Lila Lalauni
Lila Lalauni | |
|---|---|
| Born | 9 June 1918 Athens, Greece |
| Died | 12 February 1996 (aged 77) Paris, France |
| Occupation(s) | Pianist Composer |
Lila Lalauni (9 June 1918 – 12 February 1996) was a Greek pianist and composer who frequently performed in Greece and around Europe. She was also the first person to teach Manolis Kalomiris' Symphonic Concerto for piano and orchestra.[1]
Early life and education
Lila Lalauni was born on 9 June 1918 in Athens and was the daughter of music critic Alexandra Lalauni (1894–1974) and musician Alexandros Xanthopoulou.[1][2] She was the granddaughter of composer Timotheos Xanthopoulos (c. 1864–1942). She expressed a talent for music at an early age and became a piano child prodigy.[2][3] From the age of six, she began studying piano in Vienna. Three years later, aged nine, Lalauni performed as a soloist with the Vienna Symphony orchestra as well as performing with the Athens Conservatory Symphony orchestra aged twelve.[1] From 1927 to 1930 she studied piano at the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna and then afterwards studied composition under Robert Konta, before graduating from the academy in 1934.[3] Afterwards, Lalauni travelled to Paris where she was taught to play the organ by Marcel Dupré. She was also taught by the composer Karl Weigl and the pianist Artur Schnabel.[1]
Career
Lalauni made her debut as a concert pianist in Vienna in around 1930. In 1934, she performed Richard Strauss's Burleske alongside Strauss himself, who was impressed by her performance.[1][3] Lalauni was the first to teach Manolis Kalomiris' Symphonic Concerto for orchestra and piano.[1]
She frequently collaborated with the Athens State Orchestra, Berlin Philharmonic, London Symphony and Vienna Philharmonic orchestras, while also performing frequently in Greece and on radio and television stations throughout Europe.[1]
Lalauni served as a hand double for Simone Signoret in the film Shadow and Light in scenes where Signoret played the piano.[1]
Later life and death
From 1945, she lived permanently in Paris.[1] She died there on 12 February 1996, at the age of 77.[2]
Works
Lalauni composed piano concertos, songs, chamber music and a symphony.[3] Selected works include:
- Syntheses et catalysis, symphony, 1960–62
- Piano Concerto [No. 1], 1943
- Piano Concerto [No. 2], 1959
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Καψοκαβάδης, Αλέξανδρος. "Λίλα Λαλαούνη". Greek Women Composers (in Greek). Retrieved 18 June 2025.
- ^ a b c Shupo, Sokol. "Lalauni, Lila (Julia)". RILM Music Encyclopedias. Retrieved 17 June 2025.
- ^ a b c d Sadie, Julie Anne; Samuel, Rhian (1994). The Norton/Grove dictionary of women composers. W.W. Norton. p. 261.