BOTONIS SAX

Botonis Botonakis, born in Rethymno, Crete, began studying music at an early age, mastering theory, piano, trumpet, and saxophone. While earning a degree in Civil Engineering he also completed his musical education at the New Conservatory of Thessaloniki, graduating with a Classical Saxophone Degree and a Diploma in Music Harmony. Continuing at the P. Nakas Conservatory in Athens, he earned an Unanimously Excellent Diploma, performing the full version of Ingolf Dahl’s challenging Concerto for Saxophone for the first time in Greece. Botonakis also studied modern singing.

As a member of the Athens Saxophone Quartet and later the Akroama Saxophone Quartet, he performed works by Greek and international composers, including the demanding XAS at the Iannis Xenakis International Symposium. He attended masterclasses with acclaimed saxophonists such as John Sampen, Arno Bornkamp, George Porte, and Jean-Yves Fourmeau, solidifying his reputation as a versatile and accomplished musician.