For two full days, the piano takes centre stage at the Athens Concert Hall, unfolding its many voices, histories and possibilities. On Saturday 24 and Sunday 25 January 2026, Piano Days ’26 turns Megaron Mousikis into a vibrant meeting point for classical music lovers of all ages, celebrating the instrument that has shaped centuries of musical imagination.
More than 20 pianists will perform across stages and foyers, moving effortlessly between solo recitals, storytelling, film screenings with live music, and large-scale multi-piano ensembles. From intimate encounters to spectacular collective performances, Piano Days offers a rare chance to experience the piano not as a solitary voice, but as a shared, living force.
Saturday, January 24: From discovery to poetry
The weekend opens with a sense of adventure. “It All Started with a Grand Piano” (12:00) invites children to explore the hidden corners of the Megaron through riddles, clues and stories, tracing a journey sparked by an old letter and a grand piano. Designed as a playful introduction to music and space, the experience is coordinated by Katia Papaspiliopoulou.
Later in the afternoon, adults are invited to test their curiosity rather than their expertise in a piano-themed knowledge game (15:00), led by Maria Dimitriou with pianist Yiannis Papadopoulos. No musical background required—just a love of discovery.
At 17:00, the award-winning animated film Magic Piano brings Chopin’s music to life, performed live by Karolos Zouganelis. The story of young Anna and a magical piano that transforms into an airship unfolds in a performance suitable for children aged six and up, with an introduction by Ilias Karellas.
Karolos Zouganelis. Credit: Themis Gliatis
The evening turns inward with Enoch Arden (18:30), Alfred Lord Tennyson’s narrative poem set to music by Richard Strauss. In this melodrama for narrator and piano, Konstantinos Markoulakis and Giorgos Konstantinou guide audiences through a tale of travel, longing and emotional endurance, with the piano acting as a silent but powerful commentator.
The day concludes with a major recital by Italian-Swiss pianist Francesco Piemontesi (20:30), whose programme pairs Schubert’s Piano Sonata in G major, D 894 with Liszt’s Années de pèlerinage (First Year: Switzerland). Known for his poetic clarity and refined sound, Piemontesi traces the deep emotional and literary currents connecting music to Goethe, Byron and Schiller.
Francesco Piemontesi. Credit: Camille Blake
Sunday, January 25: New voices and collective power
Sunday begins in the foyers, where young emerging soloists (13:00) from conservatories present works of their choice on a Grand Steinway. The informal setting offers audiences a chance to encounter the next generation of pianists up close, in a warm and welcoming atmosphere.
In the evening, Austrian pianist Lukas Sternath (19:00)—a Rising Star of the ECHO network and winner of the 2022 ARD Competition—makes his Athens debut. His programme brings together Schubert’s final Piano Sonata No. 21, D 960 and Prokofiev’s Sonata No. 8, revealing both interpretative maturity and formidable technical command.
Lukas Sternath. © Julia Wesely
The festival culminates in a spectacular collective statement: Piandaemonium (21:00). Six pianos and twelve pianists come together in a bold sonic journey that reimagines the traditional piano sound. Founded 25 years ago as an antidote to the solitude of the soloist, the ensemble makes its Megaron debut with a programme spanning minimalism, jazz memories, popular traditions and contemporary composition.
Works by Savvas Tsiligiridis, Nikolas Anadolis, Christos Papageorgiou, Sergei Prokofiev (in arrangements by Thodoris Kotepanos), and the premiere of Pianoscuro by Giorgos Tsontakis, showcase the expressive breadth made possible only through this rare, multi-piano formation.
Piano Days ’26
Athens Concert Hall (Megaron Mousikis Athinon)
January 24–25, 2026
For full programme details, venues, schedules and ticket information, visit the Megaron website: Piano Days ’26
