korte biografie in NL
Composition
Nasopoulou's classical background gives to her work a profound and dynamic contemporary expressiveness. A large number of her pieces are inspired by poetry from a variety of writers and from past and present times. By working with these texts she creates the concepts for her musical forms of which many are theatre oriented.
Her compositions, which are ranging from solo and ensemble pieces to dance and vocal music, reveal a wide sound pallete. e.g. in the piece 'Five single breaths' for accordion and Japanese sho one can hear the unexpected combination of instruments, blending in sound and impact.
"..Nasopoulou gets the incentive price for her piece for recorders quintet 'Lelia Doura' in which she combines modern compositions techniques and unusual rhythms with Medieval texts and chants. In that way she makes a beautiful connection with tradition and the past.......also special is the music that Nasopoulou wrote to 'Nachtwerk', the poetry cycle in seven parts of Micha Hamel, who himself recites his verses with DoelenKwartet. With subtle musical gestures Nasopoulou accentuates a word, an underlying meaning, not a moment drowning out the performer."
(Thea Derks about 'Lelia Doura' & 'Nachtwerk')
In her collaborations with stage directors, writers, dancers, visual artists, designers and other musicians she explores the boarders of disciplines and genres.Among these : Nicola Hepp, Horst Rickels, Oscar Hahn, Miranda Lakerveld, Micha Hamel, Henk van der Waal, Mehmet Polat, Kristjan Martinson, Michal Tsalka.
Nasopoulou is since January 2021 the new artistic directror of het Orkest De Ereprijs.
Together with Fie Schouten is curating since 2019 the concert series for chamber contemporary music Nieuwe Noten Amsterdam at Plein Theater.From 2016-2020 she was coordinating the residency Composer’s Treat, hosted by Cultureland a non- profit organization in Buitenwerkplaats, Starnmeerdijk. She was modeling and running the workshop series ‘De componist’ (2006-2009) in the historical Huize Gaudeamus (former Walter Maas Huis).
Nasopoulou is teaching piano in conservatories in Greece and at the British School of Amsterdam for more than two decades now.
Performances
Nasopoulou’s pieces have been commissioned and performed internationally by acclaimed soloists and ensembles in concerts and festivals. Among them Ralph van Raat, Bram van Sambeek, Wishful Singing female a cappella, DoelenKwartet & Micha Hamel (NL), Joe Puglia, Seldom Sene Recorder Quintet, Adam Ørvad (DK), Trygve Brøske (NO), November Music, Nederlandse Muziekdagen, Opening of the 45th & 48th Poetry International Rotterdam, Dutch Harp Festival , Grachtenfestival, Gaudeamus Music Week, Haäpavesi Folk Music Festival, Glass Worlds-Hommages to Philip Glass Paris, Saxophone Festival Ferno, Nordic Historical Keyboard Festival, Percussion Festival Paris, Concertgebouw, Van Gogh Museum, De Pont Museum, National Greek Opera, Athens Concert Hall, Iturbi hall Palau de la Musica, Valencia, UNAM University of Mexico, National Chiao Tung University, Taiwan, Gusman Concert Hall, Miami.
Nasopoulou’s music is being broadcast in the Concertzender and Radio 4 in the Netherlands and in stations in Belgium, Greece and via online platforms. Portraits of her work have been presented in film evenings and in theater shows like ‘Meet the composer!’
Awards
In 2012 Nasopoulou received the incentive prize from the MCN & Donemus Publishing Composition Competition with the piece Lelia Doura for the Seldom Sene Recorder quintet, based on cantiga d’amigos. She won in 2014 the 1st Jury and the Public prize in the Tristan Keuris Componisten Concours with the piece Nanourisma for piano, flute and bassoon.
The piece Olinda for solo piano was selected for the ‘24Fingerprints’, recorded by Ralph van Raat for the Buma Classical Convention 2015 and was one month online on 24Classics.The piece JoHaKyu received honourable mention in Classic Pure Vienna International Competition in 2019.
Nasopoulou has been elected as a permanent member of the Union of Hellenic Composers in 2002, and she is a member of Nieuw Geneco. Her music is published by Donemus.
Education
Aspasia Nasopoulou studied Piano (diploma with honors from the Conservatory of Piraeus, Greece), Composition (diploma with honors from the "N.Skalkottas" Conservatory, prof. M. Travlos) and Geology (Bachelor of Science from the National University of Athens, Greece). She continued her studies in Composition -with a scholarship from the Propondis Foundation- at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam (Bachelor and Master's degrees) with Wim Henderickx and Fabio Nieder (specialization: contemporary music in combination with contemporary dance). She was guest researcher at University of Amsterdam for the academic year '05-'06 on the subject Musicality of Bacchae by Euripides.