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Venezuelan American pianist, composer, conductor of European Heritage. She started her musical studies at the age of three in Caracas, Venezuela. She later moved to Paris where she studied music at The Ecole Martenot and attended L'Universite Sorbonne de Paris. She received her Bachelor of Arts and Music at the Universidad Central de Venezuela. In the 90's, she established herself in South Florida where she received a Masters in Piano Performance at University of Miami and a second Master in Music Theory and Composition also from the University of Miami. She Later studied Conducting and Composition in England and is presently pursuing Doctoral Studies in Music in the USA.

 

Pianist:

       Sylvia studied piano with Rosalina Sackstein, former student of the world famous pianist Claudio Arrau. She has also received master classes from some of the world’s major artists including: Paul Badura-Skoda, Jose Fegali, Maria Joao Pires, Stephen Hugh, Dimitri Bashkirov, Walter Blakenheim and others.

       Sylvia Constantinidis was already established as a pianist in Venezuela when she left in the 1990's. In South America, she toured several times and played as a soloist with orchestras. In 1987 she published her first recording: a collection of Venezuelan Classical music from the XIX century, Very well received by the critics. She has been recognized by the Venezuelan Government with two 'Artist in Residence' Grants from the CONAC –Cultural National Council-, and, two 'Gran Mariscal de Ayacucho' Grants for her undergraduate and later graduate studies. She has also received scholarships from the University of Miami, the Van Cliburn Piano Festival, the Canford Music Festival and the Paloma O’shea Piano Festival, among others.

       She has participated in concerts and music festivals in Spain, France, England, Czech Republic, Ukrane, her native country of Venezuela, as well as Central and South America and the USA.

 

Composer:

       Sylvia has been writing music since the age of twelve. Her composition teachers include Belgian composer Eric Colon, American composer Dennis Kam, Czech composer Ladislav Kubik and British composer Malcolm Singer. She studied orchestration with composer John Vander Slice and composer John Wallace. She has also attended forums and master classes with American composers Steve Reich and Phillip Glass.   

       Her compositions include works for piano solo, voice, chamber music and orchestra; must of her music has already recorded. Her work has been extensively performed in Europe, the USA and the Americas. Between others, her work has been featured at the “Festival of Miami -Emerging Composers Night-“, University of Miami “Twilight Composers Series”, Society of Composers’ Winter and Spring Concerts, Miami Dade College Festival of The Arts, Miami Dade College New Millennium Concert Series, Steinway Concert Series, College of Music Society Composers Concerts, CMS National Conference Artist Engagement Concerts, National Associations of Composers USA –NACUSA- Composers Concert Series, and Flamingo Festival Concerts. Her work has been performed in Europe at the Czech-American Contemporary Composers Festival, Czech Republic, at the Canford Composer’s Concerts, England, Sherborne Composer’s Concerts, England, The Euroamerican festival Concerts, Spain, DMIMF in Bulgaria, and the DMIMF in Italy and at other European Venues. 

       In 2009 and 2010, Two of her orchestral works were premiered in Ukrane by the Kharkov Philharmonic.   In 2007, her composition, “The Macondo Poems,” won the “ERM International Masterworks of the New Era Composers Competition,” and released in The ERM Masterwork of the New Era Series Volume XIV on February 2009. Later, this work, “The Macondo Poems,” was invited for nomination at the Latin Grammys 2009. Earlier in 2006, the publication of three of her compositions, -“The Macondo Poems” for Woodwind Quintet, the Suite “Rubi ‘n Stone” for piano, and the “Suite Infantil” for piano,- were featured at the MDC Miami International Book Fair.  Sylvia has been awarded, several times, the ASCAP-PLUS Award, as composer of Concert Music.

       Her music has been performed in readings, concerts and recorded by: the Leandro-Kim duo, the Conservatory of Puerto Rico Woodwind Quintet, the University of Miami New Music Ensemble, the South Florida Youth Symphony, the South Hialeah Youth String Orchestra, the Amadeus Sinfonietta, the SouthEast Contemporary Chamber Orchestra “SECCO Sinfonietta", the University of Miami Frost Symphony Orchestra, the Omorphia Contemporary Chamber Ensemble, the Prague Radio Symphony, the Euroamerican Contemporary Chamber Orchestra “ECCO Sinfonietta” and the Kharkov Philharmonic, the Pleven Philharmonic of Bulgaria, the Baccau Philharmonic and the Rumanina State Symphony  between others.    

       Sylvia is a Composer-Artist-in-Residence for the vocal ensemble “Per Passione” in Arhus, Denmark, for wish she is presently working on an extensive commission for a 2012 concert tour. In addition, she is a composer in Residence for the Omorfia Ensemble, the Orchestral Chamber Ensembles SECCO and ECCO. She is presently working on commissions for several ensembles including orchestras of the Venezuelan “EL SISTEMA” and several internationally known solo artists.

       Sylvia’s compositions have been performed on the radio throughout the five continents. In addition to commissions for piano, ensembles and the orchestral medium, Sylvia has also written several works of music for films by commission.

 

Music Education:

       Sylvia is a strong advocator for music education. In the year 2000, she represented the State of Florida, In Washington DC, as part of a national team of MENC members who spoke before the Congress of the United States of America about the importance of music education, music programs in the schools and music education for early childhood. Sylvia Constantinidis was  also invited by the Spanish series 'Primeros Pasos' (First Steps) to speak in telev1ision about the benefits of music education for early childhood development. For many years, this interview has been broadcast often throughout the Ibero-American Television (more than seventy stations). She has also been feature as a Music Educator on a special edition of the Miami Herald, Miami USA.     

       As a music educator, Sylvia has been recognized with several awards including several grants from 'The Education Funds' for her “Opera Adventure Project”, and a Miami Dade College "Learning Innovations Apple Grant". She has also been honored with 'The Music Note Award 2003', a recognition given by the Patronesses of the Opera and the Kennedy Foundation, for the writing of her three Children’s Operas performed at Miami Dade-County Public School System to promote music in the schools. In South Florida, she has also been invited as a lecturer for several Music Educators Conferences. Sylvia has also participated as consultant/member of many important curriculum and instruction, accreditation, and other educational committees at the college level.

       Sylvia also teaches music at several local Colleges and Universities in South Florida. She serves regularly as judge on music competitions and grant selection committees. And, she serves regularly as board member and/or chairman of several cultural and arts committees.  In addition to her professional engagements, she regularly publishes educational compositions for Piano, Ensembles, Band and String Orchestra. She has also published an extensive music method for piano, music theory, and solfege and is presently working on other methodological materials.

 

Conducting:

       As a conductor, Sylvia has participated in concerts and music festivals in Spain, England, Venezuela, Ukrane, and the USA. While still very young in Venezuela, Sylvia studied Orchestral Conducting with the famous Japanese conductor Akira Endo.  And, in Miami, she studied conducting with American Composer-Conductor Thomas Sleeper. And later, in England, she continued advanced conducting studies with George Hurst, Denisse Hahn, Rodolfo Saglimbeni and Robert Houlighan.  Earlier, in Venezuela, she held a Fellowship Teaching Position at the Famous "EL SISTEMA," -Sistema de Orquestas Juveniles e Infantiles de Venezuela (FESNOJIV). Later in South Florida, she created the 'South Hialeah Elementary String Orchestra' for a MDCPS-school. Under Ms. Constantinidis artistic direction, this youth orchestra program won national first prize for 'Elementary String orchestras' at the Music USA Festival 2001, 2002 and 2003. From 2001 to the Summer of 2005, she was also an Associate Conductor for the South Florida Youth Symphony Elementary Division.  In 2008, in South Florida, she founded the "Amadeus-Youth Symphony of Florida. This  new youth orchestra program is modeled after the philosophical ideas of "EL SISTEMA."  Though this program she hopes to help make a reality the musical dreams of many future talents. 

       Furthermore, Sylvia is the founder and Music Director of the Omorfia Contemporary Ensemble, which made its debut in 2006 at The Festival of Miami. She is also the executive and music director of SECCO, the Southeast Contemporary Composers Chamber Orchestra, and ECCO, the Euroamerican Contemporary Chamber Orchestra, Both ensembles are dedicated to the promotion and performance of Orchestra New-Music. She has also participated in concerts conducting and premiering Contemporary Music works by her and other composers with the Kharkov Philharmonic, the Pleven Philharmonic of Bulgaria, the Baccau Philharmonic of Rumania and the Rumanina State Symphony between others.  

 

New-Music Advocator and Activist:

       Sylvia is a strong advocator and promoter of New Music. She is the founder and present President of the SouthEast Chapter of NACUSA, -(National Association of Composers of The United States of America South-Eastern States Division including South-Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Florida and Puerto Rico). She also serves as Board Member of the National Advisory Council of NACUSA and was also elected in 2011  as member of the Officers Council of the organization.    Sylvia has also great interest on the cultivation of new audiences for contemporary music. With this goal, she recently created the Flamingo International New Music Festival in South Florida and the Euroamerican Festival in Europe.  Throughout different events, these festivals promote classical New Music, Electro-Acoustic Music as well as Visual-Music and Music Installations.

 

Latin American Studies:

       Sylvia is celebrated as an Ambassador of Latin American Music. In addition to recording an extensive repertoire in the field, she performs it regularly worldwide. Her scholar work also includes several research projects, and, many lectures in the subject given in the Americas and in Europe.