Ivan Boutnikoff (Composer, Arranger)

Born: December 1893 - Russia
Died: February 1972

Ivan Bounikoff [Butnikoff] was a Russian born conductor and composer.

In 1923 Ivan Bounikoff was appointed as chief conductor of the orchestra of the Conservatory of Athens. With his excellent technique he directed the orchestra with great success, showing the Athenian audience several performances of symphonic works, particularly those of Scriabin. He also gave the premiere performance of several works of Greek composers, including the excellent symphonic poem by George Sklavos Eagle (December 26, 1923). In 1925, the “Concerts Association” was founded in Athens, Greece. The Concerts Association Orchestra resulted from the merging of the Athens Conservatory Orchestra and the Greek Conservatory Symphony Orchestra, with Dimitri Mitropoulos and Bounikoff as regular Directors, and Bustinduy and Oikonomidis as ad hoc Directors. In 1927, after the Concerts Association was disbanded, the Athens Conservatory Symphony Orchestra was reorganized. Philoctitis Oikonomidis was appointed First Conductor, J. Bustinduy Assistant Conductor, and Dimitri Mitropoulos and Bounikoff “General Conductors”. Bounikoff held this post until 1929, wen he left Greece).also taught at the Athens Conservatory. Moreover, from 1923 to 1929 period, Bounikoff taught at the Conservatory of Athens, having for many students who would become future leaders of the Athenian musical life, such as: Theodore Vavagianni, Leonidas Zora, Toti Karalivano, Miltiades Koutougko, etc.

Ivan Bounikoff was also conducter of the Brussels Symphony, the Wiener Philharmoniker and the Bolshoi Ballet.

Source: Bits & pieces from various websites
Contributed by Aryeh Oron (July 2011)

Ivan Bounikoff: Short Biography | Arrangements/Transcriptions: Works | Recordings

Links to other Sites

Μπούτνικωφ Ιβάν (Musipedia) [Greek]

Bibliography

Takis Kalogeropoulos: Dictionary of Greek music (Gialleli, 2001)
Storm Bull: Index to biographies of contemporary composers (New York: Scarecrow Press, 1964), p 405