Costas Fotopoulos

Curriculum Vitae —

Costas Fotopoulos Composer/Pianist
Date and Place of Birth: 21 November 1974, London
Nationality: British

Education (institutions)

Royal Academy of Music, London

Associate of the Royal Academy of Music (A.R.A.M.): 2007 Honorary Award
M.Mus (piano performance): 1997-1999 Pass with Distinction
B.Mus (piano performance): 1993-1997 First Class Honours
L.R.A.M. teaching diploma (piano performance): 1997
Intermediate School (piano/ composition): 1986-1993

Royal College of Music, London

M.Mus in Composition for Screen: 2001-2002 Pass with Distinction

Juilliard School, New York

Undergraduate Third Year Exchange Programme (piano performance): 1995-1996 A-grade (with scholarship for study from RAM)

Education (professors/teachers)

Composition

Dario Marianelli, Joseph Horovitz, Melanie Daiken

Piano

Hamish Milne, Maria Curcio, Oxana Yablonskaya, Vera Yelverton

Silent Film Piano

Neil Brand

Prizes and Bursaries

Royal College of Music

Glaxo SmithKline Scholarship (towards tuition costs for M.Mus Composition for Screen), 2001-2002.
RVW Trust Scholarship (towards tuition costs for M.Mus Composition for Screen), 2001-2002.
Concordia Foundation Scholarship (towards tuition costs for M.Mus Composition for Screen), 2001-2002.

Royal Academy of Music

Laura Ashley Award (contributing to tuition costs for second year of M.Mus Course), 1998-1999.
Janet Duff Greet Prize (for performance of contemporary music), January 1998.
Leverhulme Award (contributing to tuition costs for first year of M.Mus Course), 1997-1998.
John West Prize, June 1997.
E. M. George Award, June 1997.
Louise Child Prize (top-undergraduate prize), June 1997.
Eric Brough Prize (for final recital), June 1997.
Benjamin J. Dale Award (contributing to scholarship awarded for exchange programme), 1995-1996.
Blackiston Piano Prize (for end-of-year examination), June 1994.
Intermediate School Concert Prize, July 1990 (awarded by H.R.H. The Princess of Wales).

Employment/Experience

Film Music Experience/Composition/Arranging

Composer of library music album for Audio Network: Fantastic Adventure (January 2018), scored for full symphony orchestra and choir and recorded at Abbey Road Studio 1
Composer for short film: Bedward Story (2015), directed and co-produced by Lee Guilliland. Premiered at the Covent Garden Hotel (May 2015)
Composer for short film: The Projectionist (2012), directed by Jamie Thraves and produced by the BFI in association with University of the Arts London. Preimiered at BFI Southbank (October 2012)
Orchestration of 10 cues of James Brett's score for the Batman Live World Arena Tour, for full symphony orchestra plus mixed choir: Water Lane Productions Ltd (2011)
Composer for short film: Primal Stranger (2007), directed by Karim Fayed
Finalist in the Volkswagen Score Competition (2007), held within the context of The Berlin International Film Festival 2007. Scores for three short film clips recorded with the Babelsberg Film Orchestra
Composer for short film: Mucky Fingers (2007), directed by Martin McDonnell
Arrangement of "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" for The Charles Hazlewood Christmas Show: Somethin’ Else for BBC Radio 2 (December 2006, aired Christmas Day 2006)
Arrangement/programming/co-production of music for Thalidomide!! A Musical by Mat Fraser: Natalie Steed Productions (2005)
Assistant to film composer Trevor Jones on the films Around the World in 80 Days (2004), Chaos (2005), Aegis (2005), Fields of Freedom (2005) and in computer preparation of his scores for concert at Soncinemad Film Music Festival, Madrid, 1st July 2006
Composer for short film: Nape of the Neck (2004), directed by Martin McDonnell
Composition of music for Fritz Lang’s Metropolis (1926) for ten-piece ensemble, direction of ensemble live to picture: BAFTA Theatre, June 2002 (public event)
Composer for short film: Interior (2002), directed by Adam Croft
Composer for various short film projects as part of M.Mus Screen Degree Course (2001-2002)
Concert composition commissions: Benenden School (2013), City of London School (2009), Phuong Nguyen (2004), Onyx Brass (2001), Concordia Foundation (1999)

Piano

Extensive international engagements as concert pianist (extensive solo/concerto/chamber repertoire) — see biography
Winner of Scholarship Award at the International Johannes Brahms Competition 2012 and keyboard finalist in the 2001 Royal Over-Seas League Competition
Release of debut solo album, Costas Fotopoulos Piano, featuring works by Rachmaninov and Toccata by Costas Fotopoulos, on the JCL Records label (February 2009)
Release of video performance of Toccata on YouTube (September 2008). Film directed by Alberto Bona
Engagements as improvising silent film pianist at BFI Southbank, London (August 2002 onwards), The Kennington Bioscope (March 2014 onwards), Prince Charles Cinema (April 2011 - January 2012), National Film and Television School (April 2011), Ealing Town Hall (October 2007), Phoenix Arts Cinema, Leicester (September 2006), Off On European Film Week, Warsaw (August 2005), Riverside Studios (January 2005 - October 2006), Chelsea Arts Club (January 2005/06/07/08), Pordenone Silent Film Festival, Italy (October 2003/2004), Bush Hall, London (September 2003), Walter Reade Theater at Lincoln Center, New York (November 2002), Barbican Centre, London (October 2002/2004)
Session pianist/Celeste player at Abbey Road Studios, for albums by Cyril Giroux and James Brett: Audio Network (October/December 2015)
Recording as pianist - with double bassist Dave Brown - of "Balloons" by Alexis Bennett, aired on Late Junction: BBC Radio 3 (29th November 2007)
Improvisation to sections of Gordon Brown's Budget Speech 2007, aired on Broadcasting House: BBC Radio 4 (25th March 2007)
Participation as Hammond Organist and classical/jazz pianist in The Charles Hazlewood Christmas Show: Somethin' Else for BBC Radio 2 (December 2006, aired Christmas Day 2006)
Pianist and keyboard player in orchestral concert of music by film composer Trevor Jones at Soncinemad Film Music Festival, Madrid, 1st July 2006
Recording of Chopin’s Nocturne Op. 9 No.2 for BBC Radio Worldplay, Hitler in Therapy (recorded August 2004, aired January 2005)
CD recording of piano solo work by Nicholas Sackman, for Metier label (December 2003, released 2005)
Substantial number of engagements as session pianist for film/commercial music (1996-2009)
Numerous jazz piano engagements

Teaching

Academic Studies Lecturer: Royal Academy of Music (September 2005-May 2015)
Piano/composition teacher: City of London School (September 2005 onwards)
Workshop leader on piano improvisation to silent films: The Perse School (October 2019)
Adjudicator for instrumental/piano competitions: Mill Hill School (March 2018), St Swithun's School (January 2012), City of London School (February 2005)
Pianist for Opera workshops at Westminster Adult Education Service/London Coliseum (Eugene Onegin, The Magic Flute), North Westminster School (Cosi fan tutte): ENO Baylis (June, September/October 2005)
Private music teaching including piano, aural skills, sight-reading, historical awareness, composition/improvisation tuition and accompaniment (September 2003 onwards)
Private piano teaching (2000)
Piano/Keyboard Skills professor, assistant academic tutor: Royal Academy of Music (1997-1999)

Skills

Thorough training and experience in composition of music for film, television and multimedia
Detailed knowledge of sequencing/notation software (Logic Pro, Sibelius), MIDI programming, audio manipulation, mixing, recording, dubbing
Significant experience in music direction, conducting musicians to click-track
Extensive experience in composition/orchestration of concert music (for variety of ensembles) and composition/arranging of commercial music
Extensive experience as concert/silent film/jazz pianist and keyboard player/MD
Extensive experience as teacher of piano and general musicianship, composition/improvisation