📍 Address
23 Philharmonic Street, Corfu, Greece
📞 Telephone
+30 26610 37004
🌐 Website
https://www.facebook.com/femantzaros
Short History of the “Mantzaros” Philharmonic Society.
The “Mantzaros” Philharmonic Society (F.E.M.) was founded in 1890.
The creation of its predecessor organization had already begun in June 1890, initiated by a group of young intellectuals devoted to music, who had previously formed the “Recreational Cooperative”.
The Society’s first official regulation, consisting of 28 articles, was approved during a meeting held on the evening of Saturday, 21 June 1890. This meeting is considered the founding General Assembly of the association.
A few days later, the Society’s official seal was approved, bearing the circular inscription “Recreational Cooperative in Corfu” and, at its center, the motto “Equality – Brotherhood”.
On 2 September 1890, a five-member temporary Administrative Committee was appointed. On 13 September, Antonios Zervos was named President. The number of founding members was set at fifty.
At the same time, Anastasios Rinopoulos was unanimously elected as a founding member and became the first Band Director of the Philharmonic.
Rinopoulos was born in Corfu in 1843. He received his first musical training at the “Old” Philharmonic Society under the renowned composer Nikolaos Halikiopoulos Mantzaros. In September 1861, he was awarded a gold distinction as a student. Fluent in English and Italian, he later served as Band Director of the local British Garrison Band until the Union of the Ionian Islands with Greece in 1864.
According to historian S. Montsenigos, Rinopoulos remained a member of the Old Philharmonic until 1890, when he assumed leadership of the “Mantzaros” Philharmonic Society, supporting it financially and teaching young musicians free of charge.
In mid-September 1890, a six-member committee was appointed to determine the design and colors of the musicians’ uniforms.
On 25 September 1890, the temporary committee resigned, the initial regulation was abolished, and the first official Board of Directors was elected.
The first President of the Philharmonic Society was Leonidas Vlachos, a distinguished Corfiot scholar and historian, fluent in French, English, and Italian. He had founded the educational institution “Kapodistrias” in 1873 and served in several prominent public roles in Corfu.
The official uniform colors of the “Mantzaros” Philharmonic Society were established as blue and white, reflecting the colors of the Greek flag.
