International Lute Meeting in Athens, Greece

On Friday 8th, Saturday 9th and Sunday 10th of April 2005, the cultural organization En Chordais – Musical Traditions of the Mediterranean, is materializing the International Lute Meeting in Athens (Athens Concert Hall, Hall Dimitris Mitropoulos, Vas. Sofias & Kokkali str).

The International Lute & Flamenco Guitar Meeting is taking place within the framework of the MediMuses Project, whose field of action includes research, educational and artistic activities in countries of the Mediterranean. The International Meetings are considered to be of the most significant activities of the Project, as they focus on the musical instruments of the Mediterranean. MediMuses Project, which is part of the broader European Union supported Euromed Heritage II Programme, aims to research and recompose the elements of the common Mediterranean music heritage.

During the International Lute Meeting sixteen of the most distinguished flamenco guitar, fretless guitar, medieval and renaissance lute, traditional lute, lavta and ud [a.k.a. oud & l’ud] performers will teach and present their style, technique and repertoire, by giving master classes and recitals.

As side events, lectures on the historical evolution of the instruments of the lute family will be given by researchers, lute makers and musicologists (Dr. Thomas Apostolopoulos – The lute family in Greek musical tradition, Mr. Kamel Ferjani – Evolution et développement des techniques de jeux du Ud dans le monde arabe, Dr. Walter Feldman – Changes within the lute family in Ottoman music: ca. 1400-1920, Dr. Saifallah Ben Abderrazak – Le luth dans la tradition musicale arabe. Réflexions sur son rôle et sa contribution dans la vie musicale contemporaine, Mr. Stephen Gottlieb – A brief history of the lute family in Europe, 14th to 18th centuries).

Additionally, there will be a tribute to Christos Zotos and to the great Tunisian ud master Ahmed El Kalai.

The participants in the International Lute Meeting are:

• Ahmed El Kalai, Tunisia – ud
• Mehmet Bitmez, Turkey – ud
• Massimo Lonardi, Italy – Medieval lute
• Bill Badley, United Kingdom – Renaissance lute
• Paco Serrano, Spain – Flamenco guitar
• Driss El Maloumi, Morocco – ud
• Charbel Rouhana, Lebanon – ud
• Haig Yazdjian, Syria – ud
• Vassilis Vetsos, Greece – Fretless guitar
• Sokratis Sinopoulos, Greece – Politiko
• Periklis Papapetropoulos, Greece – Politiko lauto
• Christos Tsiamoulis, Greece – ud, Lauto
• Giorgos Ksylouris, Greece – Cretan Lauto
• Dimitris Mistakides, Greece – Lauto
• Vassilis Tzortzinis, Greece – ud
• Kyriakos Kalaitzides, Greece – ud

All the artists will realize master classes which the participants can attend after filling an application form. Master classes will take place on Friday 8th, on Saturday 9th and Sunday 10th of April from 16:00 until 19:30. Information about the master classes and application forms will be sent by En Chordais (21 Pavlou Mela str, Thessaloniki 56422, tel: 2310-253285/6, email:info@enmusic.gr).

The meeting is also funded by the Hellenic Ministry of Culture.

Financial support sponsors: Hellenic Ministry of Culture, Ernst & Young,
Diopsis.

Sponsors: ERT 3, Era Kosmos 93,6, and cultureguide.gr.