Babel Music XP Call For Artists for 2024 Edition

2 Replies to “Babel Music XP Call For Artists for 2024 Edition”

1. – Iranian indie pop singer, creative music composer, musician and music arranger with proven records of accomplishment of success in creating music with publishing more than 5 albums.
   – Assisting in the production of soundtracks and performing audio engineering, mixing and mastering.
   – Winner of Fajr Music Festival and Barbad Awards for the best music composer in 2017.
   – Well-qualified and inspirational teacher of musical instruments for 15 years.

2. Hello! How do we apply for your world music festival or other world, folk, ethnic events?

   I want to raise the profile of Spyros Koliavasilis–musician, vocalist, multi-instrumentalist–and to schedule performances in various folk music concerts and festivals around the country. Spyros would introduce an ethnic/world/Eastern/Mediterranean-infused vibe into your programming with his expertise on the Oud, Laouto-guitar, and Cappadocian Lyre. Musical genres: Greek traditional; rebetiko (aka Greek blues); music of Asia minor/Smyrna; ethno-jazz world music; Ottoman classical music (and more). Can you please tell me what other events / opportunities are coming up that we can apply for and please tell me how to apply (link, application form, etc). Background:

   Spyros Kolisavasilis is a versatile singer, multi-instrumentalist, and Master Oud player specializing in Greek Traditional Music. He has expertise in Greek Rebetiko Music and Music of Asia Minor, with a passion for music that extends beyond those genres and especially to ethno-jazz world music. Spyro’s artistic goals are to: 1) make people to feel happy; 2) unite people through music; and 3) demonstrate how music is timeless by using modern instruments to play new music, or old instruments to play new and show that contemporary music can be infused with traditional and vise versa. He believes music is timeless and should not be boxed into labels and genres, just play, enjoy and feel good, and if he makes you dance, even better. Spyro’s projects add a Mediterranean-infused world music element to your programming.

   Here’s a summary of the three of Spyro’s current musical projects- please listen to their unique sounds – with links to NEW / recent videos. Please let me know if you want to put Spyros and one of his groups on your calendar. He sold out a 100-person black box theater in Falls Church, VA in December 2023. His recent City of VA Beach concert on the history of Rebetiko was at capacity (250-seat theater) where he performed a concert on Rebetiko Music known as Greek blues and protected by UNESCO as an intangible cultural heritage. Spyro is also an expert in the music of Asia Minor and likely the only performer on the 8-string Cappadocian Lyre. Please learn about his groups from the links below and also by exploring his website: http://www.SpyrosKoliavasilisMusic.com

   MELOS: (Means Melody in Ancient Greek)

   This is Melos (Spyros and Nikos) performing in December 2023 at Creative Cauldron.

   https://youtu.be/vz5d5HRmG-E?si=Q2eYB5qRR1MGYCr8

   https://youtu.be/1tGiZA0PA5g?si=Mp7osMKRbk_9mB5_

   This is Melos playing a classic Rebetiko sound:

   https://youtube.com/shorts/tSoOP3nCasA?si=nak1V2ChItnCwhhB

   TRIOUD: (Refers to the three Ouds/Oud players)

   This is a special group that Spyro formed with two students that he taught to play the oud – the amazing players on each side are products of his Mediterranean Notes Music School teaching:

   https://youtu.be/XWs0bTZ2pak?si=0RbSpIkqRe_MLZHk

   TRELA: (Means something like “madness” in Greek)

   This is what happens when an accomplished guitarist and teacher joins musical forces with a Master oud player and teacher. Trela plays world music with such character and energy and has much more magical music and surprises coming soon. Listen to this beautiful rendition of Miserlou from a recent rehearsal. One of the surprises (only one 🙂 ) is that Trela will be on occasion accompanied by a third musician with different ethnic contributions – such as Persian percussion.

   https://youtu.be/xhEetslwefg?si=eAjr2JZoGvzXkQyU

   Here is additional background on Spyros Koliavasilis:

   Mr. Koliavasilis is a versatile singer and multi-instrumentalist specializing in Greek Traditional Music. He expertly performs many genres and styles of traditional music. In December 2023, he demonstrated expertise during a concert of Greek Traditional Christmas and New Years carols showcasing songs and instruments of Greece. He effortlessly changed instruments, transitioning from one regional style to another—performing a Cretan song with Cretan Lyra, then a song from Epirus with percussion called Daouli, and then performing rhythm with laouto-guitar for a song from Thrace—covering 12 distinct styles overall. (samples from this performance on posted on the “Listen” page of his website: http://www.SpyrosKoliavasilisMusic.com)

   He plays 18+ different instruments to authentically perform the regional music. These include: Cappadocian, Cretan, and Pontian Lyras; oud; bouzouki; saz; laouto; and baglama. He sings in several of the distinct regional styles and teaches music theory, canto/singing, Makam Theory and modular scales, and improvisations. He is likely the sole performer worldwide of the 7-course Cappadocian Lyra, a unique instrument he co-designed over six years with a luthier. This instrument was used to play Greek folk music of Cappadocia (a region of modern Turkey) and the Black Sea. Mr. Koliavasilis’ innovation expands the instrument’s capabilities, offering a violin-like versatility while preserving Cappadocian and Black Sea musical heritage.

   Spyro’s world music performances are deeply steeped in his Greek music roots but show his depth of musicality that has much to share with the world. Music is his life. Spyro’s “catch phrase” is “music is the art of the soul” and he also frequently says that “music unites” and his music demonstrates a confluence of influences from Greece, the Balkans, Turkey, Armenia, Jewish/Sephardic music, the Middle East, France, Spain, Western classical music and much more. He also loves to collaborate with musicians from other countries and musical backgrounds. Spyros is passionate about keeping traditions alive for the coming generations

   I hope the information I have provided here makes you interested in Mr. Koliavasilis as a performer at Calypso’s. Learn more about him at http://www.SpyrosKoliavasilisMusic.com and feel free to call me or ask for more information.

   Sincerely,

   Patricia

   Spyros Koliavasilis Music

   703-470-4720