– A review in the Dutch press compared the GYSO’s sound under Dionysis Grammenos to that of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra under Sir John Eliot Gardiner –
Amsterdam, August 6th, 2025 – Another internationally acclaimed appearance was added to the achievements of the Greek Youth Symphony Orchestra (GYSO), which was invited by the prestigious Concertgebouw in Amsterdam and gave a captivating sold-out concert, leaving both audience and critics deeply impressed.
Under the refined yet dynamic baton of its conductor, Dionysis Grammenos, and with celebrated pianist Anna Fedorova as soloist, the GYSO presented a demanding program of works by Johannes Brahms, Sergei Rachmaninoff, and James MacMillan — brought vividly to life through the passion and artistry of its young musicians.
The evening opened with Larghetto for Orchestra by contemporary composer James MacMillan. This rarely performed piece, rendered in an atmospheric and deeply moving interpretation, captivated the audience from the very first notes.
Pianist Anna Fedorova on stage with the GYSO
© George Xigos
After this piece, the orchestra was joined by pianist Anna Fedorova, who delivered a blazing performance of Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 1. This marked her second collaboration with the GYSO, following their appearance together at Megaron – the Athens Concert Hall in 2021. With her dazzling technique and boundless expressiveness, Fedorova breathed new life into this early work of the Russian composer. Critic Willem Boone noted in the Dutch magazine De Nieuwe Muze that “Fedorova plays Rachmaninoff exactly the way you want to hear him: with emotion, but without sentimentality; with an awareness of the hidden charm within the music, rather than relying solely on virtuosity or stormy drama”.
Excerpt from the Finale of Symphony Νο. 3 by Johannes Brahms
The program continued with Brahms’s Symphony No. 3, a landmark of the Romantic repertoire. Writing in De Nieuwe Muze about the performance, Boone noted: “The lightness of sound that Grammenos drew from the orchestra was impressive, much in the same way Sir John Eliot Gardiner once achieved with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra a few seasons ago.”
The review also highlighted: “In the second movement, Andante, the warmth of the strings and the clarity of the winds stood out. It was a moment full of sensitivity, at times reminiscent of chamber music. Here too, the conductor’s elegant direction was evident. He let the orchestra play naturally throughout, with breathing tempi. As a result, the third movement, Poco allegretto, was “truly” an allegretto. The orchestra performed it with feeling, yet never once overstated it. The audience clearly felt the same, breaking into spontaneous applause at the end of this movement.”
Standing ovation for the GYSO at the Concertgebouw
Following a prolonged standing ovation, the orchestra’s musicians came together as a choir to perform Rachmaninoff’s Bogoroditse Devo from his composition All-Night Vigil, one of his most profoundly spiritual works.
As a second encore, the GYSO performed again the third movement of Brahms’ Symphony No. 3, whose lyricism makes it the most beloved movement of this work.
The GYSO at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam
© George Xigos
The Concertgebouw, one of Europe’s most renowned concert halls, marked another milestone in the GYSO’s distinguished international presence, following its appearances at Carnegie Hall in New York City, Konzerthaus Berlin, and St Martin-in-the-Fields church in London. In the current artistic season, highlights include the orchestra’s much-anticipated concert on December 20th, 2025, at Megaron – the Athens Concert Hall, joined on stage by the world-class violinist Leonidas Kavakos and the multi-awarded young cellist Timotheos Gavriilidis-Petrin, under the baton of Dionysis Grammenos.
GYSO’s concert at the Concertgebouw was supported by the John S. Latsis Public Benefit Foundation, which is the orchestra’s Founding Donor, and by AEGEAS Non-profit Civil Company.
The work of the GYSO is also supported by the Hellenic Parliament, the Bank of Greece, The Hellenic Initiative, Bodossaki Foundation, Sealink Navigation, and Aegean Airlines, as the orchestra’s Official Air Carrier Sponsor.
