“An Odyssey to a Starting Point”

Virtuoso Mandolinist Dimitris Marinos presents MUSIC ANALECTS VI, “An Odyssey to a Starting Point” Sunday, May 18th at 4:00 pm in Symphony Center’s Buntrock Hall, 220 S. Michigan Avenue. This program follows as a continuation of Marinos’ concept the Music Analects, and will endeavor to render new sounds for the mandolin through extended contrapuntal techniques. Dimitris Marinos hails from Zakynthos, Greece and has commissioned nearly 100 new works for mandolin and various instrumentations. Since 2005 he has been involved with the development of the Music Analects, which premiered that year at the historic Teatro Fraschini, in Pavia, Italy with the participation of artists from Zakynthos in the auspices of the municipality of Zakynthos under Dionisis Gasparos. Until today, this concept included other artistic modes as well, such as dance, multimedia, theatre, and literature, which together enabled the unification of a form consisting of different genres of music, such as folk, classical and contemporary, with the mandolin serving in a pivotal role. DESCRIPTION The meaning of “analects” has various origins, beginning with the ancient Chinese philosopher Confucius, whose Analects literally translated to “selected sayings.” The word “analects” (in Latin, “analecta” and in Greek “analekta” or ana-legein, which means ‘to gather up’) embodies two meanings: on the one hand, it means to gather or collect together excerpts, extracts, or selections from lengthier works of literature, or philosophy by one or different authors. On the other hand, “analects” also carries the original meaning by Confucius; a set of abstract, yet also concrete and immediate instructions, intended to serve as a set of behavioral and ethical guidelines for daily activities. Marinos takes these various, nuanced meanings of the “analects” and brings them to their intended fruition through music. Acting as both a collection of musical excerpts set into dialogue through the mandolin as mediator, the analects embody both the moral imperative set forth by Confucius, and the Platonic goal of self- governmentality: to gather up – or ana-legein—the fragmented inner struggles of man and make him whole again, by imparting an ethical wisdom that will not only improve man’s moral condition and that of society, but also to lead to an enlightened state of being. Music Analects VI thus takes the musical works of different times and styles and tells the story of not only how they came to be, but also communicates the notion that music is itself transformative—and more so—a profound, interpretive hermeneutic in which one can consider the concept of transformation itself. Telling the story of music through music, Music Analects VI will include music by Bach, Bartok, Berio, Beethoven, Xenakis, Mamangakis, Lapidakis, Kalogeras, Lombardo and Lagios. Contributing Writer: Jessica Sellountos “I am not leaving. I just came back. I walked round the circle and I came back to the starting point. In front of the door where I started on. I repeat but I do not repeat myself. I come back but I do not step backwards. I bit my tail and came to life. I was wounded while searching for new blood. I let it flow in my veins. I return… I recapture… Everything seeks for its name. Its lost last name. They explore the identity of future. Place and time are human weaknesses. Cruel invention. I am in pain, so I exist and I exist so as to be in pain. When the curtain falls, the show begins. The tear, Friday’s joy. We leave so as to return. Place and time are human inconsiderations.” Poetry by Dionisis Flemotomos, written for Music Analects II, English Translation: Denise Panayiotopoulou Media Sponsors: Photography and Design: David Kogan, DKP Image + Media Inc, Sotiris Rekoumis, “The Chicago Greek Hours”, Karin Pritikin