«Historical Subjects»

The "MANTZAROS" PHILHARMONIC SOCIETY was established in 1890 and took its name after the famous Corfiot composer Nikolaos Halikiopoulos Mantzaros who wrote the music for the Greek National Anthem. The band appeared for the first time in public on the first Sunday of November 1891 wearing a blue-and-white uniforfif, the colours of the Greek national flag. Since then it has been present in all the major religious, national and artistic manifestations held in Corfu.
According to its constitution statutes, the aim of the Philharmonic Society is to provide free musical education for the young people of Corfu.
It has taken part in two international Band Festivals in Bulgaria U9S2, 19851 and has given concerts in many major Greek cities, especially Athens. It has been invited to take pan in the opening and closing ceremonies of European and World Championships held in Greece and in band festivals and concert tours in Austria. Yugoslavia and Germany.
For its achievements in a hundred years of continuous cultural and artistic presence, the Athens Academy in 1987 awarded "Mantzaros" with its special prize, a very high honour in the humanistic and artistic fields.
Among other original things the 'Mantzaros' Philharmonic Society has been a pioneer in many fields:
• In 1950 a classical singing class was established and two years later a Symphony Orchestra made a few-appearances.
• In 195i. for the first time ever,a woman became a playing member of the band. Now there are more than one third of its playing members and the majority of its students.
• In 1974 a students' band was formed which has been holding public concerts ever since and later on wind and brass ensembles were promoted for the benefit of its students.
• In 1982 a cheerleaders' section was added.
The Philharmonic is comprised of approximately 200 playing members who staff the band, the students' band, the jazz band and the wind and brass ensembles. It holds free Music Theory- and Practical classes (all wind and brass instalments plus percussion) attended by hundreds of students plus a pre-school class for the very young.The teaching staff is comprised of 15 highly experienced professors and teachers and is headed (since 2009) by Chief Conductor Spyros Dolianitis (Sub Conductor since 1989), who succeed his father Stefanos Dolianitis (leader of the band from 1960 till his death in 2009).
Our graduate students having taken solid bases in music theory and practice, having familiarized themselves with ensemble playing and collective participation and most of all having absorbed our genuine love and dedication to music, continue their studies in higher institutes such as Universities and Conservatories and many have taken up a career in the armed forces bands or in major Orchestras in Greece and abroad or even as distinguished soloists.