Orpheus - FESTIVAL OF GREEK MUSIC - AND DANCE MUSIC FROM MACEDONIA AND THRACE (April, 2001)

The Orpheus Hellenic Folklore Society in cooperation with the World Music Institute and the
World Council of Hellenes Abroad Proudly Presents
FESTIVAL OF GREEK MUSIC AND DANCE
MUSIC FROM MACEDONIA AND THRACE
Saturday, April 28, 7:00 p.m.
Chicago Historical Society
Rubloff Auditorium
Part 1
"Zournades" from Goumenissa
GEVGELIS ENSEMBLE
Christos Gevgelis, zourna
Giorgos Gevgelis, zourna
Giannis Gevgelis, daouli
Part 2
Traditional Brass Band from Edessa
I CHRISODAKTILI
Petros Aganakis, clarinet, saxophone
Tragianos Velkos, trumpet
Tasos Diskos, trumpet
Antonis Tsotsis, accordion
Demetres Psathas, saxophone
Demetres Ornitsa, side drum
Part 3
Songs and Dances from Macedonia & Thrace
CHRONIS AIDONIDIS & ENSEMBLE
Chronis Aidonidis, vocals
Nikos Filippidis, clarinet
Kostas Filippidis, laouto
Kiriakos Gouventas, violin
Giannis Gevgelis, percussion
Tasos Diskos, gainta
The concert will open with Music and Dance from Macedonia and Thrace. Both regions are exceptionally rich in folk music, song and dance. The music of these two regions, with their proximity to present day Turkey, exhibits many of the same traits in instrumentation and style as that of Anatolia. The forced repatriation of Greeks from Anatolia after the collapse of the Ottoman Empire brought a new influx of artists whose music was decidedly Eastern in style. While in Macedonia and Thrace instruments such as gaida (bagpipe), oud (fretless lute) and zourna (oboe) are common, in the western region of Macedonia brass bands are very popular, having been introduced the military bands of Western Europe and the Janissary bands of Turkey. These bands are usually led by the clarinet which is played in a style that is influenced by the Epirot style and has much in common with the ‘Oriental’ Gypsy clarinet style common throughout the Balkans.
The concert will open with a traditional ‘zournades’ trio from the village of Goumenissa in central Macedonia. This genre, performed by two zourna players accompanied on the daouli (large drum) is commonly performed at weddings and festivals throughout the Balkans, Middle East and North Africa. The featured group is a Gypsy ensemble - the Gevgelis Trio. Following this will be a traditional brass band from Edessa in western Macedonia I Chrisodaktili. Led by clarinetist Petros Aganakis this is one of the region's best known groups and features trumpet, trombone, accordion and side drum.
The second part of the concert will feature the Chronis Aidonidis Ensemble from Thrace. Vocalist Christos Aidonidis is acknowledged as a major figure in Thracian music: his ensemble features clarinet, violin, laouto (lute), gaida (bagpipe) and percussion.