Vitraux

Τhrough his modal music compositions, Tasos Poulios wonders whether our inner nature dictates our expression or whether we resist it and are drawn to a different truth. This exploration concerns the similarities between East and West leaving  it up to the listener to decide which aspect of their nature each composition relates to. The quartet stands behind this blurred musical landscape, much like the blur of a vitraux (stained glass window) — through which everything can be seen, with strict contours giving way to gentle curves.

Tasos Poulios on the qanun, together with Kyriakos Tapakis on the oud, Giorgos Kontogiannis on the Aegean lyre, and Nikos Paraoulakis on the ney, create a musical landscape that reflects the connection between East and West.

BRIEF BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES

Tasos Poulios qanun, musical composition

He was born in Katerini. He has a degree from the Department of Folk & Traditional Music (TEI of Epirus), specializing in the qanun, and a master’s degree in "Musical arts: interpretation & performance on the qanun" from the University of Macedonia. He also has a diploma in Byzantine music, while he also attended the Istanbul Technical University, for a while. He has been working professionally in Greece and abroad since 2009 and has collaborated with artists such as Haig Yazdjian, Martha Mavroidi, Yasemi Quartet, New York Gypsy All Stars, Sokratis Sinopoulos, Panagiotis Andreou, Apostolos Sideris, Dimitris Tasoudis, Giannis Poulios, Giorgos Kontogiannis, Taxiarchis Georgoulis, Nikolas Palaiologos, Vangelis Karipis, Giannis Kyrymikiridis, Petros & Michalis Kouloumis, Nikos Andrikos, Itamar Doari, Nandini Shankar, Gonzalo Grau, Katerina Papadopoulou, Eléonore Fourniau, Nedyalko Nedyalkov, Gergana Dimitrova, Harris Lambrakis and Nikos & Giasemi Saragouda, among others. He has recorded music for popular TV series and films. He has taught qanun at the University of Macedonia and the Chanting School (Marousi) and conducted numerous seminars. Since 2013, he has been teaching at the Music High School of Pallini. In 2021, he released his first album, Vitraux (Violins Productions).

Kyriakos Tapakis oud

He graduated from the Music High School of Pallini. He studied the oud under A. Apergis, I. Arvanitis, V. Tzortzinis, and K. Papadopoulou. He attended seminars with Necati Çelik, Yurdal Tokcan and Yıldıran Güz (Turkey), Simon Shaheen (Palestine), Ara Dinkjian (Armenia) and Charbel Rouhana (Lebanon). He is the main oud professor in the postgraduate programme of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. He has taught various instruments at the University of Macedonia, TEI of Epirus, Thessaloniki Music School, "Tetraktys" music school, and the "En Chordais" conservatory in collaboration with Ross Daly. He has participated as a performer and teacher in the music workshops in Agios Lavrentios, Pelion. He has collaborated with Sokratis Sinopoulos, Katerina Papadopoulou, the baroque orchestra L'Arpeggiata, Domna Samiou, Chronis Aidonidis, Petroloukas Chalkias, Nedyalko Nedyalkov, Derya Türkan, Psarantonis, Savina Yannatou, Ross Daly, Alkinoos Ioannidis, Sokratis Malamas, Thanasis Papakonstantinou, Eleni Vitali, Nikos Kypourgos, Nikos Portokaloglou, Melina Kana, Eleftheria Arvanitaki, Giorgos Dalaras, David Lynch, Elli Paspala, and Matoula Zamani. Moreover, he is member of several musical ensembles (Loxandra, Notio Toxo, Aoutar Duo, Tania Giannouli Trio, Kostas Theodorou quintet).

Yorgos Kontoyannis Aegean lyre

He was born in Athens and graduated from the Ilion Music High School (1998). He took lessons in lyre and Ottoman music with Ross Daly as part of the "Labyrinth" musical workshop (1999-2000). He holds a degree in harmony. He teaches lyre to students of various levels, focusing on the repertoire of Crete and Constantinople. He is a founding member of the band Checkmate in Two Flats, with which he has released four albums since 2002, and has performed at numerous festivals in Greece and abroad. He is also a member of Haig Yazdjian's music ensemble, Polis Ensemble and Notio Toxo (Katerina Papadopoulou). In concerts and discography, he has collaborated with renowned artists, including Nikos Grapsas, Nikos Xydakis, Eleni Karaindrou, Vasilis Skoulas, Eirini Tornesaki and Loudovikos ton Anogeion, etc.

Nikos Paraoulakis ney

Born in Crete, he moved to Athens in 1995 to study music. He studied advanced theory with Panagiotis Adam, Joseph Papadatos and Vasilis Foster, classical guitar with Thanasis Koumenteris and jazz guitar with Yiotis Samaras. Since 2000, he has concentrated on Greek and Eastern music, studying the ney with Harris Lambrakis and Omer Erdogdular. He has collaborated with renowned Greek and international artists and has his own discography. He is a member of the music groups Polis Ensemble, Iota and Smari, and performs concerts and masterclasses in Greece and abroad.