The Axia International Festival 2012 is proud to present two special concerts on the atmospheric square of Halki village, Naxos. The programmes will include music from Bach to Bossa Nova and from Villa-Lobos to Jazz with seven artists from Greece, England, Australia, Sweden, Germany and Japan.

The first concert on 10th August will present Naxos guitarist Nikos Kavarias, a young musician of great talent who is studying at the renowned Mozarteum in Salzburg. He will share the evening with fascinating cellist Anna Carewe and versatile pianist-composer Philip Mayers from Berlin in an eclectic programme ranging from Bach, Fauré and Mendelssohn to Astor Piazzolla and Philip Mayers himself.

Previous visitors and friends of Axia International Festival will be thrilled to see the return of Keiko Borjeson and Hans Limburg for the second concert on 12th August. Like the first concert, this evening is also inspired by Bach and opens with haunting duets by Villa-Lobos perfomed by Nigel Shore (oboe) and Hans Limburg (guitar), including the much-loved Bachianas Brasileiras no.5. The Brazilian theme continues with prize-winning Bossa Nova singer-guitarist Hans Limburg in a selection of music from Rio de Janeiro, and the evening ends with exciting and innovative jazz pianist Keiko Borjeson and her husband Håkan Börjeson on violin and bass violin, who promise an exciting finale to this years festival.

A highlight to the Axia international festival 2012 is the exhibition of Peter Nicolaides: “TREASURES OF THE AEGEAN”
Mr. Peter Nicolaides said: “I am delighted and privileged to be a part of this Festival and present my “Treasures of the Aegean”, in the wake of our recent continuing effort with Pierre-Yves Cousteau to establish a network of marine protected areas in the Cyclades. I have been very fortunate to have worked on the Calypso in 1976 and to have dived on the wrecks of the Britannic and the wreck of Antikythera with the” legend”, Jacques-Yves Cousteau who made a life-changing impression on me. I strive to integrate marine sciences, marine environmental conservation, art and archaeology in my presentations to schools and universities and work towards creating a successful network of protected areas in the Aegean Sea. There is a profound, decisive role played by the maritime and marine element in the development of Aegean civilizations and cultures.The exemplary, inspired work of Katharina and Alex is in the line of this cultural, quality evolution of the Aegean.”