Artists

Asterios Pouftis

Asterios Pouftis was born in Thessaloniki, Greece, in 1978. He began playing the cello at the age of ten, with prof. Russi Dragnev and he graduated from the Modern Conservatory of Music with Honorary Distinction. In September 1997 he was accepted at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, London, firstly in prof. Stefan Popov's class and later in prof. Oleg Kogan's class, where he graduated in June 2001, receiving his Bachelor of Music Degree, obtaining a scholarship from the Greek Foundation "ALEXANDRA TRIANTI". In July 2003, he completed his studies by receiving the Master’s Degree in Music Performance from the Guildhall, having obtained a scholarship from the Greek State Scholarship Foundation (I.K.Y).

He was awarded the Second Prize at the Volos International String Competition, Greece, where he performed Tchaikovky's "Variations on a Rococo Theme" in the final, under the baton of Symeon Kogan. He has also participated in numerous master classes with Ralph Kirshbaum, Boris Pergamenschikow, Heinrich Schiff, Leonid Gorokhov, Sergei Roldugin, Gunnar Kvarran, and has appeared in competitons such as DOUAI (2003), ARTURO BONUCCI (2004), ROSTROPOVICH (2005) and ADAM Festival in New Zealand (2006).

He has been a member of the Thessaloniki State Orchestra and has worked with conductors like Olaf Koch, etc. During his studies in London, he participated in orchestral master classes with Sir Simon Rattle, Sir Colin Davis, Kurt Masur and Leonard Slatkin. He also participated at the London Symphony Orchestra String Scheme Experience for the academic year 2002-2003, under the baton of David Zinman, Andre Previn, John Adams and Antonio Pappano.

He has performed throughout Greece, England, Germany and Serbia. He is a member of the “Duo Piacere”, the piano trio "Opus 1" and the string quartet "AQUARTET". Also, he is often performing together with the guitarist Nikos Zarkos rare repertoitre for cello and guitar. From September 2003, he has been appointed Co-Principal Director at the Athens State Symphony Orchestra.