Vassilis Tsitsanis – The Saint of Love

Vassilis Tsitsanis, one of the greatest composers of contemporary Greek folk music, portrays human passions in everyday life through his works. A special place among them is held by women and the pain of a mother figure, whom he often refers to as "Panagia" (the Virgin Mary). His melodies follow the sounds of the Byzantine musical tradition. Parallel paths, parallel action.

On one hand, through the great hymns, we follow the Divine Drama to its climax. At the same time, Tsitsanis' songs explore the themes of love, pain, sacrifice, death, and, ultimately, redemption. He also addresses the role of the Mother, the Mother's lament, and, at the same time, the Virgin Mary's lament for the Crucified Jesus. For the first time, the hymns of our Byzantine tradition meet the core of contemporary Greek folk music—the songs of our greatest composer, Vassilis Tsitsanis. - Andreas Katsigiannis

BRIEF BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES

Andreas Katsigiannis concept, artistic director
He was born in Athens. Ηe grew up musically in an environment associated with rebetiko music, art song composers and Byzantine music. He began his professional career playing the santur, while studying Byzantine music. He is the founder of the Estoudiantina Orchestra of Nea Ionia, Magnesia, an orchestra that played a decisive role in Greek music. He has written over 1,000 songs and instrumental pieces. He has  composed music for cinema, television and theatre. He has collaborated with most of the singers of folk, art and traditional Greek music. He has written music for international productions and is the composer of the official Anthem of the Mediterranean Games. He has also set Greek poetry to music and has released over 40 albums of his own, whilst he has been awarded both in Greece and abroad.

Dimitra Galani vocal performer
A popular and esteemed singer. She was born in Athens and began her musical career in 1969 with two songs on the album A Smile by Dimos Moutsis and Nikos Gatsos. She has come a long way since then, collaborating with the most important Greek composers, including Manos Hadjidakis, Mikis Theodorakis, Manos Loizos, Stavros Xarchakos, Christos Leontis and Giorgos Hatzinasios, as well as with lyricists such as Manos Eleftheriou, Lefteris Papadopoulos, Kostas Virvos, and Lina Nikolakopoulou, some of whose songs she interpreted for the first time. In 1990, she represented Greece at the 7th Mediterranean Song Contest in Majorca. At the same time, she began composing music for theatre, cinema and television. Her international presence includes collaborations with artists such as Cesária Évora, Gustavo Santaolalla and Vinicio Capossela, while she has performed on major music stages worldwide, including Europe, America and Australia. With an extensive discography and a varied career, she has been repeatedly honored in music competitions and festivals. As a music producer, she has also helped to promote new songwriters and performers.

Manolis Pappos bouzouki, voice
He was born in Piraeus and comes from Samos. He is one of the most important bouzouki virtuosos, composer and singer. He began playing folk and traditional music at the age of 13, learning bouzouki, oud and guitar. He has been working as a professional musician since 1982 and has collaborated in live performances and album recordings with renowned composers and singers such as M. Theodorakis, N. Papazoglou, D. Papadimitriou, E. Arvanitaki, D. Galani, G. Dalaras, L. McKennitt, R. Daly and others. Since 2004, he has been a permanent member of the State Orchestra of Greek Music and Stavros Xarchakos. In 2003, the albums Osa Sou Moiazoun (with his own music) and Aegean were released with music and songs he wrote together with V. Drogkaris for the documentary Aegean now and forever by Y. Kolozis. He taught at the TEI of Folk and Traditional Music in Arta and was also a visiting professor at the Department of Musicology at the University of Macedonia.

Georgios Konstantinou choirmaster
He was born in Galatas, Missolonghi.  He has a PhD from the Department of Music Studies (Ionian University), a degree from the Maraslean Teaching Centre and a degree from the School of Physical Education and Sport Science of Athens (TEFAA). He has taken part in musicological and pedagogical conferences and masterclasses in Greece and abroad. As a member of the Greek Byzantine Choir since 1981 and its choirmaster since 2014, he contributes to the research, study and interpretation of the written and oral tradition of church music and its application in teaching. In the context of teaching and chanting Byzantine music, he has published numerous books. He is a scientific collaborator of the Holy Monastery of Vatopedi (in the field of psaltic art) and he has been supervising The First Manuscripts of the Three Teachers (as part of the Monastery's publications) since 2019. He participated in a research programme funded by the Onassis Foundation on The Byzantine Master Ioannis Koukouzelis, under the mentorship of the late L. Angelopoulos. He taught Byzantine music at the Schools of Zoodochos Pigi and the Holy Metropolitan Church of Fthiotida, as well as the Athens Conservatory. Since 2021, along with members of the Greek Byzantine Choir, he has been chanting at St. George's Church in Papagos.

Estoudiantina of Nea Ionia, Volos
Its name goes back to the most famous Greek orchestra, which was founded in Smyrna and toured the world from 1898 to 1921. The new Estoudiantina was founded in 1998 in Nea Ionia, Magnesia, by Andreas Katsigiannis and follows in the footsteps of this famous history. Since then, it has collaborated with some of the greatest Greek singers in both recordings and live performances and has participated in the most important international events and festivals. From 1999 until today, the orchestra has given more than 1.000 concerts in Greece and abroad, receiving excellent reviews. Estoudiantina's cultural commitment goes beyond music and includes research work, special publications, independent productions, historical documentation and the creation of archives, as well as approaches to music education. Their discography has sold more than 700.000 copies in Greece and internationally.

Greek Byzantine Choir
The Greek Byzantine Choir was founded in 1977 by L. Angelopoulos (1941-2014) and his collaborators. Its aim is to study and present Byzantine music, as it has been passed down to us, both through written and oral tradition. In its 47 years of operation, it has given over 1,400 concerts around the world, including liturgical and other types of performances. It has made recordings in Europe's most prestigious radio and television stations. It also took part in the first performance of Michalis Adamis' contemporary music piece Rodanon. Additionally, it has presented excerpts of ancient Greek music, early Christian music, Paleo-Roman and Ambrosian chants, as well as the old sequence of Three Children in the Fiery Furnace, transcribed and revived by Michalis Adamis. Since 1990 it has been recording and releasing the works of the great Byzantine master I.  Koukouzelis. This programme was supported for three years with scholarships from the Alexandros S. Onassis Foundation. The Greek Byzantine Choir enjoys a rich discography and has also published important books. Since 2021, a twelve-member ensemble of the Greek Byzantine Choir has been chanting at Saint George's  Church in Papagos under the direction of its chorus master Georgios Konstantinou.