George Hadjinikos has a unique ability, arrived at through a deep understanding coupled with a natural intuition, to identify the true character of musical works. My own experience of this has been in the London series of workshops ‘Logic and Foundations of Interpretation’ in which Professor Hadjinikos looks into the roots of understanding of a work in such a way that the performance is a logical extension of these and so a natural communication. The transformation achieved during the sessions is astonishing. His communicative ability extends equally to his description of the works in which he transforms the gamut of specialist knowledge into a form understood by everyone without the condition of previous knowledge. In my opinion, George Hadjinikos is one of the very finest musicians and teachers we have today.
Michael Bochmann (Organizer of the London Seminars)
George Hadjinikos belongs absolutely to the first rank of his generation. Thanks to a quite exceptional talent and a most thorough musical knowledge, he excels equally as a pianist, an educator, and in particular both an orchestral and choral conductor
Carl Orff
For many years I have known and held in esteem George Hadjinikos, an outstanding musician, who has an intimate knowledge not only of established repertoire but also of all branches of modern music especially the work of Arnold Schoenberg and his Viennese School. To this must be added his theoretical knowledge and a remarkable flair for education. In this way he is predisposed to follow an extraordinary path in music.
Prof. Josef Rufer (Schoenberg’s assistant in Berlin)
We, the Maggini Quartet, have been coached by Professor George Hadjinikos over a period of many years in quartets ranging from Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven through to Ravel, Prokofiev and Schoenberg and his help has always been inspirational. He approaches music from its roots, his knowledge of which is enormous and ever-growing and often achieves results by ‘taking away’, allowing the music to be revealed, as opposed to adding musicality on the top, which is so common today. His workshops should not be missed.
David Angel (2nd violin, Maggini Quartet)
Dear George, I am sure that what I told you about my joy at your Carmina Burana last night was quite inadequate, but even as I write I know I cannot express in words the experience you and all your talented company gave me. This is what art is about – joy which cannot be defined but is felt in one’s bones and substance. And clearly this was in all your singers and players last night as well as in the audience. In life we know that vibrations radiate from everything, but so often we are not aware of them; last night the vibrations were audible and visible, and they added up to meaning and therefore affirmation and therefore joy in life. The faces of those children is something I shall never forget. You made us feel what a mockery most “music” is, with as much life as a bowler hat; Orff’s music grows from the roots. What pleasure!!
Idris Parry (Professor of German Literature, University of Manchester)
Dear Mr. Hadjinikos, Everyone concerned with the Cleveland Easter Orchestral Courses has been full of praise for the splendid music, which has been created during those very pleasant and interesting weeks. The course members in particular have been full of admiration for the enthusiasm and the brilliance of your teaching. In keeping with your own expressed philosophy of Music and Music-making, great things were achieved in the lives of the people fortunate enough to attend these courses. New friendships and the happiness that these created have all been part of this great project. Truly it has been for everyone a great personal experience.
L. Robinson (Principal, Cleveland Technical College)
My dear friend, I honestly have no way of telling you the extent of our gratitude for your Canford Choral Weekends. They have been the most worthwhile and successful ventures in the musical life of the school since I came 10 years ago.
B. Manning (Director of Music, Canford School)
How delighted we are to express today our affection and gratitude after 13 years of making music together. None of this would have been possible without your guiding hand which moulded and developed our musical sensibilities and abilities giving us the confidence to play music of unsurpassed beauty. Who will ever forget your mastery of each subject and your ability to make the philosophy behind the music comprehensible to us?
Arthur Price (Chairman of the Bury Symphony Orchestra)
The concert with works by Skalkottas that was given in the Herodes Atticus Theatre proved a surprise. For the first time the ‘composer of the intellectuals’ reached and captured the whole audience who, astounded, realized the richness of sonorities in his orchestration, as well as the endless colourful variety of his harmonies. Above all however, they realized how Skalkottas captures and expresses the soul of Hellenism. His outrageously difficult scores found ideal interpreters in George Hadjinikos with the Košice Orchestra. The continuous vitality together with the unfailing observation to each detail kept us spellbound and surprised to the end.
Kathimerini (leading Athens newspaper)
Dear George, Thank you for a quite exceptionally impressive concert, which included outstanding stretches in what is, texturally, one of the two most difficult works to play in our entire literature (the other is Schoenberg’s 3rd Quartet). The Mozart, likewise, evinced deeply understanding tempo characters and phrasings — though here, there are also one or two things that could be further developed not contradicting your marvellous, highly characteristic tempo definition. But let these tiny points not overshadow my enthusiastic reaction to one of the few musical concerts one has been allowed to hear!! Yours, Hans
Hans Keller (the outstanding musicologist and musician, concerning the London performance of Schoenberg’s Chamber Symphony No. 1 and Mozart’s Gran Partita for 13 Winds)
Dear Sir, I listened to your rendering of my “Six Preludes for Strings” with the most total delight. With your marvellous comprehension of my Preludes you know how to change the atmosphere with the most perfect authenticity six times, passing with subtlety from a common joke to poetry. (With Ulysses among your ancestors, this goes without saying, but it goes even better by pointing it out). Believe me your grateful admirer, Jean Françaix
Jean Françaix (the eminent French composer)
