The news of the death of the great Greek musician and composer, Vangelis Papathanasiou, has saddened the artistic community.
According to reports, the Greek musician and composer of electronic, progressive, ambient, jazz, and orchestral music—also known as Vangelis—was being treated at a hospital in France for COVID-19.
The law firm representing Vangelis Papathanassiou confirmed the news.
«It is with great sadness that we announce that the great Greek Vangelis Papathanassiou passed away late on Tuesday night, May 17,» the statement reads.
Who was Vangelis Papathanassiou?
Vangelis Papathanassiou was born on March 29, 1943, in Agria, Volos. He began composing at the age of four and gave his first public performance at the age of six, without having had any formal musical training.
He was self-taught despite pressure from his parents and teachers, who urged him to take music lessons. However, he studied classical music, painting, and film directing at the Academy of Fine Arts in Athens.
He has influenced the development of various musical genres and is considered a pioneer of electronic music.
He won an Oscar for the film's score The Roads of Fire In 1982:
He has also composed the music for numerous other films, including *Blade Runner*, *1492: Christopher Columbus*, *Alexander*, *El Greco*, and others. He has collaborated with Demis Roussos, Irini Pappa, and Jon Anderson.
In 1997, he directed the opening ceremony of the 6th IAAF World Championships in Athletics, held at the Panathenaic Stadium in Athens, His work *Mythodia* was selected by NASA as the official music for its mission: 2001 Odyssey to Mars, and in 2002 he composed the official music for the 2002 FIFA World Cup in South Korea and Japan.
