Stylianos Dimou (1988) writes music that is about large gestures as well as extreme precision. “Think of nature. First there is a panorama – the coast, the woods – but zooming in you see this astonishingly complex world.”
Dimou’s structures consist of infinitesimal particles that combine into moving lines. “I grew up in Greece, near the sea. Maybe that is why I like undulating shapes. For instance, waves.” These are also found in his sketches and scores. “Drawing is a fundamental part of the composition process. It allows me to explore certain elements and characteristics but is also about introspection and self-realization. The images provide me with feedback. A kind of domino effect; the material itself generates new material.”
Contrast is an important concern. “I believe in harmony but not in a traditional manner. Earlier, I did a lot of diving, up to 30 metres below the surface. I experienced the stones, the flow, the fish, the water. Aspects that differ greatly while co-existing in mysterious ways. That, too, is harmony. Even more so because it comprises contrasts. I strive to create a single organism that encompasses heterogeneous elements. A large gesture in endless detail; a microcosm in its own right.”
Photo © Anna van Kooij