The lecture outlines the contribution of Dimitri Fampas to the establishment of the guitar as an instrument of classical music in Greece, examining in turn the guitarist, his studies, the repertoire, interpretation, the teacher, the composer and his audience. Fampas belongs to the first generation of professional guitar soloists in Greece: in the early 1950s he decided that the guitar would be his sole means of livelihood, a decision that obliged him to close the gap in technique that separated Greece from other European countries and to work abroad as well. The lecture follows his recitals in Greek towns where the guitar was known only as an accompanying instrument of popular music, culminating in the recital at the ancient theatre of Epidaurus in 1961, and his appearances in Barcelona, Lisbon and Marseille in 1959, the first by a Greek guitarist in those countries. It also examines his discography, including the first vinyl record of music for solo guitar in Greece (1965), and his work for cinema and theatre, before turning to his apprenticeship with Andrés Segovia.
Presentation. The lecture was given on Saturday 13 April 2019 at the 2nd Guitar Festival in Athens (13–14 April 2019), dedicated to the memory of Dimitri Fampas, at the “Anna & Maria Kalouta” venue of the City of Athens. The festival was organised by the Association of Friends of Music “Dimitri Fampas”.