«Qua'SH» - The “Quartet of sensation and hallucination"
Theodoros Kotepanos - piano
Kostas Raptis - bayan
Panos Dimitrakopoulos - kanun
Giorgos Arnis - doublebass
The “Quartet of sensation and hallucination” or Qua΄SH founded in 2004 in response to the challenge of presenting a sonically complete performance of Manos Hadjidakis’ orchestral works by a small ensemble.
Writing for quartet constituted the mature contribution of [arranger] Theodoros Kotepanos, one of Hatzidakis’s closest collaborators in his later years, to the interpretation of the composer’s work.
With the subsequent addition of works by three other composers - Michael Kamen, Nicola Piovani, and René Aubry - the quartet presented a concert program, thereby finalizing its lineup, featuring Giorgos Arnis, Panos Dimitrakopoulos, and Kostas Raptis - three of the most creative Greek soloists on the double bass, the kanun, and the accordion, respectively.
It has performed at various festivals and concerts, as well as at the official premiere screening of D. Vernikos’ film Idol in the Mirror (Idolo ston kathrefti).
Kamen, Piovani, and Aubry are, in a sense, heirs to Hatzidakis, as evidenced by their statements regarding the significant influence he had on them at the beginning of their careers as composers.
Michael Kamen was the oboist and one of the vocalists in the youth band “New York Rock and Roll Ensemble”. The result of their collaboration with M. Hatzidakis was the iconic album “Reflections.” Later, Kamen went on to become a prominent composer of film music as well as symphonic works, with an emphasis on the solo repertoire for wind instruments. A talented orchestrator, he collaborated with Metallica, among others, and was chosen by Pink Floyd to arrange the symphonic orchestration of “The Wall.”
Nicola Piovani is, for many, the natural successor to Nino Rota in Italian film music. An Oscar winner, he has composed more than 150 film scores. He met Manos Hatzidakis as his “assistant composer” on the production of the film “Martlet’s Tale,” from which the song “Ballad of the Senses and Illusions” originated. They became friends, and as they discussed the youthful compositions of the young Nicola, Manos encouraged him to incorporate the folk tradition he loved so much into his music. Shortly thereafter, in fact, it was Manos himself who recommended him to Federico Fellini for a collaboration.
René Aubry composed instrumental music primarily for ballet and puppet theater productions. He collaborated with leading figures in these fields, such as Pina Bausch, Carolyn Carlson, and Philippe Genty. His idiosyncratic music has a greater impact than his name itself, a testament to a modest and substantive artist who, though a fan of live performances, chose not to write songs, thus resisting the siren call of fame. His music for the film “Killer Kid” reached the most remote corners of the globe. He describes himself as a student of Hatzidakis, even though they never met in person—only through their music. He has dedicated an entire album to the Greek composer and never misses an opportunity to mention the musical and orchestral influence he has had on him.