The Masterclass in vocal and piano accompaniment with countertenor Nikos Spanos and conductor Anastasios Strikos focuses on the creative and meaningful encounter between singer and accompanist at the piano. Whether it is the preparation and presentation of a Lied recital, or the training of the singer for an opera or oratorio performance, in which the pianist does not participate. Each phase of such a collaboration brings its own requirements and specificities, which vary depending on the style and language of the works.
Two friends and experienced artists with long-standing experience and international presence aspire to introduce participants to the secrets of interpretation, the creative process and a deeper understanding of the repertoire, offering valuable tools for their development on stage and in musical practice.
The seminar will end with a joint concert of participants and teachers.
Period: August 22 – 24, 2026 (arrival 21, departure 25 August)
Participation fee: €160.00 (€230.00 duo)
Registration until: July 1, 2026
Registration form: Vocal and Piano Accompaniment Masterclass 2026
Nicholas Spanos is an internationally famous countertenor. His lifelong passion for singing began in childhood and led him to study with renowned teachers, including Aris Christofellis in Greece and Linda Mabbs and Leon Major at the University of Maryland, where he earned a Master of Music in Voice/Opera Performance. He further refined his craft with a postgraduate course in Lied & Oratorio in Vienna. Spanos has performed as a soloist in opera, oratorio, and recitals worldwide and been acclaimed for his vocal and stage presence. He has collaborated with prestigious ensembles and orchestras, such as the Vienna State Opera, National Opera of Greece, Venice Baroque Orchestra, and Les Talens Lyriques, and has graced iconic venues like the Musikverein (Vienna), Théâtre des Champs-Élysées (Paris), and Sydney Recital Hall. A regular collaborator with early music ensembles like “Ex Silentio” and “Pandolfis Consort Wien,” Spanos has received numerous accolades, including the “Best Young Artist of the Year” award in Greece (2002) and First Prize at the “TECHNI” National Competition for Opera Singers (2006). His discography includes acclaimed recordings of Handel’s Oreste and Tamerlano, as well as albums like Adoration (2016) and Vivaldi: Nisi Dominus & Stabat Mater (2021). Based in Vienna, Spanos continues to captivate audiences worldwide with his artistry. https://nicholas-spanos.com
Anastasios Strikos was born in Athens in 1972. He holds a piano diploma with honors from the Attic Conservatory (class of Dionysis Mallouhou) and a degree in Theatre Studies from the University of Athens. He studied conducting with a scholarship from the Athens Academy at the Würzburg Academy of Music in the class of Dr. Hermann Dechant and Peter Falk, conducting and opera school respectively, and graduated with the post-graduate title Konzertdiplom. He participated in international conducting seminars and attended private lessons with Carlo Maria Giulini. He worked at the Würzburg Opera House as a music trainer and orchestra conductor. Later he worked as a pianist and conductor in the famous children’s choir Wiener Sängerknaben. His concert activity combines a wide range of repertoire, orchestras, choirs, halls and collaborators throughout Europe. He has also appeared in all the major concert halls of China, Korea and Macau. He has toured with over seventy ensembles throughout Europe, including the most important Youth Symphony Orchestras of America. In 2005 he founded the Ensemble Retro Wien. He teaches and conducts in seven languages and has occasionally translated plays and works of music theorists into Greek. http://www.strikos.at/