Savvas Zannas

He was born in December 1952 in Xanthi, but lived in Thessaloniki. He studied advanced theory at the State Conservatory of Thessaloniki. He continued his studies at the Munich Academy of Music (1972-1976), graduating with honors from Hans Heilzl's percussion and drum class. As a percussion soloist he has collaborated with the State Orchestra of Athens, the National Symphony Orchestra of ERT and the Camerata-Orchestra of the Friends of Music. He has performed works by Greek and foreign composers in Greece and abroad. Since 1976 he has been a member of the ERT Symphony Orchestra. He was a professor of percussion at the National Conservatory of Athens and the Municipal Conservatory of Kalamata where he organized the Student Orchestra of the Conservatory. He was a member of the Board of Directors of the Union of Greek Musicians (EUM) and a representative of EUM in the artistic committee of the chamber orchestra "The Soloists of Patras".​

He started composing since 1969. His works have been performed by the State Orchestra of Athens, the State Orchestra of Thessaloniki, the National Symphony Orchestra of ERT, by chamber music ensembles and well-known Greek soloists. His symphonic work Flashbacks was given a world premiere in 1987 by the Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra at the Tchaikovsky Hall in Moscow, conducted by Alexander Symeonides. In 1995 and 1996 the Soloists of Patras presented two of his works in their first world performance. In 1990, following an order from the Athens Concert Hall, he wrote the music for the silent film "The Broken Lily" by D. Griffiths, while in 1993, following an order from the Athens State Orchestra, the symphonic work "Kalanda" which was presented at the concerts for the inauguration of the church organ of the Athens Music Hall (23 and 27. 12. 1993). In April 1994, the ERT National Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Alkis Baltas and with soloist Dimitris Marinakis, presented his Concerto for Percussion and Orchestra at the Athens Concert Hall. Also, in 1994 he participated with his work, commissioned by the Athens Music Hall, in the opening ceremony to celebrate 100 years of cinema. His "Concerto for Piano and Orchestra", written in 1993 by order of the Friends of Music Association, was presented on 5.11.1996 at the European Symphony Orchestra Festival, in the Athens Concert Hall, by the Tchaikovsky State Symphony Orchestra of Moscow, with soloist by Elisavet Kounalaki, under the direction of Vladimir Fedoseyev. His works have been performed in Greece, Bulgaria, Russia, Germany, France, America, Canada, etc.

A particularly important part of his work includes 40 chamber music works (8 string quartets, trios, quintets, septets, nonets, etc.). The 5th string quartet has been awarded at the G. A. Papaioannou composition competition in Athens. His other works are "Rhapsody for Clarinet and String Orchestra", "Concerto for Violin and String Orchestra", "Suite for 2 Guitars and String Orchestra", "Suite for 3 Guitars and String Orchestra", "Concerto for orchestra", "Concerto for Horn and String Orchestra", "Concerto for Bassoon and String Orchestra", "Concerto for Oboe and String Orchestra", "Concerto for Flute and String Orchestra", "Concerto for Clarinet and String Orchestra", "Concerto for Trumpet and String Orchestra", "Concerto for Trombone and String Orchestra", "Concerto for Tuba and String Orchestra", "Concerto for Drums and String Orchestra", "Concerto for Violin No. 2 and String Orchestra", "Concerto for Viola and Orchestra Strings", "Concerto for Double Bass and String Orchestra", "Concerto for Piano and String Orchestra", "Concerto for Cello and String Orchestra", as well as pieces for solo piano, violin, guitar, flute, oboe, etc. His works are published by the "Papagrigoriou-Nakas" publishing house.