A groundbreaking new music festival debuts this August at Prespes Lakes,
where the borders of Greece, Albania, and North Macedonia meet. From
August 28 to 31, Prespa will come alive with the rhythms of contemporary
music, artfully blended with traditional sounds from the region. The festival is
under the Artistic Direction of internationally acclaimed conductor Yorgos
Ziavras.
This August, Prespes will not only stand out as a unique natural and historical
location but also as the epicenter of a major international cultural event. From
August 28 to 31, 2025, a new, pioneering music festival will make its debut in the
cross-border region of Prespes, bringing to the forefront a fertile dialogue between
contemporary musical creation and the traditional music of the Balkans.
The TRIETHNÉS International Music Festival aspires to become a key cultural and
musical reference point for the region. Situated in the symbolically and
geographically significant landscape of the Tri-National area – at the crossroads of
Greece, Albania, and North Macedonia – it aims to enhance artistic openness,
intercultural exchange, and the connection of local traditions with contemporary
musical forms.
The Artistic Direction is led by the internationally acclaimed conductor Yorgos
Ziavras, who notes:
“The TRIETHNÉS Festival fills an important gap and aims to root in the
wider Prespes area. Our goal is to highlight the contemporary musical
forces of Greece and Europe, while uniting them with the deep musical
tradition of the Balkans – a tradition that is shared, multicultural, and
constantly evolving.”
The festival will present works by contemporary Greek and European composers,
specially created or inspired by the concept of memory and the reuse of old material
to create new compositions. Traditional Balkan music will be intricately interwoven
with contemporary music of the broader Western world.
In parallel with its main music program, the festival is launching this year a new,
strategically important initiative titled TRIETHNÉS+ – a set of educational activities
and community engagement initiatives aimed at strengthening music education and
fostering local community participation.
A central pillar of TRIETHNÉS+ is the PRESPENSIS Contemporary Music
Creation Academy, an ambitious educational initiative developed in collaboration
with the University of Macedonia, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, and the
Music Schools of Kastoria and Ptolemaida. The academy includes five student
composers who have been commissioned to create new works of contemporary
music specifically for the festival.
These works will be performed as part of the TRIETHNÉS artistic program by
student soloists and pupils from the participating music schools, during a large,
open-air concert.
The PRESPENSIS program embodies the festival’s vision for artistic outreach, the
advancement of contemporary musical creation, and the support of emerging
musicians.
The full program, participating artists, and venues will be announced on July
20, 2025.
Learn more at: www.triethnesfest.eu
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