Vangelis facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Vangelis
Vangelis at the premiere of El Greco in 2007
Background information
Native name	Βαγγέλης
Birth name	Evangelos Odysseas Papathanassiou
Born	(1943-03-29)29 March 1943 Agria, Greece
Died	17 May 2022(2022-05-17) (aged 79) Paris, France
Genres	Electronic ambient experimental classical progressive rock new-age
Occupation(s)	Composer arranger producer
Instruments	Keyboards synthesizers
Years active	1963–2022
Labels	Universal RCA Atlantic Sony Warner Bros. Polydor Deutsche Grammophon Decca

Evangelos Odysseas Papathanassiou (Greek: Ευάγγελος Οδυσσέας Παπαθανασίου 29 March 1943 – 17 May 2022), known as Vangelis, was a famous Greek musician. He was a keyboard player, composer, and producer. He created electronic music, progressive rock, ambient music, and classical orchestral pieces.

Vangelis is best known for his amazing music for movies. He won an Academy Award for his score for Chariots of Fire (1981). He also composed music for Blade Runner (1982), Missing (1982), and 1492: Conquest of Paradise (1992). His music was also used in the TV series Cosmos: A Personal Voyage by Carl Sagan.

Vangelis had a music career that lasted over 50 years. He made more than 50 albums. He is considered one of the most important people in electronic music and modern film music. He often played many electronic instruments by himself, like a "one-man orchestra".

Early Life and Music Beginnings

Evangelos Odysseas Papathanassiou was born on March 29, 1943. His hometown was Agria, a coastal town in Greece. He grew up in Athens. His father loved music, and his mother was a trained singer.

Vangelis started loving music at age four. He would play on the family piano. He even experimented with sounds by putting nails and kitchen pans inside it! When he was six, his parents tried to give him music lessons. But Vangelis preferred to learn on his own. He never learned to read or write music. He played everything from memory. He felt lucky he didn't go to music school. He thought it might have stopped his creativity.

As a child, Vangelis was influenced by Greek traditional music. When he was 12, he became interested in jazz and rock music. At 15, he started a band with his school friends. In 1963, he formed a rock band called The Forminx. They played their own songs and covers. The band became popular in Europe before they broke up in 1966.

A Career in Music

Vangelis started his professional career in the 1960s. He was part of the rock band The Forminx. Later, he joined another band called Aphrodite's Child. Their album 666 (1972) is now a classic in progressive rock.

Vangelis moved to Paris, France. He became known for his music for animal documentaries. These included L'Apocalypse des Animaux and La Fête sauvage. He also released his first solo albums during this time.

In 1975, Vangelis moved to London. He built his own recording studio called Nemo Studios. There, he released many successful albums for RCA Records. Some of these were Heaven and Hell (1975) and China (1979). From 1979 to 1986, he worked with Yes singer Jon Anderson. They released several albums as Jon and Vangelis.

Vangelis became very famous in the 1980s and 1990s. His music for Chariots of Fire (1981) won him an Academy Award. The main theme from the film became a number one hit in the U.S. His music for 1492: Conquest of Paradise (1992) also sold millions of copies. It topped the music charts in Europe.

Vangelis also composed the official song for the 2002 FIFA World Cup. In his later years, he worked with NASA and ESA. He created music for space projects like Mythodea (1993) and Juno to Jupiter (2021). Juno to Jupiter was his last studio album.

Life and Interests

Vangelis was a very private person. Not much is known about his personal life. He rarely gave interviews. He didn't settle in one place. Instead, he chose to "travel around". He owned a house near the Acropolis of Athens in Greece.

Vangelis did not have children. He was married twice. One of his wives was Veronique Skawinska, a photographer. She created artwork for some of his albums.

Vangelis loved Ancient Greek philosophy. He was also fascinated by the science of music and sound. Space exploration was another big interest for him. Every day, he would combine and play his electronic instruments and the piano. He also enjoyed painting. His first art show, with 70 paintings, was held in Spain in 2003.

Vangelis passed away on May 17, 2022, in Paris. He was 79 years old. He died from heart failure.

Musical Style

Vangelis's music style was very varied. He mainly used electronic music instruments, like synthesizers. But his music was a mix of many styles. It included electronica, classical, progressive rock, jazz, and ambient music.

Some people called his music "New-age music". However, Vangelis himself didn't like this label. He once said that New-age music was a style where "untalented people" made "very boring music".

Instruments and Gear

Vangelis mostly composed and played on keyboards. He used synthesizers a lot. But his first instrument was the piano. He also played many acoustic and folk instruments when needed. He was a skilled percussionist. He played drums, vibraphone, gongs, and other instruments. On some albums, he used a live choir and a classical singer.

Awards and Recognition

Vangelis received many honors during his life.

• In 1989, he won the Max Steiner Award.
• France made him a Knight of the Order of the Arts and Letters in 1992. He was promoted to Commander in 2017. He also became a Knight of the National Order of the Legion of Honour in 2001.
• In 1995, a minor planet was named after him: 6354 Vangelis.
• He received awards at the World Music Awards in 1996 and 1997.
• NASA gave him their Public Service Medal in 2003. This is the highest honor NASA gives to people not in the U.S. government.
• In 2008, the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens gave him an honorary doctoral degree. This made him a professor emeritus.
• In 2013, he appeared on a Greek postage stamp. This was part of a series honoring famous Greeks.
• The American Film Institute nominated his music for Blade Runner and Chariots of Fire for their list of the 25 greatest film scores.

Discography

Studio Albums

Soundtracks

See also

In Spanish: Vangelis para niños