Republic), viola
Maria Magdalena Korczynska (Poland), viola
Isidoros Sideris (Greece), cello
Elpida Kollia (Greece), cello
Takis Kapoyiannis (Greece), double bass