Aussie musicians mourn Greek violinist

Spiros Rantos died in Brisbane on Friday.
Obituary by Breandáin O’Shea.

Born in Corfu in 1945, Rantos studied in Athens and, at 18, was offered a position at Linz Opera by its visiting chief conductor. Rantos continued his education at the Vienna Musikhochschule under Eduard Melkus and Ricardo Odnoposoff. He was concertmaster of the Capella Academica in Vienna in 1968 and taught at the Graz Conservatorium. He later studied with Franco Gulli at Indiana University in the US. His exceptional talent was recognised with chamber music prizes from competitions in Italy and France. Throughout his career, Rantos recorded for prestigious labels including Deutsche Grammophon, Harmonia Mundi, and Grevillea Records, and was regularly featured in national broadcasts across Europe, Asia and Australia.

In 1976, he came with the Vienna-based chamber group Ensemble I to Australia for a residency in Melbourne. This ensemble featured talented musicians from around the world, including Rantos’ partner of more than 50 years, Israeli-born pianist Brachi Tilles. All but one of the group’s members remained in Australia, making a significant and lasting contribution to the country’s musical community. Together with Tilles, he formed one of Australia’s finest chamber music duos, often collaborating with many of the country’s top musicians and performing throughout Australia and internationally. Rantos went on to found the Rantos Collegium, later known as The Melbourne Chamber Orchestra, where he served as artistic director and conductor.

A devoted teacher, Rantos shaped the careers of many through his positions at the Victorian College of the Arts, the University of Southern Queensland, and the University of Melbourne. He retired as senior lecturer at the University of Queensland in 2009 but continued teaching privately. Many of his students perform with leading orchestras around the world or have become educators themselves.
Beyond his remarkable performing and teaching career, Rantos was a mentor and friend, inspiring countless musicians beyond his violin class. He worked with youth orchestras and amateur groups across Australia, sharing his passion for music. His warmth, kindness and infectious sense of humour left a lasting impression on everyone fortunate enough to know him. Spiros Rantos will be deeply missed, but his legacy in the music world and the lives he touched will be lovingly remembered.