Ζoe Samsarelou studied the piano in Volos and at the State Conservatory of Thessaloniki, in Greece. She went on to study at the Academy of Fine Arts in Berlin and graduated from the Academy of Music and Theatre in Hamburg, Germany, under the guidance of Professor Marian Migdal. She attended courses at the International Salzburg Summer Academy with Professor Hans Leygraf, as well as with Professors Karlheinz Kämmerlink and Gyorgy Sebök in Berlin, and Julia and Konstantin Ganev in Thessaloniki. 

Besides musical studies, Zoe Samsarelou has also graduated from the School of Archaeology at Aristotle University, Thessaloniki. She has always been interested in Mediterranean civilisations; in particular the ancient Greek world and its influence on musical compositions. 

Inspired by Greek mythology, she has been giving themed recitals of unique compositions for piano over a number of decades. Notable examples include the piano recital within the context of the collaboration between the Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki and the Louvre Museum, under the title “Ancient Greek Philosophy and the Enlightenment”, and her latest appearance at the Festival des Forêts 2022 in Compiègne, France, in a performance titled “Apollon and Dionysos”. In the same festival, she will be presenting a programme under the title “Kotinos- Grèce antique: Jeux et symbolismes”, inspired by the Olympic Games, in June 2024.

Zoe’s repertoire consists of classical as well as contemporary compositions and works by Greek composers. She has given a great number of piano recitals and chamber music concerts in Greece and abroad. She has participated in festivals in Europe, Asia, and North Africa (Greece, Germany, France, Italy, Malta, Turkey, Algeria, Egypt and Syria). 

As a member of the Association “Echanges Culturels en Méditerranée” (E.CU.ME.), and as then president of its Greek counterpart, Zoe was very active as a pianist in Mediterranean countries. Additionally, she has performed at historical and iconic venues, such as the Library of Alexandria, the Opera House and the Arab Music Institute in Cairo, as well as the Public National Museum of Modern Art (MAMA) in Algiers, the Conservatorio Nicolò Paganini in Genoa and the High School of Music in Damascus.

A fervent believer in the power of music to unite, Zoe has collaborated with Turkish artists promoting Greek-Turkish friendship with performances across Greece and Turkey. 

Her orchestral performances include solo appearances with orchestras in Greece and Turkey; she has broadcast on Greek National Radio and Television; and she has recorded a CD with works for solo piano composed by Astor Piazzolla with Arcadia Digital S.A.; and she has participated on the CD produced by the State Conservatory of Thessaloniki, which includes works by Greek composers.

Her extensive teaching experience coupled with her desire to promote and enhance a group spirit in young musicians, led to her establishing the “Krama Piano Ensemble” for many players at one or two instruments, which consists of performances by her and her graduate students. Additionally, she has given masterclasses at Conservatories and Music High Schools in Genoa, Damascus, and Istanbul. 

In 2000, Zoe founded the “International PelionFestival” which is a summer music festival and academy on Mount Pelion, Central Greece (www.pelionfestival.com), and has since been its Cultural Director. Zoe has taught at the University of Macedonia, Thessaloniki as piano instructor, and since 1994 she has been a Professor in the Piano Department at the State Conservatory in Thessaloniki.