Zoras, Leonidas

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Zoras, Leonidas

Zoras, Leonidas, Greek composer and conductor; b. Sparta, March 8, 1905; d. Athens, Dec. 22, 1987. He studied law at the Univ. of Athens, and at the same time took conducting lessons with Mitropoulos, and studied composition with Kalomiris, Lavrangas, and Riadis. From 1926 to 1938 he taught theory at the Odeon Music School in Athens; then studied conducting with Gmeindl, Schmalstich, and E Stein and composition with Blacher, Grabner, and Hoffer at the Berlin Hochschule für Musik (1938--0). After conducting at the Greek National Opera in Athens (1948-58), he returned to Berlin as a conductor at the Deutsche Opera and RIAS (1958-68). He was director of the Athens National Cons, from 1968. He wrote an opera, Elektra (1969), the ballet Violanto (1931), Night Song for Cello and Chamber Orch. (1927), Legend for Orch. (1936), Sym. (1947), Concertino for Violin and 11 Woodwind Instruments (1950), Violin Sonata (1950), String Quartet (1969), numerous piano pieces, choruses, and songs.

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire