Dimitris Sgouros facts for kids

Dimitris Sgouros (Greek: Δημήτρης Σγούρος) is a famous Greek classical pianist, born on August 30, 1969. He was an amazing child prodigy, meaning he had incredible talent from a very young age. Many people consider him one of the best concert pianists in the world. The legendary pianist Arthur Rubinstein once said that Sgouros's playing was "the best playing I have ever heard."

Early Life and Amazing Talent

Dimitris Sgouros started playing the piano when he was just six years old. A year later, he gave his very first public performance. When he was eight, he joined the Athens Conservatoire, a special music school, where he studied with Maria Herogiorgiou-Sigara.

Between 1978 and 1983, Dimitris won many important music competitions. These included a UNICEF competition in Bulgaria in 1979 and another competition in Ancona, Italy, in 1980. He also won two competitions in his hometown of Athens. In 1982, he received the Leonardo da Vinci International Award, which is a big honor.

Becoming a World-Class Pianist

In 1982, when Dimitris Sgouros was only 12 years old, he made his debut at Carnegie Hall in New York City. This is a very famous concert hall where many great musicians perform. He played Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 3 with the National Symphony Orchestra, led by the famous conductor Mstislav Rostropovich.

By mid-1983, before he even turned 13, Dimitris graduated from the Athens Conservatoire. He earned a professor's diploma, a teacher's diploma, a first prize, and a gold medal. He continued his studies at the Royal Academy of Music in London and the University of Maryland, College Park in the United States. He achieved the highest grades ever given at the Royal Academy. Besides music, Dimitris Sgouros also studied mathematics at the University of Oxford.

Concerts and Recordings

Dimitris Sgouros has performed in many countries around the world. These include Australia, China, France, Germany, Japan, Russia, and South Africa. He has even played for the royal families of Britain, Monaco, and Sweden.

He has worked with many famous conductors, such as Herbert von Karajan, Leonard Bernstein, and Kurt Masur. Dimitris has also recorded music for different record labels, including Dino Music and EMI. Since 1988, special "Sgouros Festivals" have been held in cities like Hamburg, Ljubljana, and Singapore to celebrate his music.

Dimitris Sgouros has also appeared on television. He was on NBC's The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson and performed Chopin's 1st Piano Concerto in a televised concert. An Oscar-winning director, François Reichenbach, even made a documentary film about him.

See also

• List of classical pianists
• List of classical pianists (recorded)
• List of music prodigies