Wikipedia

Yiorgos Kaloudis

Yiorgos Kaloudis (born in 1973) is a Greek cellist and Cretan lyra player.

Yiorgos Kaloudis
Background information
Born1974 (age 49–50)
Athens, Greece
OriginAthens, Greece
Genres
Occupations
  • Cellist
  • Cretan lyra player
  • Composer
Instrument(s)Cello, Classical Cretan Lyra
Years active1993–present
LabelsDna Label
Websiteyiorgoskaloudismusic.com, classicalcretanlyra.com

Biography

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Kaloudis, born in Athens, has roots in a musically inclined family originating from Crete and Corfu. His upbringing was immersed in music, surrounded by family members, including his parents, who were musicians versed in a variety of genres and styles. This environment provided him with early access to a wide array of musical instruments, encompassing both symphonic instruments typically found in an orchestra and traditional musical instruments.

He began his musical journey playing the piano and drums, tutored by his parents. However, his primary interest gravitated towards stringed instruments. Kaloudis started with the Cretan lyra, mandolin, and guitar, instruments he learned from his grandparents, thereby continuing a family legacy as a fourth-generation Lyra player. His musical exploration further extended to the cello, where he represents the third generation of his family in the violin instrument family.

Athletic career

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From 1988 to December 1997, he was a member of the Greek National Track and Field Team, competing in the 5 km, 10 km and 20 km racewalking events. In 1990, at the International Race Walking Meeting in Czechoslovakia he established the national record in a 20 km walk (Juniors category), which was beaten only after 22 years (2012).[1] In 1991 at the European Championships (Junior) held in Thessaloniki, with the name Yeóryios Papagiannakis, he got the 12th position in the 10 km indoor walk.[2] He is still today one of the top 20 performers in the history of Greek race walking.[3]

Musical career

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Yiorgos Kaloudis studied Cello at the Athenaeum Conservatory with Claire Demeulenere and, thanks to the Fulbright Program, in Los Angeles under the tutelage of Ted Greene. He also studied Cello for a year with Renato Ripo in Athens, and with Vitaliy Maltese in Rethymnon.

Before publishing as a solo artist he was a member of Greek jazz-fusion group Occasional Dream (Περιστασιακό Όνειρο).

His solo discography consists of five records: Truth (2005), On the Wind (2009), J.S.BACH: Cello Suites on the Cretan lyra (2016-2017), Aptera (2018) and Driopi (2020).

He performed the Cello suites of Bach with the Cretan lyra,[4] maintaining the tonalities of the original work. This was the very first time that a Greek traditional instrument interpreted classical music. The Lyra he used to play suites a special four-string instrument (with an added low C string ) that was designed and built solely for this purpose.[5]

The concerts of Yiorgos Kaloudis feature an extensive use of live loop recording and a combination of elements from classical, ambient, jazz and world music.[6]

In July 2017, he re-opened the ancient theatre of Aptera[7] in Crete, that after almost 1700 years was hosting its first event.[8]

Beyond being a solo artist, he also collaborates on the projects of songwriter Alkinoos Ioannidis.[9] Since 2011 they give concerts together in many venues, churches and concert halls around the world. As a soloist he collaborated with the Saint Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra[10] and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra.[citation needed] He performed in New York International Fringe Festival, Rome Biennale for Young Artists, in Manchester Jazz Festival and in Celtic Connections among the others.[citation needed]

He played along with Steve Tavaglione, Sylvan Richardson, Karine Polwart, Markus Stockhausen, saxophonist David Lynch, pianists Stavros Lantsias, Takis Farazis, and the groups Lemoncello, Faros, Furtuna and The Chosen.[11]

Discography

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Solo albums

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with Occasional Dream

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  • 2001 - Peristasiako Oneiro (Περιστασιακό Όνειρο) (Lyra, Mikros Iros)

with Furtuna

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  • 2007 - Furtuna (KAF Müzik)
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References

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  1. ^ "Στίβος: Πανελλήνιο ρεκόρ από τον Κώστα Ντεντόπουλο στο βάδην". 16 October 2012.
  2. ^ "Competitions - European Athletics Under 20 Championships - History - European Athletics". european-athletics.
  3. ^ "20 ΚΑΛΥΤΕΡΟΙ/ΕΣ ΟΛΩΝ ΤΩΝ ΕΠΟΧΩΝ - Hellenic Athletics Federation Official Website". www.segas.gr.
  4. ^ IScreta Interview (in Greek)/
  5. ^ Dissertation from School of Arts, Histories and Cultures in Faculty of Humanities of University of Manchester: Ways Of Understanding - Ethnomusicology and Cretan Lyra
  6. ^ "Performances are vehicles to explore emotions - Cyprus Mail". 28 October 2017.
  7. ^ ""Με τα φτερά της Μουσικής" στον Αρχαιολογικό Χώρο Απτέρας - Cretalive".
  8. ^ ""Ζωντάνεψε" το Θέατρο της Αρχαίας Απτέρας (φωτ.)". 7 August 2017.
  9. ^ Administrator. "BAND". www.alkinoos.gr.
  10. ^ "Title". www.philharmonia.spb.ru.
  11. ^ "Yiorgos Kaloudis - On the wind - Classical:NEXT". www.classicalnext.com. Retrieved 2024-01-15.
  12. ^ Yiorgos Kaloudis on BBC Μusic https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/artists/c5f66a34-c12c-44c8-9492-e213014f2dda
  13. ^ Yiorgos Kaloudis on BBC Μusic https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/artists/c5f66a34-c12c-44c8-9492-e213014f2dda
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