Dimitris Kostopoulos

Dimitris Kostopoulos was born in 1984, and grew up in Bodø, Norway. He is among the leading Norwegian pianists of his generation, and holds a Master’s degree in piano from the Barratt Due Institute of Music and the Norwegian Academy of Music in Oslo. His main teacher was the recognized Czech professor Jiri Hlinka. In addition to this, he has participated in masterclasses with the Norwegian professor Einar Steen-Nøkleberg, the Dutch professor Marcel Baudet and the Swedish professor Hans Pålsson. He as also studied the work of Dorothy Taubman and Edna Golandsky through the Taubman Techniques.

Professional concert pianist

Dimitris Kostopoulos has established himself as a professional concert pianist with performances at several of Norway’s most famous music festivals and concert halls. His performances as pianist includes the Bergen International Music Festival, ULTIMA Contemporary Music Festival, Oslo Grieg Festival, The Hemsing Festival, Nordland Music Festival, the Music Festival of Northern Norway, the Northern Light Festival and the Opera in Oslo, Oslo Concert Hall and many other venues. In addition to this, he has performed regularly abroad giving concerts in Sweden, Vietnam, Portugal, Lithuania, France, the Netherlands, Belgium, South Africa, Italy and Russia.

Broad experience as a soloist

As a soloist, Kostopoulos has performed with many orchestras, including the Vietnam National Symphony Orchestra, Lithuaninan State Symphony Orchestra, Oslo Camerata, Tromsø Symphony Orchestra, Barratt Due Symphony Orchestra, Banda Sinfonica da PSP, Bodø Sinfonietta, the MiNensemble, Narvik City Symphony Orchestra, Bodø City Symphony Orchestra and LVO. Kostopoulos has worked with conductors such as Bjarte Engeseth, Arvid Engegård, Stephan Barratt-Due, Pierre-André Valade, Jonathan Stockhammer, Torodd Wigum, Alf Richard Kraggerud, Terje Boye Hansen, Jan Ludvig Jacobsen and Nicolas Carthy.

Devotion to chamber music from young age

Another important part of Kostopoulos’ career is his devotion to chamber music. His mother was a professional soprano, and already from the age of 13 he started to accompany her and perform concerts with her. Since then chamber music has been a natural part of his work as a pianist, resulting in collaborations with many of Norway’s leading musicians such as Catharina Chen, Guro Kleven Hagen, Audun Sandvik, Bjarne Magnus Jensen, Ragnhild Hemsing, Eldbjørg Hemsing, Cathrine Bullock, Ingebjørg Kosmo, Angelica Voje, Christian Mortensen and others.

Internationally recognized and rewarded

Since 2003, he has devoted parts of his time to participation in international competitions. This has resulted in 1st prize in the Grand Prize Virtuoso International Music Competition, Rome; 1st prize for duos in Citta di Padova together with violist Lazar Miletic; 3rd prize in Concours Grieg plus the special prize for the best interpretation of Edvard Grieg; 3rd prize in the Tromsø Talentiade performing as a soloist with Tromsø Symphony Orchestra; participation in Top of The World International Piano Competition and reaching the finals in the Rudolf Firkusny International Piano Competition.

Since 2011 he has held the position as pianist in the MiNensemble. This is a chamber music ensemble based in northern Norway, touring throughout Norway as well as internationally.