Classic Fingers Australia
Prof André K. Economou’s interest in music began at the age of 5 when he started learning the piano in Sao Paulo, Brazil. He was only 8 years old when he won the 1st Prize on a TV competition for under 14-year-old pianists.
He was 10 years old when he moved to Athens, Greece and continued his piano studies under the teacher Zoe Agelastou. During his Professorship at the Music University of Athens, the last 9 years of André’s studies was under full scholarship and with the guidance of the Austrian Concert Pianist Prof Max. Hallecker, who was a renowned expert in improving technical development with unique piano exercises. Those skills lead Prof Economou to his teaching career, helping students to overcome technical challenges, whilst developing their emotional side of performance. During the same time, he took special interest in Aural development, Counterpoint and Harmonisation under the guidance of composer Prof Yioannidis.
In 1980 he graduated from the University of Athens with perfect score and then moved to Vienna, undertaking advanced studies at the University of Music in Vienna, specialising in piano repertoire performance under Prof Hans Graf, who was the head of the Piano Department, Music Pedagogy for young musical talents under Prof Carmen Graf, and conducting under Prof Österreicher. That sealed his exposure to teaching, focusing in extreme talented and young piano students that needed the right discipline and teaching methodology to fast track their growth and career. During his time in Vienna he was also a lecturer at Ottakringer Volkshochschule for young talents in piano.
In 1985, he became the Music Director of St. George College in Adelaide, Australia, staging a number of music shows and performances. He was also the Principal and owner of “Die Musiker Studio”, a private conservatorium with 18 teachers and over 260 music students for Piano, Violin, Theory, Aural coaching and Orchestral classes from young beginners to Bachelor / Licentiate Degree, winning most the awards in Eisteddfod competitions and hosting some of the most prominent music scholars of the elite Private Schools, such as St. Peter’s Boys, St. Peter’s Girls, Walford Anglican, Pembroke College, Prince Alfred College, to name a few.
Prof André Economou is proud to say that he has been instrumental in the development of several accomplished piano and string performers, who now have outstanding musical careers in Europe, as well as Australia. One of his motto has always been to provide all technical & emotional secrets in the development of an artist, and the best reward for him as an educator is seeing his students successfully unleashing their inner potential.