YEREVAN-ATHENS — Greek-Armenian pianist Daniil Kolanian (born in Athens in 2008) began piano lessons at the age of five with teacher Marina Gira at the Philippos Nakas Conservatory in Athens. In 2019 he continued with Alexandra Papastefanou at the Kodaly Conservatory. He is currently pursuing his studies at the Hochschule für Musik und Tanz in Cologne with Prof. Florence Millet.
In 2018, he won Second Prize in the Junior Category of the 41st Greek Piano Competition “Filon.” Two years later, at the 28th International Piano Competition Gianluca Campochiaro in Catania, Italy, Daniil was awarded Second Prize in the 2nd Category. In 2021, at the 22nd International Piano Competition de Piano d’Ile-de-France, he won First Prize in the 2nd Category. In 2023 he won 8th National Piano Competition “Unesco” in Athens 1st Prize. In 2024 he received the Yamaha Music Europe Foundation (ΥΜΕF) Scholarship. In 2024 he moved to Germany, taking piano lessons with teacher Boris Radulovic. In the same year, he won first prize at the “Beethoven Bonnensis” Music Competition in the category solo-interpretation in Bonn.
Dear Daniil, back in the 1990s in Yerevan, I attended the concert of your father, the eminent classical guitarist Iakovos Kolanian. Was choosing the profession of a musician your own decision, or was it inspired by your father?
Music has been, from an early age, a source of joy and freedom, with the piano becoming the voice of my soul. Inspired by my father’s example, I was drawn to follow the same path. Thus, the decision to dedicate myself professionally to music came naturally, as an inevitable continuation.
You started piano at the age of five. What drew you to the instrument?
Every time I laid eyes on a piano, I felt it draw me like a magnet, enchanted by its unique sound. Seeing my excitement, my parents encouraged me to begin lessons.
