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Kyriakos Kalaitzides was born in Thessaloniki in 1969. His origins are from
Pontos and Kappadokia. From an early age, he studied Byzantine music with
the former Archon Lambadarios of the Great Church of Christ, Eleftherios
Georgiades.
Ever since 1986 he has been practicing the oud instrument, which he has
studied from many aspects, focusing both on the decoding of its technique as
well as its position in the popular and literary tradition of Near and
Middle East. He is considered to be one of the most distinguished performers
and teachers of the oud.
In 1993 along with other musicians, he founded EN CHORDAIS, a cultural
organization, which has been active in research, education and promotion of
the musical traditions of the Mediterranean, contributing with its CD
productions, book publications and concerts to the musical ambience.
He has published the following research studies: Oud Learning Teaching
Method, volume A’ 1996, as well as the musicological research and production
of texts for the CDs – “Yiorgos Batzanos” (1997), devoted to the oud
virtuoso, “Sea of Memories” for the musical tradition of Oenoussae islets
(1999), the personality and work of “Zakharia Khanendeh” (2001). Apart from
that, he has also composed music for the theater (State Theater of Northern
Greece, 1997), and has collaborated in presentations of Byzantine literature
work texts with famous actors in Greece and abroad (Alan Bates, Dimitris
Kataleifos, Moni Ovadia, Vassiliki Nevrokopli, Despoina Sarafeidou).
He has participated many times, either as a soloist, or as a member of the
“EN CHORDAIS” ensemble in celebratory events, popular performances,
festivals and has appeared in famous concert halls all over Greece
(Theatre of Epidavrus,
Thessaloniki Concert Hall, Athens Concert Hall) and in many towns abroad,
(London, Constantinople, Marseilles, Copenhagen, Belgrade, Venice, Lisbon,
Montreal, Brussels, Luxemburg, Tunis). He has collaborated with
distinguished Greek and foreign musicians.
Since February 2002, he has been the Artistic Director of MediMuses,
which has been materializing in the framework of the European Program,
Euromed Heritage II. |
