Death of a Greek music philosopher

Mike says:

Very sad news. A rare gentleman and a uniquely intelligent musician. He was my piano (!) teacher at the RNCM, but he quickly sacked me from this role, and spent countless hours during my years there, teaching me, and a few other disciples, how to thoroughly understand scores, from Bach to Tippett. Happy memories of playing endless string quartets in his room. RIP George.

Graham Marshall says:

I have only had the privilege of meeting George in recent years, and it has always been a great pleasure to be in his company. He has been to my home in Rochdale on a couple of occasions and played my upright piano for an enthralled group of family and friends at a Birthday party He has also attended an orchestral rehearsal I was conducting, and he was very generous in his praise of the ensemble’s music-making. I think that his contribution to music-making and to the understanding of the nature, power and value of music over the years cannot be over-estimated. May he rest in heavenly peace and harmony.

Christos Kokkinos says:

I shall always remember Mr Hadjinikos very fondly. Always inspiring to watch him teach and demonstrate his findings, he coached my chamber music group for few sessions while I was at music college. I had numerous discussion with George regarding music and its power to reach in a direct way the human soul and mind. His vast knowledge and experience as a music educator and performer – a kind of music guru as I would like to think of him, always researching and refining his ideas about music as a communication tool – must have influenced thousands of students and his peers to think of music as the greatest medium of communication, a gift for the whole humanity. Thank you, George, for all you have taught me. Your spirit and energy will always stay with me for ever.

George Hlawiczka says:

A truly inspiring musician and human being, I was fortunate to meet him in the 80s when I remember the energy and personality oozing out of him when he was coaching us on the Franck piano quintet. Next time I met him 20 years later in a masterclass I arranged for conductors. He had changed in what I remembered in that he had a profound wisdom and so much knowledge of music and past musicians. We worked on Bruckner’s 4th symphony and Schnittke’s concertino for 4 hands. He talk about Furtwangler and conducting through certain impulses, not much movement. So very different from todays methods both from conductor and soloists. He understood what made music tick. Certain intervals, rhythms and was full of stories about the compositions, stories that were passed down from great musicians or composers themselves. The last time I saw him aged 91 was at his festival in Horto when at the end of the final concert he proceeded to play Franck’s Prelude Choral and Fugue, which was a feat of pure will given that he didn’t have the flexibility of his hands at his age and seemed to be playing with a limited number of fingers. I was looking forward to study the Skalkottas violin concerto with him, something he wanted to do together and a composer he championed since discovering his manuscripts in Berlin’s second hand book shops after the war. My wish is that we help Nikos Adraskelas (one of his pupils who directs the Horto festival which Hadjinkos founded) continue the wonderful heritage he has left. Do keep your eyes and ears open for way you can support this.

Keith Bentley says:

George set out to discover the truth within any composition, and in so doing, revealed the beauty within the music.
This is seen in his early championing of the works of Schoenberg, Orff and others, and in his lifelong study of the music of Skalkottas.
As a teacher, he did not sit easily within the English Conservatory System of delivering knowledge in sound-bites. His method was the same road of discovery which he employed in his own musical life.
When you accepted lessons with George, a student entered on an adventure, and you developed from moving in a small confined space, into the discovery of a world of infinite possibilities and rare musical outcomes.
As a man, he lived a simple life, seeing the possibilities in everyone, embracing the good, avoiding censorship , and overcoming the hardships thrown his way.
Two personal reminiscences from the 1960’s and 1970’s :-
I recall attending Prof.Hadjinikos class at 10am in the old Royal Manchester College – leaving with him and several other students at 6pm – George still leading the musical discussion as we walked down Oxford Road to the train station. He then bundling me in a taxi with Madame Vera Rosza for a free lift to Piccadilly Station.
On his first visit To Redcar to conduct the Easter Orchestral Course , he approached the steps of the college carrying his favourite fruit – large red oranges – in both hands. The Prinicipal ,Mr Robinson (an engineer) waited at the top of the entrance steps with out-stretched hand, in the old English manner. George’s reaction was typical. He presented the out-stretched hand with the best of his oranges, and gave Mr Robinson a warm continental hug.
I agree with previous comments he was a giant, as a man, and musician.My children always called him Uncle George.
.

Alan Thorpe says:

I studied piano with George Hadjinikos at the then Royal Manchester College of Music from 1961 to 1965. As a nervous student he gave me the confidence to gain my GRSM ‘with special merit in performance.’ He also encouraged me to accept a piano teaching post in Malaysia which gave me a new approach to music, life and people. I heard him play Alan Rawsthorne’s second piano concerto with the Halle Orchestra and Sir John Barbirolli on the occasion of Rawsthorne’s 60th birthday and heard many of his BBC radio broadcasts which included concertos by Bartok, Ravel and Tchaikovsky. I will always remember him as deeply thoughtful, selfless and very patient teacher who dedicated his life to music and to his students.