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Lute is one of the richest musical instruments of Greek traditional music with unlimited possibilities. Its sound makes it the noblest and most expressive
musical instrument. It is no coincidence that it is a basic and integral part of most folk orchestras per geographical department in Greece. In this seminar we will explore the Greek mainland lute in both its solo and accompanying roles, with particular emphasis on vertical technique with closed positions, phrasing development, modal scales, rhythm and harmonisation. We will focus on the performance of virtuosic instrumental songs mainly from mainland Greece, but also from Greek islands that the lute dominates as Epirus, Roumeli, Peloponnese, Macedonia, Cyclades etc. At the same time, we will focus on ornamentation issues to approach in detail the style of each musical idiom, as well as the basic rhythmic patterns of each region. Finally, we will deal with improvisation on the modal systems (modal scales, archaic modal structures) as they are applied in the repertoire of Greek traditional music.
The seminar is addressed to pupils, students, professionals and friends of the instrument who are at an intermediate level and above, with the basic
condition being the love for the lute, the passion, the creative mood, the appetite for musical association, individual and group study.  It should be
noted that there will be no separation of beginner and advanced classes. This means that the student – interested must have a relevant experience on
the instrument and be able to perform with the help of the teacher the musical phrases – variations and songs that will be teached.  It goes without saying that wherever and whenever more help is needed, it will be provided.  Also, if despite all this, an interested person who is at an initial level, wants to participate and benefit as much as possible from the courses, he/she is welcome.  It is possible for students to participate with musical instrument of their
choice.

Bio

Born in Katerini in 1997, Panagiotis Sakkoulas started his music course at the age of 6, with the piano. Later, he was taught lute alongside
to the leading Master and master Christos Zotos. He studied at the department of Music Science and Art of the University of Macedonia with direction
Greek traditional/folk music and specialization in lute, graduating with honors and a distinction award as the first student for the academic year
2019 (degree grade 9.25 “Excellent”). At the same time, he studied civil lute (lafta) and maqam theory under the guidance of Sokratis Sinopoulos.
In addition, he has participated in the music seminars “Musical Bridges” with Christos Zotos in the Beekeepers of Tzoumerka (2016), “Balkan music”
with the Municipality of Vougioukas in Kerasovo Konitsa (2017) and “land lute” with Vassilis Costas in Ross Daly’s online Labyrinth (2021).
His activity so far includes appearances in Greece and abroad (America, Germany, Italy, Turkey, Romania, Serbia) with participation in broadcasts
of Greek television ERT1, ERT2, ERT3, ALPHA, 4E, but also in places such as the Athens Concert Hall, the Thessaloniki Concert Hall, the Megaro
of music of Veria, the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center, its museum Acropolis, the Byzantine and Christian Museum, the Liederhalle Stuttgart, the ancient theater of Dion, the archaeological museum of Chania, the Garden Theater N. Kazantzakis, the Avlaia Theater, the Cosmopolis Festival, the Olympus Festival, the Vovousa Festival, the Amphipolis Festival, the “Garofita Pietrei” Festival Craiului” in Romania, but also in many other festivals, music scenes, theaters and concert venues.
He has numerous and notable collaborations with Petrolouka Chalkia, Manos Ahalinotopoulos, Alexandros Arkadopoulos, Panagioti Laleza, Antonis Kyritsis, Katerina Papadopoulou, Manos Koutsagelidis, Vangelis Dimoudi, Chroni Aidonidis, Solona Lekka, Xanthippi Karathanasis, Areti Ketime, Stavros
Kouskourida, Municipality of Vougioukas, Nikos Filippidis, Giorgos Psaltis, Kyriakos Petras, Christos Tzizimika, Pagona Athanasiou, Laki Chalkia, Giorgos Kotsini, Stavros Bonia, Vasilis Serbezis, Dilek Koc, Haig Yazdjian, Yannis Dionysiou, Spyros Siolos, Mehtap Demir, Kosti Avyssinos, Iota Nega, Dimitris Zervoudakis, Lizetta Kalimeri, George Kazantzis, Dimitris Bassi, Christos Nikolopoulos, Glykeria, Manoli Mitsia, Gerasimos Andreato, Petros Gaitano, Zacharia Karouni, Sofia Papazoglou et al.
As a teacher he started teaching lute from 2016 to 2018 at the Association Music lovers of Pieria “Petros the Peloponnesian” in Katerini, while from 2020
until today he teaches in Music schools of secondary education.

Panagiotis Sakkoulas is highly qualified, he is a potential player representative of the new generation of Greek musicians and serves with absolute respect
and devotion to the art of the land lute. Faithful to musical tradition emphasizes style and musical idiom, insisting on performance and interpretation of the purposes and songs of each region of Greece.