The Camerata Polyzoides was founded in 1979 by the artist couple Christos and Katherina Polyzoides. Until 2019, the six members of the family from three generations (until 2009 still including the cellist Martin Hornstein, who died unexpectedly) formed the core of the ensemble. Since the passing of Christos Polyzoides in 2019 and Katherina Polyzoides in 2024, Camerata Polyzoides now consists of only four members.
The immense variability of the ensemble’s line-up results in varied programmes. In addition to the classical chamber music repertoire, contemporary composers have also taken up the challenge of writing works for Camerata Polyzoides, including Christian Ofenbauer (CDs), Erich Marckhl, Hermann Markus Pressl (CD), Klaus Johns (a total of 13 works, CDs), Vit Zouhar (CD), Helmut Dencker, Gösta Neuwirth, Yannis Xenakis, Zbigniew Bargielski and Claudio Santoro (CD).
The Camerata Polyzoides has performed in Spain (several tours), the Czech Republic (Janačék Academy Brno, Festival Forfest Kroměříž, Radio Olomouc), Austria (Festival ‘Hörgänge’ Konzerthaus Vienna, piano & forte ORF Salzburg, Austrian Society for Music, Franz Schmidt Society), Croatia (Festival Opatija), Greece (Dimitria Festival and Hellexpo Festival Thessaloniki, Paros Festival), Germany (KundK Geseke, Rüthen Castle), the Sultanate of Oman (Muscat) and China (several tours).
At the 52nd Internationale Musiktage in Leibnitz (Styria), the Camerata, under the direction of Janna Polyzoides, offers master classes in violin, viola, cello, piano and chamber music every summer (13–26 July 2025, www.internationale-musiktage.com).
The members of Camerata Polyzoides have released many CDs, including a double CD with 13 works by composer Klaus Johns (Extraplatte) and, most recently, a CD with chamber music by Eugène Ysaÿe (paladino music).
Elisabeth Polyzoides-Baich – violin
was born in Graz and studied at the University of Music in Graz with Christos Polyzoides and in Vienna with Franz Samohyl. Master classes with Max Rostal, Ramy Shevelov, Arthur Grumiaux and Wolfgang Marschner. Her professional career included working with the Vienna Chamber Orchestra (substitute concertmaster), the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Bach Kollegium Munich and the Deutsche Kammerakademie Neuss. Since 1989 she is a member of the first violin section of the Gürzenich Orchestra (Cologne Philharmonic). She has performed in nearly all European countries, America, Japan and China. She is a founder member of the Cologne String Sextet. Many of their CD releases have been voted amongst the Top Ten of the Nederland “NMZ” and the German “Phonoforum”. For over 20 years she has been teaching at nternational master classes, e.g. the Internationale Musiktage Bad Leonfelden in Upper Austria and since 2008 in Plovdiv and Shiroka Lukka in Bulgaria at the Orpheus Academy. Since 2009 she is in charge of the Preparational Class of further studies at the Rheinische Musikschule Cologne. Elisabeth Polyzoides-Baich plays an Italian violin by Francesco Gobetti, Venice, c. 1740.
(www.koelner-streichsextett.de)
Demetrius Polyzoides – violin, viola
son of the musician couple Katherina and Christos Polyzoides, he was born in Graz and studied at the University of Music in Graz with Harald Himmel. Later he continued his studies in Vienna with Franz Samohyl (violin) and Hatto Beyerle (viola). Master classes with Arthur Grumiaux, Christian Ferras, Wolfgang Marschner and Max Rostal. Concertmaster of the Bavarian National Orchestra in Munich, the Hamburg Symphonic and the Gürzenich Orchestra (Cologne Philharmonic). From 1995-97 first violinist of the Leonardo Quartet in Cologne (CDs). Since 1997 he is the first violinist and founder member of the Cologne String Sextet. Their CD releases have been voted amongst the Top Ten of the Nederland “NMZ” and the German “Phonoforum”. As soloist and ensemble musician he has played all over Europe and Asia. He also performed on radio and television. Among many other CDs he also recorded Six Sonates pour un violon seul op. 27 by Eugène Ysaÿe and most recently released 3 CDs with J. S. Bachs Sonatas and Partitas combined with the 24 Capricci by Paganini. Demetrius Polyzoides plays an Italian violin by Giovanni Paolo Maggini, Brescia, c. 1630.
(www.koelner-streichsextett.de)
Michael Polyzoides – violoncello
Son of the musician couple Elisabeth and Demetrius Polyzoides, was born in Graz in 1993 and grew up in Cologne. He completed his studies with Michael Sanderling and Bonian Tian with distinction in Frankfurt am Main. There he studied chamber music with Angelika Merkle alongside his piano partner James Guey. Other influential teachers included Heinrich Schiff, Han-An Liu and David Geringas.
He was the winner of the 23rd Competition of the German Music Foundation, for which he was awarded a master cello by G. Guadagnini (ca. 1780). He was also a prize winner at the International Chamber Music Festival ‘Allegro Vivo’, winner of the ‘Martin Hornstein Interpretation Prize’ and multiple prize winner at the federal level in the solo and chamber music categories of the German Competition ‘jugend musiziert’.
As a soloist, he has performed with the Gürzenich Orchestra Cologne, the Bremerhaven Philharmonic Orchestra, the ‘Il Concerto accademico’ orchestra, Murcia, and the Loh Orchestra Sondershausen, among others.
In addition to solo projects, he is intensively involved in contemporary music and chamber music.
His path to the Düsseldorf Symphony Orchestra, of which he is now a member, led him via the Frankfurt am Main Opera and Museum Orchestra and the Gürzenich Orchestra Cologne.
Since 2017, he has also been a lecturer for violoncello and chamber music at the 52nd Internationale Musiktage Leibnitz (Styria).
He has given concerts as a soloist and chamber musician at the Cologne Philharmonic, Alte Oper Frankfurt, Wiener Musikverein, Gasteig Munich and Konzerthaus Vienna, as well as in Greece, Slovenia, the Czech Republic, Spain and China. His concerts have been broadcast on German, Austrian, Greek and Czech television and radio.
(www.internationale-musiktage.com)
Janna Polyzoides – piano
daughter of the musician couple Christos and Katherina Polyzoides, she was born in Graz and lives in Vienna. She studied with Sebastian Benda at the University of Music in Graz. Additional influential teachers were Rudolf Kehrer, Alexander Jenner and György Kurtág. Numerous appearances at festivals, such as Wien modern, the Menuhin festival in Gstaad, the “styriarte” festival in Graz and the Wiener Festwochen. She has been invited to perform at many concert halls such as the Cologne Philharmony, Wigmore Hall London, Warsaw Philharmony, Konzerthaus Vienna and Musikverein Vienna, Mozarteum Salzburg (2007 with the Deutsche Kammerakademie Neuss). As a chamber musician she has regularly performed as a founder member of the Arcus Ensemble Wien. Among her chamber music partners also have been artists like Daniel Sepec, Ernst Kovacic, Rainer Honeck, Erich Höbarth, François Benda, Christophe Coin and members of Artis-, Aron-, Gürzenich-Quartet, Klangforum Vienna and the Cologne String Sextet.
Until now the musical work of Janna Polyzoides has been documented on 38 solo and chamber music CDs, some of these award-winning.
(www.jannapolyzoides.com)
Related link: www.koelner-streichsextett.de
In Memoriam Katherina Polyzoides-Sourvali & Christos Polyzoides
front, left to right: Elisabeth Polyzoides-Baich, Katherina Polyzoides-Sourvali, Christos Polyzoides
Christos Polyzoides In memory
was born 30.1.1931 in Greece and studied violin in Thessaloniki with Athanasios Theophanous and with Alexandros Kazantzis and at the University of Music Vienna with Ernst Morawec. He was concertmaster of the Vienna Chamber Orchestra, the Graz Philharmonic Orchestra and the Collegium Musicum Instrumentale. Since 1968 professor at the University of Music in Graz, 1999 he became a professor emeritus. Countless concert tours as a soloist and chamber music player, as well as recordings for radio and television took him (mostly with his wife Katherina and the Camerata Polyzoides) to almost every country in East and West Europe as well as to South America, China and Taiwan. Various first performances and CD recordings of contemporary music partially dedicated to him: 2006 a double CD of 13 solo and chamber music works by the composer Klaus Johns (Extraplatte). In 1991 he was awarded the Great Medal of Honour of the county of Styria/Austria. In 1999 the Mayor of the City of Graz, in 2006 the city of Thessalonica and in 2011 the University of Music in Graz honoured his musical and educational achievements. Christos Polyzoides played an Italian violin by Giovanni Grancino, Milano, c. 1700.
Christos Polyzoides died on 2nd of July 2019 in Graz.
(www.internationale-musiktage.com)
Katherina Polyzoides-Sourvali In memory
was born in Thessalonica where she studied piano with Vasso Devetzi, Kiki Manou-Stavrou, Athanasios Kontos and chamber music with Alexandros Kazantzis and Dimitris Georgiou. Final examination for music education and diploma for solo piano (3rd place in the All-Greece Piano Competition). Further piano studies with Margarete Gelbart and Tonis Georgiou as well as with Dr. Josef Dichler and Walter Panhofer at the University of Music in Vienna. Cembalo studies with Eta Harich-Schneider and Vera Schwarz. In 1963 she began teaching piano at the University of Music Graz, a position she held until 1990. As a soloist and ensemble musician, mainly with her husband Christos and the Camerata Polyzoides, she has played in many European cities as well as in Brazil, China and Taiwan. Various CD recordings of contemporary music, most recently a double CD of 13 solo and chamber music works by the composer Klaus Johns (Extraplatte 2006). In 1999 the Mayor of the City of Graz and in 2006 the city of Thessalonica honoured her musical and educational achievements.
In 2000 she published her master’s thesis “Once upon a time. On the importance of folk songs and dances in the community life of the Greeks – yesterday and today”. Furthermore, in 2014 she published her doctoral thesis “Vasso Devetzi and her legacy” at the University of Art in Graz.
Katherina Polyzoides-Sourvali passed away on 13 February 2024 in Graz.
(www.internationale-musiktage.com)