Bouzouki

The Vassilis Tsitsanis Orchestra will perform at the open-air Petra Theater with Greek vocalists Dimitra Galani and Natassa Bofiliou on September 18. The singers will share songs by bouzouki legend Vassilis Tsitsanis, in a show marking 35 years since his death. Purchase tickets beginning at 13 euros from www.ticketservices.gr.

The popular rebetiko musician Sokratis Malamas is on a summer tour. Malamas was taught how to play the bouzouki by his father. After spending some time working as a guitar teacher, he launched his professional career, which now spans three decades. Malamas has earned a dedicated fanbase for his albums, song adaptations and theatrical scores.

Rebetiko, Greece's answer to the blues which emerged around the middle of the 19th century as more and more people moved from the countryside to the cities, is the subject of a festival on the island of Syros for seven days from July 1 to 6. The festival will feature concerts and theatrical shows, an exhibition of folk instruments and master workshops.

The Vassilis Tsitsanis Orchestra, an ensemble formed with the support of the heirs of the great rebetiko master (1915-84), makes its debut at the Athens Concert Hall on Tuesday and Wednesday with a concert of some of the songwriter and bouzouki player's most popular pieces. Acclaimed singers Dimitra Galani and Natassa Bofiliou will accompany the ensemble on vocals. Shows start at 8.30 p.m.

Running through Sunday, September 2, in the town of Ermoupoli, the Rebetiko Festival is dedicated to one of the masters of the genre also known as "Greece's blues," and a native of the island, Markos Vamvakaris (1905-1972). Other than celebrating the roots of rebetiko and showcasing the artists who have evolved it to this day, the event also aims at preserving the local folk music of Syros.

The Greek musical genre rebetiko was inscribed on UNESCO's 2017 representative list of Intangible Cultural Heritage during its annual meeting held in Jeju, Korea, Ekathimerini reported.

Born and raised in South Australia, musician and bouzouki player Con Dalagiorgos has officially opened the first bouzouki school in Australia, hoping to share his knowledge, experience and passion for Greek music.

Vassilis Tsitsanis (1915-84) penned wonderful melodies, wrote lyrics that spoke directly and emotively to the listener and was a master of the bouzouki. During his lifetime the Greek folk singer reached out to a broad public and today he continues to gain new fans from every walk of life.

BELGRADE - Popular Greek singer Giorgos Dalaras will open the 16th international Guitar Art Festival (GAF) with a concert of traditional Greek bouzouki music at Belgrade's Sava centar late Tuesday.

Dalaras has performed with famous orchestras at the world's largest concert venues such as the Congressional Palace and Olympia in Paris and London's Royal Albert Hall.

By Jeremy Gaunt

Tucked away in a corner of Athens' historic Plaka district is a small museum showing that there is more to Greek music than "Zorba's Dance" and "Never on Sunday."