The Acropolis Museum welcomes spring with a distinctive chamber music event in the Parthenon Gallery on Tuesday, 31 March 2026, as part of the "Music Walks" series organized by the Athens State Orchestra.

The Woodwind Quintet of the Athens State Orchestra (Vangelis Stathoulopoulos, Christina Pantelidou, Spyros Mourikis, Odysseas Basios and Grigoris Asonitis) together with percussionist Dimitris Desyllas, will perform two celebrated works in arrangements for this ensemble.

The programme brings into dialogue Antonín Dvořák and Manos Hadjidakis, two composers who may appear stylistically distant, yet share a deep lyrical sensibility and a remarkable gift for melody. Beyond the enduring charm of their music, they also share an intriguing biographical connection: both lived for several years in the United States, specifically in New York, Dvořák from 1892 to 1895 and Hadjidakis from 1966 to 1972.

The works presented in this concert, heard here in arrangements for woodwind ensemble, were written during their time in America and later became beloved landmarks in each composer’s oeuvre. Dvořák’s "American" Quartet remains a cornerstone of the chamber music repertoire and one of the best-known works of the Czech Romantic composer, while Hadjidakis’s The Smile of the Gioconda continues to captivate audiences with its distinctive atmosphere and poignant nostalgia.
 

PROGRAMME