Katerina Chatzinikolau Makes History as First Female Concertmaster of Athens State Orchestra

Katerina Chatzinikolau has made history by being appointed as the first woman Concertmaster of the Athens State Orchestra. This landmark achievement is a testament to Katerina's extraordinary talent, dedication, and leadership in the world of classical music.

Katerina Chatzinikolau's appointment marks a significant milestone not only for her career but also for the Greek classical music community, as she becomes the first woman to hold this prestigious position in any Greek orchestra. Her role as Concertmaster will see her leading the violin section and playing a crucial part in shaping the orchestra's artistic direction and performance excellence.

In addition to her groundbreaking new role, Katerina is renowned for her exceptional soloist career and numerous acclaimed performances both in Greece and internationally. Her appointment is expected to inspire and empower the next generation of female musicians, fostering greater gender diversity and inclusion in classical music.

About Katerina Chatzinokolau

Praised by the Rheinische Post as a musician of "sparkling vitality and virtuosity," violinist Katerina Chatzinikolau captivates with her variety of sound, which testifies to an intense work with historical performance practice as well as contemporary music.

In the recent years Katerina has established a rapid career as a soloist and has performed in renowned concert halls such as the Philharmonie Cologne, Carnegie Hall, Tonhalle Düsseldorf, rbb-Rundfunksaal Berlin, Royal Theatre Thessaloniki, Beethovenhalle Bonn, Laeiszhalle Hamburg, Liederhalle Stuttgart, Musiktheater im Revier Gelsenkirchen and at the Ruhrtriennale.

She shared the stage with orchestras such as the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, the Philharmonie Südwestfalen, the Thessaloniki State Symphony Orchestra, the New Rheinisches Kammerorchester Köln and the New Philharmonie Westfalen.

Katerina is a first prize winner of the Golden Classical Music Awards 2020, the London International Music Competition, the eMuse International Music Competition and Alois Kottmann Prize. In 2015 she won the 1st prize at the Thöne International Competition, as well as the prize for the best interpretation of the contemporary commissioned work.

Katerina studied in Pre-College at RSH Düsseldorf with Prof. A. Kramarov and is a Master's graduate of HfMT Cologne, where she studied "Violin Solo" with Prof. A. Daskalakis and Musicology with a focus on "Artistic Development and Reflection".

She received further musical impulses at international master classes with Leonidas Kavakos, Pavel Vernikov, Andres Cardenes, Mauricio Fuks, Ida Kavafian, Barnabas Kelemen, Mihaela Martin, Pierre-Laurent Aimard, Evgueni Sinaiski and Anthony Spiri at the Kronberg Academy and at the Darmstadt Summer Courses for New Music, among others.