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with music and receive instruction on their instru-
ment at the highest possible level. The long-term
objective of the workshop is to locate children from
all over Cyprus, aged three to ten years old, with a
special talent in music and interest in learning an or-
chestral string instrument.
The Violin Workshop is the first section of the
project operating at this moment. Thirty-five chil-
dren, aged between five and 15 years old, participate
in the workshop, selected at different periods of time
during the five years of the workshop’s operation.
The workshop operates under the supervision
and guidance of the distinguished virtuoso vio-
linist and music pedagogue Prof. Matheos Kari-
olou, who visits Cyprus regularly and works in-
tensively with the children. Professor Kariolou,
who lives and works inAustria at Anton Bruckn-
er Private University for Music in Linz, has vast
experience in teaching the violin to both children
of a very young age and older students, apply-
ing his own personal method of teaching. Pro-
fessor Kariolou’s assistants, who teach children
systematically, are Menelaos Menelaou, Rob-
ert Hovanesyan, Costas Demirtzoglou, Melina
Harrer-Kanthou, Sorin Alexandru Horlea and
Varvara Merzlova Peneva.
In the framework of the workshop’s operation, a
group of highly talented children has been selected
to form the ensemble,
Cyprus Young Strings Solo-
ists
. This ensemble has already performedwith great
success at various events and concerts.
In June 2010, Cyprus Young Strings Soloists were
given the unique opportunity, invited by His Excel-
lency the President of the Republic of Cyprus, Mr
Demetris Christofias, to perform in honour of His
Holiness Pope Benedict XVI on the occasion of
his Apostolic Journey to Cyprus. His Holiness ex-
pressed his great enthusiasmboth for the project and
for the children’s quality of performance.
In October 2010, the ensemble performed at the
Royal Conservatory of Brussels at a concert for the
celebration of the 50
th
anniversary of the Independ-
ence of the Republic of Cyprus. The young perform-
ers received a prolonged standing ovation from a
most enthusiastic audience. The concert was held
under the auspices of the former President of the Eu-
ropean Parliament, Dr Jerzy Buzek.
In November 2010, the ensemble presented a con-
cert at the famous
Musikverein
concert hall in Vien-
na. This performance was part of the formal celebra-
tions for the 50
th
anniversary of the Independence
of the Republic of Cyprus and was held under the
auspices of His Excellency the Federal President of
Austria, Dr Heinz Fischer, and His Excellency the
President of the Republic of Cyprus, Mr Demetris
Christofias. In particular, the performance in Vienna
has been characterised as “a performance to be re-
membered”.
A great success for the Cyprus Young Strings So-
loists is their recent competition distinction allow-
ing them to participate in the International Festival
Moscow meets friends,
organised by the famous
Vladimir Spivakov International Charity Founda-
tion being hosted next May inMoscow.