Kalomiris, Manolis

distinguished Greek composer and pedagogue; b. Smyrna, Dec. 26, 1883; d. Athens, April 3, 1962. Kalomiris studied composition and music history at the Conservatory of the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde in Vienna from 1901 to 1906. He then went to Russia, where he taught piano at a private school in Kharkov.

In 1911 Kalomiris settled in Athens, where he taught at the Conservatory until 1919. He was founder-director of the Hellenic Conservatory from 1919 to 1926 and of the National Conservatory from 1926 to 1948. He was greatly esteemed as a teacher. He published several textbooks on HARMONY, COUNTERPOINT, and ORCHESTRATION, and also wrote music criticism.

Kalomiris promoted Greek nationalism in his music. Almost all his works are based on Greek folk-song melodies or SCALES, and many are inspired by Hellenic subjects. In his harmonies and instrumentation he followed the Russian school of composition, with the added influence of RICHARD WAGNER, which was felt in his lush, bass-heavy accompaniments. His compositions include operas, orchestral works, chamber music, piano pieces, choruses, and songs.