Grandbrothers | 16.09.2026 | Θ. «Δόρα Στράτου» – Φ hill Sessions
Grandbrothers are coming to Θέατρο «Δόρα Στράτου» on Wednesday 16 September for Φ hill Sessions – and along with them, the festival's entire programme through to the end of the month.
By Dimitris (Bari) Polyzois
The neoclassical/electronic duo Grandbrothers take the stage at the Θέατρο «Δόρα Στράτου» on Philopappou Hill on Wednesday 16 September, as part of the Φ hill Sessions.
The Erol Sarp and Lukas Vogel have been for years now one of the most talked-about projects on the European scene: two people, one acoustic piano and an electromechanical system they built themselves, which turns the instrument into an entire orchestra. The night at Λόφος Φιλοπάππου promises an experience where music, technology and lighting work as a single whole.
INFO
Wednesday 16 September
Θέατρο «Δόρα Στράτου» – Λόφος Φιλοπάππου
Doors: 20:00
Start: 21:15
All seating is seated.
Ticket prices: Advance 30€ | Door 33€ | Backless seats 27€ (limited)
Advance ticket sales:
Online: https://www.more.com/gr-el/tickets/music/grandbrothers-f-hill-sessions/
MORE Physical Outlets: https://www.more.com/gr-el/physical-spots/
Getting to the Θέατρο «Δόρα Στράτου»: https://www.grdance.org/access/
Access for people with disabilities is via the south entrance, through the parking lot (Arakynthou Street).
A piano that doesn't sound like a piano
The core wager of Grandbrothers is simple to state and extremely difficult to pull off: everything you hear on that stage comes out of one single acoustic piano, with no playback and no digital samples. The duo has designed a system of little hammers and electromagnets that strike the strings, the wood and the metal of the instrument, producing rhythmic patterns and textures that seem to be coming from drum machines and synthesizers.
The result moves somewhere between contemporary classical music and electronic production: minimalist repetitions, ambient layers, hypnotic rhythms and a cinematic quality that keeps an audience riveted. It's no accident that critics have likened their shows to open-heart surgery performed on a piano.
Their track record includes appearances at halls such as the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg, the Barbican Centre in London, the Philharmonie de Paris and the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, as well as slots at festivals like Sónar, Montreux Jazz Festival and Mutek.
«Elsewhere»: the most recent chapter
On their most recent album, «Elsewhere», Grandbrothers open up their sonic universe even further, bringing in analogue synthesizers, drum machines and elements drawn from electronic music culture. The emotional core and the atmospheric tension that have defined their sound are still there, but the frame around them gets wider and bolder.
Listen to «Elsewhere»: https://lnk.to/Grandbrothers_Whereelse
Φ hill Sessions: what's on until the end of September
The Φ hill Sessions return for a second year to Λόφος Φιλοπάππου, with concerts that kicked off in early June and wrap up at the end of September. The programme covers a broad musical spectrum – jazz, ethnic, traditional and contemporary music – with Greek and international artists, in one of the most distinctive spots in Athens: an open meeting point between music, the city and the natural landscape of the hill. In this dreamlike theatre you'll have a one-of-a-kind musical experience you won't forget, at a festival that's well on its way to becoming an institution!
The concerts still to come:
15 September | Γιάννης Αγγελάκας & Νίκος Βελιώτης – «ΛΥΚΟΙ ΛΑΪΒ» (second night, after the sold-out buzz of the 14th)
16 September | Grandbrothers
24 September | Σαβίνα Γιαννάτου, Primavera en Salonico & Lamia Bedioui – «Watersong»
25 September | Le Trio Joubran
26 September | Χειμερινοί Κολυμβητές
27 September | Σταύρος Λάντσιας Octet – «Waving Hands»
Advance tickets & info for each concert: https://www.more.com/gr-el/tickets/music/f-hill-sessions-2026-lofos-filopappou/
Θέατρο «Δόρα Στράτου»
The Θέατρο «Δόρα Στράτου» sits opposite the Acropolis, on the far side of Λόφος Φιλοπάππου. It was built in 1963 specifically for the «Δόρα Στράτου» music and dance company, with a permanent set design by Σπύρος Βασιλείου.
Access: https://www.grdance.org/access/
Bar by The DUDE BAR
Sound: Πολυφωνική Στούντιο
Visuals: Ήρα Σταματοπούλου
Φ hill Sessions: Facebook | Instagram
Production – Communications / Press Office: Goodheart Productions
SPONSORS: ΜΕΤΑΧΑ | ΝΗΣΟΣ
