NICOLAS VASSILIOU
Conductor and Pianist
Opera Class and Performance Practice Class, The Musical Horizons Conservatory

Since 1994, conductor and pianist Nicolas Vassiliou has participated in the musical preparation of more than 60 productions at the Greek National Opera including Puccini’s Turandot, Mascagni’s Cavalleria rusticana, Leoncavallo’s I Pagliacci, and Strauss’ Die Fledermaus. From 2001-2003, Mr. Vassiliou was the company’s Assistant Director of the Choir; in 2005, he was appointed Director of the Choir, a position he held until 2011. Since 2011, he has been Assistant Principal Conductor of contemporary opera productions and Head of Studies at the ELS Opera Studio. As a Principal Conductor, he has worked with the Athens State Orchestra, the Orchestra of Colours, and the Greek National Opera Orchestra, and his works have been performed at the Athens Concert Hall.

Mr. Vassiliou has given numerous concerts at the Parnassus Hall in Athens and at cultural events in various municipalities. He has taught music in secondary education and at the Philippos Nakas Conservatory, as well as piano and choir conducting at the National Conservatory of Athens since 1995. As Director of the Children's Choir “Manolis Kalomiris” from 1992 until 2000, he worked with the Greek National Opera, the Athens and Epidaurus Festival, and the Athens Concert Hall.
 
Born in Athens, Greece, Mr. Vassiliou received his piano diploma from the National Conservatory of Athens under the tutelage of Hara Kalomiri. Mr. Vassiliou also attended lessons at The Juilliard School in New York, and with scholarships awarded to him by the Academy of Athens and the Sir Alexander Gibson Memorial Fellowship for Choral Conductors, at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Theatre in Glasgow.