Konstantinos Sfetsas was born in Paris and grew up in a family of artists. Son of the cellist Christos Sfetsas and the painter Cleopatra Dinga and nephew of the composer Kyriakos Sfetsas, at the age of five he began studying cello with his father. At the same time, under the guidance of his uncle, he took his first lessons in music theory. He went on with the study of the cello in the class of Sotiris Tachiatis at the Central Athens Conservatory while at the same time he continued his studies in advanced music theory in the class of the composer Michalis Travlos at the Nikos Skalkotas conservatory.
With a scholarship from the Academy of Athens, he pursued higher studies in Paris at the École Normale de Musique de Paris in Reine Flachot’s class, where he acquired his Master’s Degree in Music Performance and Teaching (cello). Additionally, he took lessons with Philipe Muller and Toshiro Takemoto. With another scholarship awarded to him by the A. Leventis foundation, he completed his studies at the Schola Cantorum de Paris in Erwan Fauré’s class where he acquired the Certificate of Virtuosity (Diplôme de Virtuosité) and the Postgraduate Certificate of Completion of Musical Studies (Diplome Superieure de Fin d’ Etudes Musicales) and graduated with the highest honours.
He has performed in numerous concerts and recitals in Paris as a member of the musical association Polyphorum.
He was a member of the Athens State Orchestra and the Orchestra of Colours. He has been a member of the National Symphonic Orchestra of ERT (Greek Broadcasting Company) since 1998.
He has recorded for the Third Program of the Greek National Radio works of W.A. Mozart (Sonata for bassoon and cello KV292), J.S. Bach (Suite No.2), Ed. Elgar (cello concerto op.85), J.Haydn (cello concerto in D major), E.Grieg (sonata for cello and piano op.36), P.I.Tchaikovsky (Les saisons), F.Chopin (nocturnes).
He has been collaborating with the pianist Nelly Semitecolo since 2001 and they have given chamber music recitals in most cities in Greece, covering most of the classical and contemporary repertoire for both instruments.
As a soloist he has performed with famous orchestras and ensembles including the OORT Sofia Symphony Orchestra, the Orchestra of Colours, the National Symphony Orchestra of ERT , the Contemporary Music Orchestra of ERT, the Niricos Chamber Orchestra and the ERT Choir, performing concertos from the classical and romantic repertoire of the cello (Vivaldi, Haydn, Elgar, Schumann), and also contemporary works of the 20th century in global and pan-Hellenic premieres such as the concert of Andrea Portera ― Dreaming Crystals and Fluids (Athens Concert Hall, International Competition D. Mitropoulos 2005) and Svyati of John Tavener for solo cello and choir (Athens Concert Hall 2013). Ηe has also collaborated with eminent conductors such as Ilias Voudouris, Themis Magriotis, Andreas Pilarinos, Rafael Pilarinos, Miltos Logiadis, Vassilis Tsabropoulos, Dimitris Bouzanis and others.
He has been guest of honour in various productions by the National Greek Television (ET1-NET), in Alexis Kostalas’ and Dimitris Trikas’ broadcasts (Great Performances, Art point) as well as in radio programmes hosted by Christos Papageorgiou, Michalis Messinis, Marina Papadimitriou, Anna Sakali and others in the Greek National Radio Station (Τhird Programme).
He has been selected to participate in international contests for the principal cello position in world famous orchestras such as Gulbenkian Orchestra – Lisbon, Tonkunstler Orchestra – Vienna,WDR Funkhausorchester – Koln, Gewandhausorchester – Leipzig, Berner Symphonieorchester – Switzerland.
He is the principal cellist of the Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra of Athens. http://msoath.weebly.com/
Alongside his career in the field of classical music he has supervised the music in several theatrical plays and has at times worked and recorded with various bands of the pop scene.
Since 2012, he has been teaching cello at the English school, Campion.
Konstantinos Sfetsas plays two instruments, a 1909 Wilhelm Welge cello from Hannover and a 1970 Ivan kaloverov.