As part of the initiative to revive the village of Vamvakou with support from the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF), Vamvakou Revival and the Greek National Opera (GNO) have joined forces to create a small “hive” of arts and culture in Vamvakou! The Oros Ensemble, made up of young musicians who live and work in Greece and abroad, has taken up residence in the village of Vamvakou.
The musical ensemble live in the village with the aim of creating, studying, and sharing music. The effort focuses on promoting active coexistence, fostering the artistic growth of the musicians, and reinforcing the cultural identity of the village and the wider area. The project is open to the public and enable creative interaction between artists and the community with a number of concerts and other events was held in Vamvakou.
GNO Artistic Director George Koumentakis, who is also a warm supporter of and source of inspiration for this effort, says, “The creation of a new chamber music ensemble is always a challenge in Greece, due to the general absence of such ensembles in our country. Vamvakou becomes the starting point for the creation of the Oros Ensemble, which comprises extremely multifaceted and adventurous musicians, and allows them to form substantial musical and human relationships with each other, within the quiet environment of life in the village. It clears the field for them, so that they are free to experiment and research, and, through the commissioning of new works, gives them the opportunity to create a new repertoire. It kickstarts the beginning of their rich professional career in the domestic and international music scene. It directly connects their musical work with social contributions and the musical refinement of local communities. It brings them to the forefront of music, and challenges them to freely leave their personal mark behind. The GNO wishes wholeheartedly that they enjoy this creative adventure in Vamvakou, substantially connect with its people, and create a new and exciting musical universe.”
The program started in January 2020 and lasts 5 months. Although the coronavirus pandemic stopped the clock for a while and interrupted scheduled activities or others in-progress, such as the residency program for musicians in Vamvakou, the members of Oros Ensemble music group are back to complete their program, from July to September of 2020.
Ensemble members: Konstantinos Zingeridis – Accordion; Dimitris Karagiannakidis – Cello; Apostolis Koutsogiannis – Composition, Recorder, ArtisticDirection; Irene Krikoni – Violin; Giorgos Madikas – Percussion; Antonis Tsachtanis – Clarinet
