SEIKILO Ancient World Music
Ancient Lyre - Are Mou Rindineddha by PAUSIS
updated
👩🎨 Decipher Lyre Paintings at luthieros.com/symbol
🧿 Discover the ancient lyre at luthieros.com
⚪ Learn the lyre online at lyreacademy.com
👁️ Watch more videos with the lyre at youtube.com/seikilo?sub_confirmation=1
🏛️ ☀️ Find out more about the lyre summer camp at lyreacademy.com/camp
🎙️ Who is Nikolaos?
Nikolaos Koumartzis, D.Phil., is the visionary behind many cultural endeavors with international recognition, including LUTHIEROS Music Instruments, SEIKILO Ancient World Music Channel, and Lyre Academy. He serves as the lead filmmaker in the SEIKILO channel, the editor-in-chief of the Lyre Mythos series and SEIKILO Publications in general, and the Head of Research, Development, and innovation at LUTHIEROS.
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A piece of art in the hands of a master becomes a miracle.
— Old Greek proverb
In this video, the virtuoso Peter Somos improvises on a LUTHIEROS Bendir, showing unmatched skill and highlighting the endless possibilities that a premium frame drum has. It is a magnificent performance that proves, beyond doubt, that when a percussionist and a luthier show enough dedication to their art throughout their life, the match can be magical.
The LUTHIEROS Bendir that Peter plays on is masterfully handcrafted with love by the Koumartzis family in Greece.
⚫ Find the perfect bendir for you at luthieros.com
🎙️ Who is Peter?
Growing up in Budapest, Peter Somos started working professionally at the age of 14. He's a summa cum laude graduate of the Codarts University of Music in Rotterdam. Throughout his career, he has recorded with artists such as Casey Benjamin, Mahesh Vinayakram, Nadishana, Paquito D'Riviera, Besh o droM, and Krzysztof Scieranski, to name a few. He's also played on festivals like Sziget (HU), Exit (SR), WOMADelaide (AUS), Meskie Granie, Jamboree, Opener' (PL), Sudtirol Jazz (IT), JodhpurRIFF, Kolkata Jazz (IN), Shanghai World Music (CN), Jeju World Music (KR), etc.
He is an experienced studio player, having played on several recordings in many styles (from jazz through pop-rock to metal). He's also been hired by the best rock-metal studio in the Eastern part of Europe (Hertz Studios, known for their work with Behemoth or Decapitated) to record the entire library of their VST plug-in.
What makes Peter stand out from other drummers is his ability to play mainly Middle Eastern and Spanish percussion to a level that matches his drumming skills and incorporates these sounds into his drumming.
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Who dared challenge Apollo, the God of Music, to a musical contest? And what was his fate? Was there anything close to musical hubris in ancient Greece?
In this episode of our animated series, we dive into the myth of the satyr Marsyas and his musical battle with Apollo, a battle that was also between the Divine Lyre and the rural Aulos.
The lyres used for this episode's music were masterfully handcrafted in Greece by the LUTHIEROS family. This story, among hundreds of others, can be found in the book "The Song of the Lyre" available at luthieros.com/the_song
👀 Watch the full mini-series at youtube.com/playlist?list=PLcMWkAbRJunFi1ahv3DJbIbjod3WVJBKj
⚪ Order the book at luthieros.com/the_song
⚫ Find the perfect lyre for you at luthieros.com
🔵 Learn how to play the lyre and other ancient musical instruments at
lyreacademy.com/choose-your-next-course
🎬 SEIKILO team
Art Direction & Concept Creation by Nikolaos Koumartzis
Script by Fotis Giantsios
Voiceover Jarrett Raymond
Animation by Hashir Ahmed
Sound design by George Ayman
Subtitles by Feraia Nikolaou
Music by SEIKILO Affiliate Artists
Song selection by Evagoras Bekiaris and Nikolaos Koumartzis
Special thanks to Evagoras Bekiaris and Feraia Nikolaou for their participation in the initial stage of the sound design.
📃 ✍🏼 Transcript
Apollo & Marsyas: A Music Battle!
It was a fateful day when the satyr, Marsyas, came upon the aulos that Athena had invented and later thrown away, cursing whoever would find it.
But little did the playful satyr know, when he came upon the aulos in his wanderings, that it would be his doom. Happy in his finding and joyous in his music, Marsyas soon mastered the instrument, carrying it with him wherever he went, bringing joy to the people who listened, and gathering fame for himself.
One day, Marsyas happened upon Apollo playing his lyre in the city of Nysa. And such was his confidence in his abilities, that he thought himself equal to the god of music.
“Great Apollo,” said Marsyas. “Long have you been without a peer in playing. But I stand now before you, the one who will surpass you in skill”.
“Such bold words cannot go unchallenged,” said Apollo. “If it is a contest you propose, a contest we shall have. What should the victor then win?”
“Eternal fame, great god. But since that is already yours, let the victor do whatever he pleases with the defeated”, answered Marsyas, certain of his victory.
“Very well,” answered Apollo. “Then I call upon the Muses themselves and all the good people of Nysa to be our judges.”
First came Marsyas, who played his aulos so beautifully, filled with such energy and joy that everyone who listened could not help but dance and be merry.
Then came Apollo's turn. The god played his lyre so sweetly and with such skill that everyone was still, their eyes filled with tears.
But still, the contest was a tie.
It was then that Apollo took up his lyre again and played, accompanying it with his sweet voice in song. Everyone was stunned.
“Cheater!” cried Marsyas. “He plays and sings at the same time. This is a contest of skill alone!”
“I am no cheater,” said Apollo. “I am merely using my breath, as do you when breathing into your aulos. Is it not the same thing?”
And this the Muses decreed fair and gave the victory to Apollo. And since it was agreed upon that the victor could decide the fate of the defeated, Apollo inflicted upon poor Marsyas a terrible punishment for his hubris, flaying him alive.
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Odysseas Elytis, one of the two most celebrated poets of modern Greece and one of the only two Greek recipients of a Nobel Prize, formed a "compound" poem with the shortest of these fragments.
Written between the late 7th and the early 6th century BCE, in this poem, Sappho signs for the spring's messenger, the sweet-voiced nightingale. This is its opening verse, also: Ἦρος ἄγγελος ἰμερόφωνος ἀήδων.
In this video, Lina Palera performs on a LUTHIEROS Lyre of Olympus, masterfully handcrafted in Greece by the LUTHIEROS family. She joins forces in the vocals with Gloria Endres de Oliveira to sing an English translation of the poem together.
⚫ Find the perfect lyre for you at luthieros.com
🔵 Learn how to play the lyre and other ancient musical instruments at
lyreacademy.com/choose-your-next-course
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_Credits
Μusic composition: Lina Palera
Ancient lyre: Lina Palera
Vocals: Gloria Endres de Oliveira
Music production: Evagoras Bekiaris
Directed by Nikolaos Koumartzis
🇬🇧 🎶 Lyrics in English
Nightingale in my garden,
Messenger sweet of springtide
Aphrodite’s golden handmaiden
And the full globed moon was rising, and there,
sometimes, stood the Cretan women, tender footed,
dancing in measure round the fair altar,
crushing the fine bloom of the grass.
Soothsayer of spring, voluptuous voiced nightingale
Aphrodite’s golden handmaiden
the full moon was rising high
and on the mountain the place of retreats
as in other times of Crete the girls
they dragged the dance around the beautiful altar
and with rhythm their lithe legs
knocking they stepped on the tender grasses
little flowers.
🏛️ 🎶 Original Lyrics in Ancient Greek
ἦρος †ἄγγελος ἰμερόφωνος ἀήδων†
*πλήρης μὲν ἐφαίνετ᾽ ἀ σελάννα
αἰ δ᾽ ὠς περὶ βῶμον ἐστάθησαν.
*Κρῆσσαί νύ ποτ’ ὦδ’ ἐμμελέως πόδεσσιν
ὤρχηντ’ ἀπάλοισ’ ἀμφ’ ἐρόεντα βῶμον
πόας τέρεν ἄνθος μάλακον μάτεισαι.
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🧿 Discover the ancient lyre at luthieros.com
⚪ Learn the lyre online at lyreacademy.com
👁️ Watch more videos with the lyre at youtube.com/seikilo?sub_confirmation=1
🏛️ ☀️ Find out more about the lyre summer camp at lyreacademy.com/camp
🎙️ Who is Maria?
Maria Sarigiannidou, a certified Yoga Instructor, blends the ancient art of meditation with ancient world music in a unique and meaningful way. She is a member of the Lyre Summer Camp that takes place each year in Aegina Island, Greece, teachingLyre & Philosophy in the Ancient World".
Along with Theodore Koumartzis, a virtuoso lyre player, put together a series of videos on meditation with the lyre and the Stoic wisdom, available at: youtube.com/playlist?app=desktop&list=PLcMWkAbRJunHlOUEqoywKO4B_mK2IJe4F
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"Gentle Asclepius, the craftsman of new health for weary limbs and banisher of pain, the godlike healer of all mortal sickness."
— Pindar, Pythian Ode, 5th century B.C.
Song title:
Paean, the Healer
The origins of healing in Europe can be traced to the sanctuary of Asclepius, a hero, the son of Apollo, and the God of medicine in Greek mythology. In the sanctuaries (or temples) of Asclepius, music played a key role, along with the use of the lyre to soothe those who suffered.
These holy sites, with the sanctuary of Epidaurus in their center, date back to the 2nd millennium BC and were used for ceremonial medical practices. Additionally, in the 8th century BC, the Epidaurus sanctuary became associated with the cult of Apollo.
The healing music in this music album was composed using two fundamental blocks of ancient world music: the ancient lyre of Apollo and several ancient Greek modes.
⚫ Find the perfect lyre for you at luthieros.com
🔵 Learn how to play the lyre and other ancient musical instruments at
lyreacademy.com/choose-your-next-course
💡 Concept design & supervision by Nikolaos Koumartzis
🎙️ SEIKILO affiliate artists Evagoras Bekiaris (music production) & Lina Palera (ancient lyre) join forces to produce inspiring music based on the ancient Greek modes and inspired by the long-forgotten knowledge of the ancient Greeks to soothe the human soul (or psyche) and heal our bodies.
💡 Who is Nikolaos?
Nikolaos Koumartzis, Ph.D., is the visionary behind many cultural endeavors with international recognition, including LUTHIEROS Music Instruments and SEIKILO Music Channel.
He holds a Ph.D. in Journalism from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, an MSc in Publishing from the University of the Arts London, a Ma in Strategic Product Design from the International Hellenic University, and a Ba in Computer Science from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki.
He is the author of six personal books, co-author of dozens more, and the lead author of papers on the topic (among others) of ancient Greek musical instruments. As a natural consequence, in 2009, he co-founded a series of publishing houses in Greece (iWrite Publications, Pigi Publications, and Daidaleos Publications), where he served as the Art Director until 2019. Then, he decided to leave everything else behind and focus on the rebirth of the ancient lyre and its introduction to the modern worldwide music scene.
His thesis, titled "The Lyre 2.0 Project," was the spark that led to the creation of many related endeavors such as LUTHIEROS, SEIKILO Museum of Ancient Music, and SEIKILO Ancient World Music Channel.
In 2020 he founded the Lyre Academy, where he has served as its Director since. Among others, he focuses on gradually putting together a series of comprehensive educational tools for the rebirth of the ancient lyre.
Last, he travels worldwide as the lead filmmaker of the SEIKILO YouTube Channel, while he teaches design in the Department of Journalism at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in his spare time.
🎙️ Who is Lina Palera?
Lina Palera is a world-renowned lyre player with live performances at numerous concert halls, museums, international conferences, et cetera. such as the Greek Museum of Byzantine Culture and the Frankfurt Musikmesse.
She has an extensive discography as a guitar player and a vocalist. “Aurora” is her first music album dedicated solely to the ancient lyre and the emotions it can evoke.
She loves teaching adults and children how to play the ancient lyre, and this is why she co-founded and serves as the Head of Music Programs at LyreAcademy.com!
🎙️ Who is Evagoras?
Evagoras Bekiaris is the lead music producer for the SEIKILO Ancient World Music Channel on YouTube, a composer, and mixing engineer, based in Cyprus.
Among many, he has composed the music for the Virtual Reality documentary "The Green Line," which premiered at the 71st Festival de Cannes and has won several awards, such as LA Film Award, London Film Week Award, and the El Paso IMPACTFest award. What's more, he has composed music for the game "Raji: An Ancient Epic," which won the Taipei Game Awards, and nominated for Best Debut Indie Game at The Game Awards and SXSW awards.
Last, he is responsible for the sound design and mixing of several theatre and movie productions, along with music albums such as the debut album of "Pausis."
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🧿 Book your spot now!
🏛️ ☀️ Lyre Summer School 2025 is announced! The 2024 camp was an amazing experience! 25 students from all over the world traveled to Aegina Island for seven days of intense lyre lessons that transformed them into competent lyre players!
They met the forefront of the world lyre community, including top lyre players (Lina Palera, Theodore Koumartzis, and Thanasis Kleopas), the lead filmmaker of SEIKILO Channel, and the Master Luthier of the LUTHIEROS family.
The camp was hosted in a magical place, the majestic Oikia Karapanou.
Save the 2025 summer camp dates: May 25 to June 1, Aegina Island!
🏃♀️ Find out more & book your spot at lyreacademy.com/camp
🔴 For more videos like this, subscribe to our channel:
youtube.com/seikilo?sub_confirmation=1
⚫ Find the perfect lyre for you at luthieros.com
🔵 Learn how to play the lyre and other ancient musical instruments at
lyreacademy.com/choose-your-next-course
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🟢 SEIKILO is on Spotify too! Follow us at open.spotify.com/artist/6BeEN6EDTHO3ezHBkN161X
⚪ Learn the lyre online at lyreacademy.com
👁️ Watch more videos with the lyre at youtube.com/seikilo?sub_confirmation=1
🏛️ ☀️ Find out more about the lyre summer camp at lyreacademy.com/camp
🎙️ Who is Anne?
Anne Schaefer is a Canadian musician and songwriter based in Victoria, BC. Born into a family of musicians in Saskatchewan, music has been Anne’s first and most natural language from the beginning.
She has studied and explored many instruments, genres of music, and combinations of players and is always astonished at the never-ending gifts and beauty that music, in all its forms, offers us.
Anne has had the honor of facilitating and performing on three continents. She is grateful for living and working in beautiful Victoria, B.C., on territories of the Songhees and Lekwungen-speaking first peoples.
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Our time together will be sweet. — The Circles of the Moon
In old Greece, the fates of youths lay not in their hands to choose their life partner. Thus birthed a tapestry of folk songs, each weaving tales of their passionate struggle to catch a glimpse of their forbidden love, a lyrical defiance against the constraints of destiny.
"The Circles of the Moon" is a folk love song originating from Northern Greece. It is performed here by Athena Katsanevaki and Eleni Eljona Sinjari on vocals, along with Theodore Koumartzis on a Lyre of Olympus, masterfully handcrafted in Greece by the LUTHIEROS family.
⚫ Find the perfect lyre for you at luthieros.com
🔵 Learn how to play the lyre and other ancient musical instruments at
lyreacademy.com/choose-your-next-course
📽️ Directed by Nikolaos Koumartzis.
The video shooting took place in the SEIKILO Museum of Ancient Music, Thessaloniki (Greece).
🎙️ About Athena Katsanevaki
Athena Katsanevaki has studied Musicology, Byzantine Music, and Violin, with a Ph.D. in Historical Ethnomusicology. Since 1990, she has repeatedly conducted intensive fieldwork in more than 200 little communities in the area of Northwestern Greece and abroad, among Greek speakers and bilingual or other language ethnic groups.
She has been involved with traditional singing and performance regarding the collaboration of the voice with the vocal techniques found in the traditional singing in different areas in Greece in a way that doesn’t abuse the contemporary personality of the singer but embodies traditional music through voice. She founded the vocal lab “Echo.” She has also collaborated with composers of contemporary European music, trying to find ways to embody traditional vocal styles in contemporary societies.
She has lectured for many years at the University of Macedonia and the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, both in Greece. The Academy of Athens has praised her research and fieldwork, and her work was presented at various international conferences. She is affiliated with MOISA (The International Society for the Study of Greek and Roman Music and its Cultural Heritage) and ICTM (The International Council for Traditional Music).
🎙️ About Eleni Eljona Sinjari
Eljona – Eleni Sinjari is a versatile artist with studies on piano and vocals. With participation in many festivals, recordings and activities from classical music orchestras and chamber music ensembles (as pianist), book presentations (as composer and singer), children & mixed choirs (as conductor, accompanist, and choral arranger), vocal ensembles (as a vocalist and acapella arranger), theatrical performance (as actor and singer) as well as large jazz and rock's scenes (as singer and keyboard player).
She collaborates with the Contemporary Conservatory of Music in Thessaloniki, the University of Macedonia in Thessaloniki, and the Municipal Conservatory of Kalamaria, where she teaches piano, choir lessons, acapella groups, and chamber music.
🎙️ About Theodore Koumartzis
Theodore is the youngest brother of the Koumartzis family. Being part of the family's endeavor since its early stage, he soon came to be an inspiring top-notch lyre player, constantly learning and experimenting with musicians around the world.
He is the founder of the PAUSIS Project, a curator at the SEIKILO Museum of Ancient Music in Greece (Thessaloniki), and an integral part of LUTHIEROS Music Instruments.
🌱 Listen to Theodore's music at youtube.com/watch?v=izlnCWJEjes&list=PLcMWkAbRJunFz_TO-e_kw2k3Z18T1TESr
🇬🇧 Lyrics in English
A basil I'll become at your window
and I'll stay single for your sake.
The moon lights my love's door
Making circles in my love's garden.
Come out to your window, sneak away from your mother
and pretend to water your marjoram.
The moon lights your door
Making circles in your garden.
You on the window, and me dawning in the tavern,
Throwing hazelnuts to you to spare me a glimpse.
Come, come with me
our time together will be sweet.
🇬🇷 Original Lyrics in Greek
Original title "Βασιλικός θα 'γίνω" (eng. "A basil I'll become")
Bασιλικός θα γίνω στο παραθύρι σου
κι ανύπαντρος θα μείνω για το χατήρι σου.
Το φεγγάρι κάνει βόλτα στης αγάπης μου την πόρτα
Το φεγγάρι κάνει κύκλο στης αγάπης μου τον κήπο.
Έβγα στο παραθύρι κρυφά απ’ τη μάνα σου
και κάνε πως ποτίζεις τη μαντζουράνα σου.
Το φεγγάρι κάνει βόλτα στης αγάπης μου την πόρτα
Το φεγγάρι κάνει κύκλο στης αγάπης μου τον κήπο.
Εσύ στο παραθύρι και εγώ στο καπηλιό,
Λεπτόκαρα να ρίχνω να σε πετροβολώ.
Έλα, έλα με τ' εμένα
να περνάς χαριτωμένα.
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"Gentle Asclepius, the craftsman of new health for weary limbs and banisher of pain, the godlike healer of all mortal sickness."
— Pindar, Pythian Ode, 5th century B.C.
Song title:
Imhotep, the Egyptian
The origins of healing in Europe can be traced to the sanctuary of Asclepius, a hero, the son of Apollo, and the God of medicine in Greek mythology. In the sanctuaries (or temples) of Asclepius, music played a key role, along with the use of the lyre to soothe those who suffered.
These holy sites, with the sanctuary of Epidaurus in their center, date back to the 2nd millennium BC and were used for ceremonial medical practices. Additionally, in the 8th century BC, the Epidaurus sanctuary became associated with the cult of Apollo.
The healing music in this music album was composed using two fundamental blocks of ancient world music: the ancient lyre of Apollo and several ancient Greek modes.
⚫ Find the perfect lyre for you at luthieros.com
🔵 Learn how to play the lyre and other ancient musical instruments at
lyreacademy.com/choose-your-next-course
💡 Concept design & supervision by Nikolaos Koumartzis
🎙️ SEIKILO affiliate artists Evagoras Bekiaris (music production) & Lina Palera (ancient lyre) join forces to produce inspiring music based on the ancient Greek modes and inspired by the long-forgotten knowledge of the ancient Greeks to soothe the human soul (or psyche) and heal our bodies.
💡 Who is Nikolaos?
Nikolaos Koumartzis, Ph.D., is the visionary behind many cultural endeavors with international recognition, including LUTHIEROS Music Instruments and SEIKILO Music Channel.
He holds a Ph.D. in Journalism from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, an MSc in Publishing from the University of the Arts London, a Ma in Strategic Product Design from the International Hellenic University, and a Ba in Computer Science from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki.
He is the author of six personal books, co-author of dozens more, and the lead author of papers on the topic (among others) of ancient Greek musical instruments. As a natural consequence, in 2009, he co-founded a series of publishing houses in Greece (iWrite Publications, Pigi Publications, and Daidaleos Publications), where he served as the Art Director until 2019. Then, he decided to leave everything else behind and focus on the rebirth of the ancient lyre and its introduction to the modern worldwide music scene.
His thesis, titled "The Lyre 2.0 Project," was the spark that led to the creation of many related endeavors such as LUTHIEROS, SEIKILO Museum of Ancient Music, and SEIKILO Ancient World Music Channel.
In 2020 he founded the Lyre Academy, where he has served as its Director since. Among others, he focuses on gradually putting together a series of comprehensive educational tools for the rebirth of the ancient lyre.
Last, he travels worldwide as the lead filmmaker of the SEIKILO YouTube Channel, while he teaches design in the Department of Journalism at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in his spare time.
🎙️ Who is Lina Palera?
Lina Palera is a world-renowned lyre player with live performances at numerous concert halls, museums, international conferences, et cetera. such as the Greek Museum of Byzantine Culture and the Frankfurt Musikmesse.
She has an extensive discography as a guitar player and a vocalist. “Aurora” is her first music album dedicated solely to the ancient lyre and the emotions it can evoke.
She loves teaching adults and children how to play the ancient lyre, and this is why she co-founded and serves as the Head of Music Programs at LyreAcademy.com!
🎙️ Who is Evagoras?
Evagoras Bekiaris is the lead music producer for the SEIKILO Ancient World Music Channel on YouTube, a composer, and mixing engineer, based in Cyprus.
Among many, he has composed the music for the Virtual Reality documentary "The Green Line," which premiered at the 71st Festival de Cannes and has won several awards, such as LA Film Award, London Film Week Award, and the El Paso IMPACTFest award. What's more, he has composed music for the game "Raji: An Ancient Epic," which won the Taipei Game Awards, and nominated for Best Debut Indie Game at The Game Awards and SXSW awards.
Last, he is responsible for the sound design and mixing of several theatre and movie productions, along with music albums such as the debut album of "Pausis."
👍 Follow us on Facebook:
el-gr.facebook.com/seikilo
❤️ Follow us on Instagram:
instagram.com/luthieros/?hl=en
🔴 For more videos like this, subscribe to our channel:
youtube.com/seikilo?sub_confirmation=1
🟢 SEIKILO is on Spotify too! Follow us at open.spotify.com/artist/6BeEN6EDTHO3ezHBkN161X
youtube.com/seikilo?sub_confirmation=1
Why was Heracles instructed to lyre playing? Was he any good? And how did he end up killing the greatest lyre tutor of all time? In this episode of our animated series, we follow Heracles's early steps before he became the great Greek hero.
The lyres used for this episode's music were masterfully handcrafted in Greece by the LUTHIEROS family. This story, among hundreds of others, can be found in the book "The Song of the Lyre" available at luthieros.com/the_song
👀 Watch the full mini-series at youtube.com/playlist?list=PLcMWkAbRJunFi1ahv3DJbIbjod3WVJBKj
⚪ Order the book at luthieros.com/the_song
⚫ Find the perfect lyre for you at luthieros.com
🔵 Learn how to play the lyre and other ancient musical instruments at
lyreacademy.com/choose-your-next-course
🎬 SEIKILO team
Art Direction & Concept Creation by Nikolaos Koumartzis
Script by Fotis Giantsios
Voiceover Jarrett Raymond
Animation by Hashir Ahmed
Sound design by George Ayman
Subtitles by Feraia Nikolaou
Music by SEIKILO Affiliate Artists
Song selection by Evagoras Bekiaris and Nikolaos Koumartzis
Special thanks to Evagoras Bekiaris and Feraia Nikolaou for their participation in the initial stage of the sound design.
📃 ✍🏼 Transcript
Heracles & the Lyre
One night, two brothers were sleeping in their cradle. Suddenly, a hissing sound filled the room as two great snakes slowly approached the boys, intent on their purpose. They raised their heads, ready to strike, when one of the boys shot up his hands, grabbed the snakes by their throats, and strangled them. He was just eight months old.
This was the first of many amazing deeds that the boy would perform in his life, a life so filled with extraordinary labors and achievements that his name would be forever associated with something almost impossible to do. This was Greece’s greatest hero, the demigod son of Zeus, Heracles.
As he grew up, Amphitryon, his mortal father, realized what the future held for the boy and called upon the greatest of teachers to teach the young demigod the most important arts. And so, he was taught wrestling by Autolycus, archery by Eurytus, and swordplay by the great Castor. But still, his education was incomplete. For the young hero did not yet possess the secrets of the lyre…
And so his father called the great lyre player Linus, who some say was the brother of Orpheus himself, to instruct his son in the way of the godly instrument. But Hercules’ strong hands were not made for the gentle strings of the lyre, Nor was he blessed with patience. As he longed for the joys of war, he griped and complained, angering his teacher, who struck him, as was the custom at the time. But Hercules was not one to suffer such, and in a fit of rage, he lifted his lyre and, using it as a weapon, struck back at Linus, tragically ending with a lyre the life of a man who had dedicated himself to it.
But Linus’ murder could not go unpunished, and Heracles would stand trial for his crime. But although he had not learned to play the lyre, the demigod had learned from his teachers the art of cunning.
“Was not Rhadamanthys, the wisest of lawgivers?” he asked his judges.
“He was,” they all agreed.
“And did he not decree that anyone who retaliates to violence is not guilty if he has not struck the first blow?”
“That is true,” the judges agreed again.
“So, how can I be guilty, if Linus struck me first? Did I not have the right to defend myself?”
The judges deemed this fair, and Heracles was found innocent. But his father, Amphitryon, fearing for the boy's future, sent him away to raise cattle and learn to control his fiery temper. It was there that Heracles would understand the choice between Virtue and Vice and begin to grow into the hero of legend…
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From the men of India to the Apollo of Delphi.
— Philostratus, Life of Apollonius of Tyana (3rd century CE)
Apollo Krishna
When Two Divine Instruments Meet
"Apollo Krishna" is an original composition celebrating the ancient Indian-Greek relationship that began with Alexander the Great’s brief incursion into the area. It is a song where two divine instruments meet: the Greek lyre and the Indian bansuri. Deeply rooted in two of the greatest ancient civilizations, they are both depicted in numerous ancient paintings and attributed to the gods Apollo and Krishna, respectively.
"Apollo Krishna" is performed by Theodore Koumartzis on a Lyre of Orpheus, masterfully handcrafted in Greece by the LUTHIEROS family, and Claudia Tesorino on the bansuri.
⚫ Find the perfect lyre for you at luthieros.com
🔵 Learn how to play the lyre and other ancient musical instruments at
lyreacademy.com/choose-your-next-course
📽️ Directed by Nikolaos Koumartzis.
The video shooting took place in the SEIKILO Museum of Ancient Music, Thessaloniki (Greece).
🎙️ About Claudia Tesorino
The German-Canadian saxophonist Claudia Tesorino regularly demonstrates how very versatile she is musically, whether she’s appearing as a soloist, playing in an orchestra or quartet, performing with a choir, or playing in a duo with an organ. She performs in renowned concert halls worldwide in a variety of roles, as bandleader, conductor, saxophonist, and improviser, impressing audiences with her sensitive yet powerful sound. One of her specialties is “moving smoothly between musical styles and eras” (organ_ Journal für die Orgel). Always remaining open to her musical partners, she moves among genres from classical compositions to jazz and crossover. Another highlight is her passionate presentation of her own compositions and free improvisations.
With her musical travels taking her over the years to India, Vietnam, Canada, and numerous European countries, Claudia Tesorino has a lively interest in other countries and cultures. In 2000, she emigrated to Canada, where she lived in Montréal for ten years, performing and teaching at Marianopolis College.
While saxophone is her main instrument, Claudia Tesorino also plays an impressive range of other instruments, including violin, piano, bansuri, flute, clarinet, melodica, and drums. Her multifaceted musical talents can be heard on a variety of CDs, including the recent recording of “Before & After” with her Tesorino Quartet. This CD marks the first time that she has recorded an album with her own compositions according to her own concept.
🔎 Find out more at claudiatesorino.com
🎙️ About Theodore Koumartzis
Theodore is the youngest brother of the Koumartzis family. Being part of the family's endeavor since its early stage, he soon came to be an inspiring top-notch lyre player, constantly learning and experimenting with musicians around the world.
He is the founder of the PAUSIS Project, a curator at the SEIKILO Museum of Ancient Music in Greece (Thessaloniki), and an integral part of LUTHIEROS Music Instruments.
🌱 Listen to Theodore's music at youtube.com/watch?v=izlnCWJEjes&list=PLcMWkAbRJunFz_TO-e_kw2k3Z18T1TESr
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Sappho was among the greatest lyric poets of antiquity, the female equivalent of Homer; this is why she was called "The Poetess." It is not by chance that her Ode to Aphrodite was heavily influenced by Homer's epics.
In this video, Lina Palera performs on a LUTHIEROS Lyre of Olympus, masterfully handcrafted in Greece by the LUTHIEROS family, while Gloria Endres de Oliveira narrates an English translation of the poem.
⚫ Find the perfect lyre for you at luthieros.com
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🇬🇧 🎶 Lyrics in English
Aphrodite, subtle of soul and deathless,
Daughter of God, weaver of wiles, I pray thee
Neither with care, dread Mistress, nor with anguish,
Slay thou my spirit!
But in pity hasten, come now if ever
From afar of old when my voice implored thee,
Thou hast deigned to listen, leaving the golden
House of thy father
With thy chariot yoked; and with doves that drew thee,
Fair and fleet around the dark earth from heaven,
Dipping vibrant wings down the azure distance,
Through the mid-ether;
Very swift they came; and thou, gracious Vision,
Leaned with face that smiled in immortal beauty,
Leaned to me and asked, "What misfortune threatened?
Why I had called thee?"
"What my frenzied heart craved in utter yearning,
Whom its wild desire would persuade to passion?
What disdainful charms, madly worshipped, slight thee?
Who wrongs thee, Sappho?"
"She that fain would fly, she shall quickly follow,
She that now rejects, yet with gifts shall woo thee,
She that heeds thee not, soon shall love to madness,
Love thee, the loth one!"
Come to me now thus, Goddess, and release me
From distress and pain; and all my distracted
Heart would seek, do thou, once again fulfilling,
Still be my ally!
🏛️ 🎶 Original Lyrics in Ancient Greek
Ποικιλόθρον᾽ ὰθάνατ᾽ ᾽Αφροδιτα,
παῖ Δίοσ, δολόπλοκε, λίσσομαί σε
μή μ᾽ ἄσαισι μήτ᾽ ὀνίαισι δάμνα,
πότνια, θῦμον.
ἀλλά τυίδ᾽ ἔλθ᾽, αἴποτα κἀτέρωτα
τᾶσ ἔμασ αύδωσ αἴοισα πήλγι
ἔκλυεσ πάτροσ δὲ δόμον λίποισα
χρύσιον ἦλθεσ
ἄρμ᾽ ὐποζεύξαια, κάλοι δέ σ᾽ ἆγον
ὤκεεσ στροῦθοι περὶ γᾶσ μελαίνασ
πύκνα δινεῦντεσ πτέῤ ἀπ᾽ ὠράνω
αἴθεροσ διὰ μέσσω.
αῖψα δ᾽ ἐχίκοντο, σὺ δ᾽, ὦ μάσαιρα
μειδιάσαισ᾽ ἀθάνατῳ προσώπῳ,
ἤρἐ ὄττι δηὖτε πέπονθα κὤττι
δἦγτε κάλημι
κὤττι μοι μάλιστα θέλω γένεσθαι
μαινόλᾳ θύμῳ, τίνα δηὖτε πείθω
μαῖσ ἄγην ἐσ σὰν φιλότατα τίσ τ, ὦ
Πσάπφ᾽, ἀδίκηει;
καὶ γάρ αἰ φεύγει, ταχέωσ διώξει,
αἰ δὲ δῶρα μὴ δέκετ ἀλλά δώσει,
αἰ δὲ μὴ φίλει ταχέωσ φιλήσει,
κωὐκ ἐθέλοισα.
ἔλθε μοι καὶ νῦν, χαλεπᾶν δὲ λῦσον
ἐκ μερίμναν ὄσσα δέ μοι τέλεσσαι
θῦμοσ ἰμμέρρει τέλεσον, σὐ δ᾽ αὔτα
σύμμαχοσ ἔσσο.
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As the legendary explorer Leif Erikson comes to the shores of Corfu, the island where Odysseus himself recounted his immortal tale, the divine voice of the lyre welcomes him to the land of the Muses.
Lina Palera performs on the majestic LUTHIEROS Lyre of Sarcophagus, masterfully handcrafted by the Koumartzis family in Greece, to accompany the fearless Viking in his legendary quest.
After all, what is Greece without the lyre? Listen, as the instrument of the gods is once again heard in its country of birth, in the episode "Greenland" (s03e05).
👀 Watch Episode 5 at netflix.com/title/81149450
🎧 Listen to the original song at youtu.be/UvbqMISIHfU, available exclusively on the ⚪🔴 SEIKILO Ancient World Music channel!
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⚫ Find the perfect lyre for you at luthieros.com
🔵 Learn how to play the lyre and other ancient musical instruments at
lyreacademy.com/choose-your-next-course
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In this video, Thanasis Kleopas performs on a custom LUTHIEROS lyre, masterfully handcrafted in Greece by the LUTHIEROS family, along with Loukiani Papadaki on dancing.
⚫ Find the perfect lyre for you at luthieros.com
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🔍 Find more about this & other ancient Greek healing music in the book "Healing Music in Ancient Greece" available at www.luthieros.com
🏛️ 🎶 Original Lyrics in Ancient Greek
[Κέκλυθ’ Ἑλικ]ῶ̣να βαθύδενδρον αἳ λάχετε Διὸ]ς
ἐ[ρι]βρόμου θύγατρες εὐώλ[ενοι,] μόλετε, συνόμ-
αιμον ἵνα Φοῖβον ὠιδα[ῖ]σι μέλψητε χρυσεοκόμαν,
ὃς ἀνὰ δικόρυνβα Παρνασσίδος τᾶσδε πετέρας ἕδραν’ ἅμ’
[ἀ]γακλυταῖς Δελφίσιν Κασταλίδος εὐύδρου
νάματ’ ἐπινίσεται, Δελφὸν ἀνὰ [πρ]ῶνα μαν-
τεῖον ἐφέπων πάγον·
🇬🇧 🎶 Lyrics in English
Hear me, you who possess deep-wooded Helicon,
fair-armed daughters of Zeus the magnificent!
Come with songs to celebrate your brother.
Phoebus of the golden hair, who, over the twin peaks of this mountain, Parnassus,
accompanied by the illustrious maidens of Delphi,
comes to the streams of the flowing Castalian spring
as he visits his mountain oracle.
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They met the forefront of the world lyre community, including top lyre players (Lina Palera, Theodore Koumartzis, and Thanasis Kleopas), the lead filmmaker of SEIKILO Channel, and the Master Luthier of the LUTHIEROS family.
The camp was hosted in a magical place, the majestic Oikia Karapanou.
Save the 2025 summer camp dates: May 25 to June 1, Aegina Island!
Until then, check the details for this year's camp at lyreacademy.com/camp
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⚫ Find the perfect lyre for you at luthieros.com
🔵 Learn how to play the lyre and other ancient musical instruments at
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Experience true cinematic music deeply inspired by the ancient world with the ancient lyre at its center, beautifully framed by outstanding female vocalists and soundscapes straight out of the greatest ancient civilizations of the Meditteranean sea.
In this song, titled Are Mou Rindineddha, Theodore Koumartzis plays on a LUTHIEROS Lyre of Orpheus, masterfully handcrafted in Greece, with Eljona Eleni Sinjari on vocals, Evagoras Bekiaris on the beats, Marios Podaras on the violin, and Manos Stratis on the double bass.
Evagoras Bekiaris is behind this majestic music production, while Nikolaos Koumartzis, D.Phil., has the Art Direction of the whole project.
PAUSIS Debut Album Release
_In the silence, the universe answers
© Original compositions by Theodoros Koumartzis
🙏 Supported by LUTHIEROS Musical Instruments & SEIKILO Ancient World Music Channel
⚫ Find the perfect lyre for you at luthieros.com
🔵 Learn how to play the lyre and other ancient musical instruments at
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🎙️ About PAUSIS
PAUSIS is a music collective featuring ancient and modern musical instruments performing original compositions inspired by our share ancient world music heritage.
The band features the ancient lyre as its main instrument, masterfully framed by outstanding female vocalists and soundscapes straight out of the greatest ancient civilizations of the Meditteranean sea. Formed in 2017, PAUSIS performed live at prominent music festivals in Greece and abroad, releasing its debut album (titled Pausis) in 2022.
Through cinematic improvisational arrangements, their music narrates journeys into the audience’s inner-self, with a distinctive scent of ancient myths and wisdom. They call their music “a secret form of communication,” i.e., a parallel and unobserved form of expression behind the obvious. Pausis is the unseen point at which all obvious forms of communication (dialogue, sounds, gestures, writing) converge to express something higher than their sum.
PAUSIS’s music is a meeting point of Ancient World Music with contemporary Fusion and a cinematic narrative mood with original compositions by its members.
🎨 About the Artwork
The artwork featured in this video was created with MidJourney, a generative artificial intelligence that creates art from natural language descriptions called "prompts." Nikolaos Koumartzis, D.Phil., our lead filmmaker, guided Midjourney to create cinematic moments of solo travelers discovering ancient world ruins while listening to music.
All the paintings in this series are inspired by actual ancient civilizations such as ancient Greece, Rome, and India. Different ancient world civilizations were chosen as a source of inspiration based on the theme of each song, the underlying feeling, or the musical instruments that participated in each recording.
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Who was Sappho? Why was she called the Poetess and the Tenth Muse? How was her deep-sounding lyre called?
In this episode of our animated series, we dive into history to discover the true story of Sappho. We ask Menander and Solon, the famed law-giver of Athens, who once said, “Teach me a song of Sappho, so that I may learn it and die.” And then, we follow her and her goddess, Aphrodite, until her tragic end.
The lyres used for this episode's music were masterfully handcrafted in Greece by the LUTHIEROS family. This story, among hundreds of others, can be found in the book "The Song of the Lyre" available at luthieros.com/the_song
👀 Watch the full mini-series at youtube.com/playlist?list=PLcMWkAbRJunFi1ahv3DJbIbjod3WVJBKj
⚪ Order the book at luthieros.com/the_song
⚫ Find the perfect lyre for you at luthieros.com
🔵 Learn how to play the lyre and other ancient musical instruments at
lyreacademy.com/choose-your-next-course
🎬 SEIKILO team
Art Direction & Concept Creation by Nikolaos Koumartzis
Script by Fotis Giantsios
Voiceover Jarrett Raymond
Animation by Hashir Ahmed
Sound design by George Ayman
Subtitles by Feraia Nikolaou
Music by SEIKILO Affiliate Artists
Song selection by Evagoras Bekiaris and Nikolaos Koumartzis
Special thanks to Evagoras Bekiaris and Feraia Nikolaou for their participation in the initial stage of the sound design.
📃 ✍🏼 Transcript
Sappho & the Lyre (Who was Sappho?)
There were usually Nine Muses in ancient Greek mythology. But for the Alexandrine scholars, reading her poetry and marveling at her sweet words, there was one more. The one they called The Tenth Muse or The Poetess.
Sappho.
But who was Sappho? We know that she was born and wrote her first poems on the storied island of Lesbos. And we know that she accompanied her lyrics with the barbitos, a deep-sounding lyre. And she wrote about women, and love, and intimacy, and passion, evoking her goddess, Aphrodite.
And so beautiful were her songs that her contemporary and countryman, Alcaeus, called her “holy” and “she of the honeyed smile”. And a little later, Solon, the famed law-giver of Athens, is said to have asked: “Teach me a song of Sappho, so that I may learn it and die.”
But not all of Athens was so kind. “A woman writing about love?” said the comedians. “She must have been a promiscuous woman, concerned only with pleasures of the flesh!” And they carried that image in their works.
“She was the flower of Lesbos”, Nossis, the poetess, would say. “And may the Muses love me as they did her!”
“She was a woman blinded by love, love for a man!” said Menander. “She fell in love with the boatman, Phaon, and because he did not reciprocate her feelings, she decided to end her life. Desperate, she jumped from the Leucadian cliffs, clasping her lyre, for Aphrodite, her goddess, had done the same, to forget her doomed lover, Adonis!”
But Antipater of Thessalonica, who proposed a canon of nine female poets, would call her “the female Homer, Sappho, the jewel of the beautiful-haired women of Lesbos”.
Still, although her poetry was celebrated for centuries, from Roman times to Christian Europe to the Renaissance, and even today, others seemed more preoccupied with her personal life than her work.
But who, truly, was Sappho?
A poetess. The Poetess.
And in her own words:
You alone, Sappho, are sole with the silence,
Sole with night and dreams that are darkness, weaving
Thoughts that are sighs from the heart and their meaning
Vague as the shadow;
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They met the forefront of the world lyre community, including top lyre players (Lina Palera, Theodore Koumartzis, and Thanasis Kleopas), the lead filmmaker of SEIKILO Channel, and the Master Luthier of the LUTHIEROS family.
The camp was hosted in a magical place, the majestic Oikia Karapanou.
Save the 2025 summer camp dates: May 25 to June 1, Aegina Island!
Until then, check the details for this year's camp at lyreacademy.com/camp
🔴 For more videos like this, subscribe to our channel:
youtube.com/seikilo?sub_confirmation=1
⚫ Find the perfect lyre for you at luthieros.com
🔵 Learn how to play the lyre and other ancient musical instruments at
lyreacademy.com/choose-your-next-course
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— Marcus Aurelius
The song was filmed in Muro de Bellós, one of the many abandoned villages in the Pyrenees mountain range. It is named after Chronos, the primordial god of time in Greek mythology.
Chronos during antiquity was the personification of time, an identification that became more widespread during the Renaissance. It gradually became the symbol of the Father Time, turning the zodiac wheel and a reminder of cyclical time.
In the Orphic tradition, the unaging Chronos was the father of Aether, Chaos, and the hermaphroditic god Phanes. The latter was the one who gave birth to the first generation of gods, making him the ultimate creator of the cosmos.
This song is dedicated to him, filmed in a place where Chronos has left his ultimate mark.
🎬 Directed by Nikolaos Koumartzis, D. Phil.
⚫ Find the perfect lyre for you at luthieros.com
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"Gentle Asclepius, the craftsman of new health for weary limbs and banisher of pain, the godlike healer of all mortal sickness."
— Pindar, Pythian Ode, 5th century B.C.
Song title:
Vediovis, the Etruscan
The origins of healing in Europe can be traced to the sanctuary of Asclepius, a hero, the son of Apollo, and the God of medicine in Greek mythology. In the sanctuaries (or temples) of Asclepius, music played a key role, along with the use of the lyre to soothe those who suffered.
These holy sites, with the sanctuary of Epidaurus in their center, date back to the 2nd millennium BC and were used for ceremonial medical practices. Additionally, in the 8th century BC, the Epidaurus sanctuary became associated with the cult of Apollo.
The healing music in this music album was composed using two fundamental blocks of ancient world music: the ancient lyre of Apollo and several ancient Greek modes.
⚫ Find the perfect lyre for you at luthieros.com
🔵 Learn how to play the lyre and other ancient musical instruments at
lyreacademy.com/choose-your-next-course
💡 Concept design & supervision by Nikolaos Koumartzis
🎙️ SEIKILO affiliate artists Evagoras Bekiaris (music production) & Lina Palera (ancient lyre) join forces to produce inspiring music based on the ancient Greek modes and inspired by the long-forgotten knowledge of the ancient Greeks to soothe the human soul (or psyche) and heal our bodies.
💡 Who is Nikolaos?
Nikolaos Koumartzis, Ph.D., is the visionary behind many cultural endeavors with international recognition, including LUTHIEROS Music Instruments and SEIKILO Music Channel.
He holds a Ph.D. in Journalism from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, an MSc in Publishing from the University of the Arts London, a Ma in Strategic Product Design from the International Hellenic University, and a Ba in Computer Science from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki.
He is the author of six personal books, co-author of dozens more, and the lead author of papers on the topic (among others) of ancient Greek musical instruments. As a natural consequence, in 2009, he co-founded a series of publishing houses in Greece (iWrite Publications, Pigi Publications, and Daidaleos Publications), where he served as the Art Director until 2019. Then, he decided to leave everything else behind and focus on the rebirth of the ancient lyre and its introduction to the modern worldwide music scene.
His thesis, titled "The Lyre 2.0 Project," was the spark that led to the creation of many related endeavors such as LUTHIEROS, SEIKILO Museum of Ancient Music, and SEIKILO Ancient World Music Channel.
In 2020 he founded the Lyre Academy, where he has served as its Director since. Among others, he focuses on gradually putting together a series of comprehensive educational tools for the rebirth of the ancient lyre.
Last, he travels worldwide as the lead filmmaker of the SEIKILO YouTube Channel, while he teaches design in the Department of Journalism at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in his spare time.
🎙️ Who is Lina Palera?
Lina Palera is a world-renowned lyre player with live performances at numerous concert halls, museums, international conferences, et cetera. such as the Greek Museum of Byzantine Culture and the Frankfurt Musikmesse.
She has an extensive discography as a guitar player and a vocalist. “Aurora” is her first music album dedicated solely to the ancient lyre and the emotions it can evoke.
She loves teaching adults and children how to play the ancient lyre, and this is why she co-founded and serves as the Head of Music Programs at LyreAcademy.com!
🎙️ Who is Evagoras?
Evagoras Bekiaris is the lead music producer for the SEIKILO Ancient World Music Channel on YouTube, a composer, and mixing engineer, based in Cyprus.
Among many, he has composed the music for the Virtual Reality documentary "The Green Line," which premiered at the 71st Festival de Cannes and has won several awards, such as LA Film Award, London Film Week Award, and the El Paso IMPACTFest award. What's more, he has composed music for the game "Raji: An Ancient Epic," which won the Taipei Game Awards, and nominated for Best Debut Indie Game at The Game Awards and SXSW awards.
Last, he is responsible for the sound design and mixing of several theatre and movie productions, along with music albums such as the debut album of "Pausis."
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"Vacania" is an original composition for two ancient lyres and vocal improvisation. It was written to soothe the psychē of the listener and travel his mind to distant tranquil places.
In Greek mythology, the story of Psychē, a young princess, is about the soul redeeming itself. For the Greeks, psychē also meant "butterfly," something that suggests how the ancient imagined their soul.
The melody is performed by Thanasis Kleopas (the Wandering Melodist) and Theodore Koumartzis on two LUTHIEROS ancient lyres, along with Jordan Koumartzis on a LUTHIEROS Electric Upright Bass.
⚫ Find the perfect lyre for you at luthieros.com
🔵 Learn how to play the lyre and other ancient musical instruments at
lyreacademy.com/choose-your-next-course
🎬 Directed by Nikolaos Koumartzis
Filming took place at Oikia Karapanou, a beautiful 19th-century mansion at Aegina Island, near Athens.
🎙️ Who is Thanasis Kleopas, the Wandering Melodist?
Thanasis Kleopas is an ancient lyre and guitar player with many performances around the world, such as in Thailand, Japan, India, France, Italy, Germany, and Switzerland. He combines traditional music with the ancient lyre and tries to produce emotion-provoking music. He performed in the past in churches, schools with kids with special needs, museums, and even fashion shows such as Dolce & Gabbana summer show in Milan.
🎙️ Who is Theodore?
Theodore is the youngest brother of the Koumartzis family. Being part of the family's endeavor since its early stage, he soon came to be an inspiring top-notch lyre player, constantly learning and experimenting with musicians around the world.
He is the founder of the PAUSIS Project, a curator at the SEIKILO Museum of Ancient Music in Greece (Thessaloniki), and an integral part of LUTHIEROS Music Instruments.
🌱 Listen to Theodore's music at
youtube.com/watch?v=izlnCWJEjes&list=PLcMWkAbRJunFz_TO-e_kw2k3Z18T1TESr
🎙️ Who is Jordan Koumartzis?
Jordan Koumartzis is a well-known double bass player in Greece and a celebrated luthier with a recognized specialization in ancient musical instruments. As a musician, he has performed live in numerous concert halls, museums, and conventions around the world, such as in Hong Kong, Germany, Greece, et cetera.
He is the oldest brother of the Koumartzis family and a Senior Luthier at the renowned LUTHIEROS Workshop.
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Next year’s summer school will be announced during August, so stay tuned for the limited number of the early-bird registration options! Until then, have a look at this year’s programme at www.lyreacademy.com/camp
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🟢 SEIKILO is on Spotify too! Follow us at open.spotify.com/artist/6BeEN6EDTHO3ezHBkN161X
⚫ Find the perfect lyre for you at luthieros.com
🔵 Learn how to play the lyre and other ancient musical instruments at
lyreacademy.com/choose-your-next-course
👍 Follow us on Facebook:
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Did you know that the first who went to the Underworld and came back alive was Orpheus? The lyre can tame beasts and bring tears to the emotionless. If you pair it with love, the lyre can even bring back the dead!
In this episode of our animated series, we follow Orpheus, the legendary musician, as he descends to the Underworld to bring back his loved one, Eurydice. But before he does so, he has to encounter otherworldly beasts and Pluto himself!
The lyres used for this episode's music were masterfully handcrafted in Greece by the LUTHIEROS family. This story, among hundreds of others, can be found in the book "The Song of the Lyre" available at luthieros.com/the_song
👀 Watch the full mini-series at youtube.com/playlist?list=PLcMWkAbRJunFi1ahv3DJbIbjod3WVJBKj
⚪ Order the book at luthieros.com/the_song
⚫ Find the perfect lyre for you at luthieros.com
🔵 Learn how to play the lyre and other ancient musical instruments at
lyreacademy.com/choose-your-next-course
🎬 SEIKILO team
Art Direction & Concept Creation by Nikolaos Koumartzis
Script by Fotis Giantsios
Voiceover Jarrett Raymond
Animation by Hashir Ahmed
Sound design by George Ayman
Subtitles by Feraia Nikolaou
Music by SEIKILO Affiliate Artists
Song selection by Evagoras Bekiaris and Nikolaos Koumartzis
Special thanks to Evagoras Bekiaris and Feraia Nikolaou for their participation in the initial stage of the sound design.
📃 ✍🏼 Transcript
Orpheus & Eurydice
It was a lovely day when Orpheus, son of King Oegreus and the muse Calliope, was to wed his beloved, the nymph Eurydice. So happily danced Eurydice with her sisters that she did not watch her step and placed her foot on the head of a venomous snake!
Gone was lovely, Eurydice. And Orpheus, the greatest of musicians, wept bitterly at her side. Weeping, he took up his lyre and played songs so mournful and beautiful that all the mortals, nymphs, and deities wept with him, and the whole world knew of his sorrow.
Taking the gods' advice, Orpheus, armed only with his lyre, descended to the Underworld to ask terrible Hades and sweet Persephone to let her return with him. The gates were guarded by the three-headed giant dog, the terrifying Cerberus. But Orpheus’ music was so sweet that he lulled the beast to sleep and passed undisturbed.
“Who alive dares to enter the Underworld? What do you seek?” asked Hades.
““I seek Eurydice, my wife,” said Orpheus, “who was taken from the world of the living before her allotment of years. And I will play for you the sweetest song of all time if you but allow her to return to the sunlit lands with me”.
And so sweet was the song Orpheus played that Hades was moved, and Persephone shed tears, and even the dead forgot their sorrow for a while.
“Very well,” said Hades. “But you shall not look upon her before you exit the threshold, lest she returns to the world of the dead.”
And Orpheus closed his eyes and only heard her footsteps behind him as they made their way up. But shades tread lightly, and he could hear her footsteps no more. Had the gods fooled him? And as he passed the threshold he turned, looking upon his beloved, still on the other side. And having broken the terms, she couldn’t follow, grasping for him in vain as she fell back into the world of the dead…
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Hephaestus mixed earth with water and formed the likeness of a shy maiden. All the Gods who dwelt on Mountain Olympos gave her a gift. And they called this woman Pandora (All-Gifts).
Lina Palera's second music album, Pandora, is dedicated to this maiden. Lux is the opening song, signifying her first steps on earth. Lina performs on a LUTHIEROS ancient lyre, masterfully handcrafted in Greece by the Koumartzis family.
💿 Order PANDORA album at luthieros.com/product/pandora-lina-palera
⚫ Find the perfect lyre for you at luthieros.com
🔵 Learn how to play the lyre and other ancient musical instruments at
lyreacademy.com/choose-your-next-course
🎬 Directed by Nikolaos Koumartzis
Filming took place at the open amphitheater of Europos village, Northern Greece. Europos is the birthplace of the Koumartzis family and is where the LUTHIEROS workshop is located.
🎙️ Who is Lina Palera?
Lina Palera is a world-renowned lyre player with live performances at numerous concert halls, museums, international conferences, et cetera. such as the Greek Museum of Byzantine Culture and the Frankfurt Musikmesse.
She has an extensive discography as a guitar player and a vocalist. “Aurora” is her first music album dedicated solely to the ancient lyre and the emotions it can evoke.
She loves teaching adults and children how to play the ancient lyre, and this is why she co-founded and serves as the Head of Music Programs at LyreAcademy.com!
👍 Follow us on Facebook:
el-gr.facebook.com/seikilo
❤️ Follow us on Instagram:
instagram.com/luthieros/?hl=en
🔴 For more videos like this, subscribe to our channel:
youtube.com/seikilo?sub_confirmation=1
🟢 SEIKILO is on Spotify too! Follow us at open.spotify.com/artist/6BeEN6EDTHO3ezHBkN161X
youtube.com/seikilo?sub_confirmation=1
🟢 SEIKILO is on Spotify too! Follow us at open.spotify.com/artist/6BeEN6EDTHO3ezHBkN161X
"Gentle Asclepius, the craftsman of new health for weary limbs and banisher of pain, the godlike healer of all mortal sickness."
— Pindar, Pythian Ode, 5th century B.C.
Song title:
Ophiuchus, the Serpent Holder
The origins of healing in Europe can be traced to the sanctuary of Asclepius, a hero, the son of Apollo, and the God of medicine in Greek mythology. In the sanctuaries (or temples) of Asclepius, music played a key role, along with the use of the lyre to soothe those who suffered.
These holy sites, with the sanctuary of Epidaurus in their center, date back to the 2nd millennium BC and were used for ceremonial medical practices. Additionally, in the 8th century BC, the Epidaurus sanctuary became associated with the cult of Apollo.
The healing music in this music album was composed using two fundamental blocks of ancient world music: the ancient lyre of Apollo and several ancient Greek modes.
⚫ Find the perfect lyre for you at luthieros.com
🔵 Learn how to play the lyre and other ancient musical instruments at
lyreacademy.com/choose-your-next-course
💡 Concept design & supervision by Nikolaos Koumartzis
🎙️ SEIKILO affiliate artists Evagoras Bekiaris (music production) & Lina Palera (ancient lyre) join forces to produce inspiring music based on the ancient Greek modes and inspired by the long-forgotten knowledge of the ancient Greeks to soothe the human soul (or psyche) and heal our bodies.
💡 Who is Nikolaos?
Nikolaos Koumartzis, Ph.D., is the visionary behind many cultural endeavors with international recognition, including LUTHIEROS Music Instruments and SEIKILO Music Channel.
He holds a Ph.D. in Journalism from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, an MSc in Publishing from the University of the Arts London, a Ma in Strategic Product Design from the International Hellenic University, and a Ba in Computer Science from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki.
He is the author of six personal books, co-author of dozens more, and the lead author of papers on the topic (among others) of ancient Greek musical instruments. As a natural consequence, in 2009, he co-founded a series of publishing houses in Greece (iWrite Publications, Pigi Publications, and Daidaleos Publications), where he served as the Art Director until 2019. Then, he decided to leave everything else behind and focus on the rebirth of the ancient lyre and its introduction to the modern worldwide music scene.
His thesis, titled "The Lyre 2.0 Project," was the spark that led to the creation of many related endeavors such as LUTHIEROS, SEIKILO Museum of Ancient Music, and SEIKILO Ancient World Music Channel.
In 2020 he founded the Lyre Academy, where he has served as its Director since. Among others, he focuses on gradually putting together a series of comprehensive educational tools for the rebirth of the ancient lyre.
Last, he travels worldwide as the lead filmmaker of the SEIKILO YouTube Channel, while he teaches design in the Department of Journalism at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in his spare time.
🎙️ Who is Lina Palera?
Lina Palera is a world-renowned lyre player with live performances at numerous concert halls, museums, international conferences, et cetera. such as the Greek Museum of Byzantine Culture and the Frankfurt Musikmesse.
She has an extensive discography as a guitar player and a vocalist. “Aurora” is her first music album dedicated solely to the ancient lyre and the emotions it can evoke.
She loves teaching adults and children how to play the ancient lyre, and this is why she co-founded and serves as the Head of Music Programs at LyreAcademy.com!
🎙️ Who is Evagoras?
Evagoras Bekiaris is the lead music producer for the SEIKILO Ancient World Music Channel on YouTube, a composer, and mixing engineer, based in Cyprus.
Among many, he has composed the music for the Virtual Reality documentary "The Green Line," which premiered at the 71st Festival de Cannes and has won several awards, such as LA Film Award, London Film Week Award, and the El Paso IMPACTFest award. What's more, he has composed music for the game "Raji: An Ancient Epic," which won the Taipei Game Awards, and nominated for Best Debut Indie Game at The Game Awards and SXSW awards.
Last, he is responsible for the sound design and mixing of several theatre and movie productions, along with music albums such as the debut album of "Pausis."
👍 Follow us on Facebook:
el-gr.facebook.com/seikilo
❤️ Follow us on Instagram:
instagram.com/luthieros/?hl=en
🔴 For more videos like this, subscribe to our channel:
youtube.com/seikilo?sub_confirmation=1
🟢 SEIKILO is on Spotify too! Follow us at open.spotify.com/artist/6BeEN6EDTHO3ezHBkN161X
youtube.com/seikilo?sub_confirmation=1
From the secluded island of Kastellorizo in the Eastern Mediterranean, just 2 km off the south coast of Turkey, comes this folk love song, performed on the ancient lyre for the very first time.
"Open Sea" talks about love in a very lyrical way, as in the eyes of the lover, nature seems to function the other way around thanks to his powerful emotions.
The song is performed here by Thanasis Kleopas (the Wandering Melodist) and Theodore Koumartzis on two ancient lyres, masterfully handcrafted in Greece by the LUTHIEROS family.
⚫ Find the perfect lyre for you at luthieros.com
🔵 Learn how to play the lyre and other ancient musical instruments at
lyreacademy.com/choose-your-next-course
🎬 Directed by Nikolaos Koumartzis
Filming took place at Oikia Karapanou, a beautiful 19th-century mansion at Aegina Island, near Athens.
🎙️ Who is Thanasis Kleopas, the Wandering Melodist?
Thanasis Kleopas is an ancient lyre and guitar player with many performances around the world, such as in Thailand, Japan, India, France, Italy, Germany, and Switzerland. He combines traditional music with the ancient lyre and tries to produce emotion-provoking music. He performed in the past in churches, schools with kids with special needs, museums, and even fashion shows such as Dolce & Gabbana summer show in Milan.
🎙️ Who is Theodore?
Theodore is the youngest brother of the Koumartzis family. Being part of the family's endeavor since its early stage, he soon came to be an inspiring top-notch lyre player, constantly learning and experimenting with musicians around the world.
He is the founder of the PAUSIS Project, a curator at the SEIKILO Museum of Ancient Music in Greece (Thessaloniki), and an integral part of LUTHIEROS Music Instruments.
🌱 Listen to Theodore's music at youtube.com/watch?v=izlnCWJEjes&list=PLcMWkAbRJunFz_TO-e_kw2k3Z18T1TESr
🇬🇷 🎶 Lyrics in Greek
Καστελλόριζο (Από Πελάου)
Από πελάου θ’ε να’ρτώ, καλέ μ’να σε φιλήσω
Νά΄ναι τα χείλη μου αλμυρά, να μη σ’αλησμονήσω
Φεύγεις και παραγγέλω σου σαν το γυαλί φυλάγου
Αμάθητο της θάλασσας κι άξευρο του πελάγου
Πατώ στα χιόνια καίγομαι και στη φωτιά κρυώνω
Και στον αέρα βρέχουμαι και στη βροχή στεγνώνω
Λάμπεις και στράφτεις και βροντάς ναι συννεφάς και βρέχεις
Κι όλες τις χάρες του θεού απάνω σου τις έχεις
🇬🇧 🎶 Lyrics in English
Open Sea’s
I will come from the open sea, my beloved, to kiss you
And my lips will be salty, and will never forget you
You are leaving and I beg you to be cautious
As you are innocent and ignorant of the sea
I step in the snow and I am burning, and in the fire, I freeze
And in the wind I get wet, and in the rain I become dry
You shine and flash and thunder, you bring clouds and rain
And all the graces of God you have upon you.
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youtube.com/seikilo?sub_confirmation=1
🟢 SEIKILO is on Spotify too! Follow us at open.spotify.com/artist/6BeEN6EDTHO3ezHBkN161X
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Who invented the lyre, the national instrument of the ancient Greeks? Was it Apollo, the God of Music? Or was it Orpheus, the legendary musician? Or, maybe, a mere mortal?
In this first episode of this animated series, we explore the myth of the lyre's creation and discover that this magical moment also marked something much bigger: the birth of music itself.
The lyres used for this episode's music were masterfully handcrafted in Greece by the LUTHIEROS family. This story, among hundreds of others, can be found in the book "The Song of the Lyre" available at luthieros.com/the_song
👀 Watch the full mini-series at youtube.com/playlist?list=PLcMWkAbRJunFi1ahv3DJbIbjod3WVJBKj
⚪ Order the book at luthieros.com/the_song
⚫ Find the perfect lyre for you at luthieros.com
🔵 Learn how to play the lyre and other ancient musical instruments at
lyreacademy.com/choose-your-next-course
🎬 SEIKILO team
Art Direction & Concept Creation by Nikolaos Koumartzis
Script by Fotis Giantsios
Voiceover Jarrett Raymond
Animation by Hashir Ahmed
Sound design by George Ayman
Subtitles by Feraia Nikolaou
Music by SEIKILO Affiliate Artists
Song selection by Evagoras Bekiaris and Nikolaos Koumartzis
Special thanks to Evagoras Bekiaris and Feraia Nikolaou for their participation in the initial stage of the sound design.
📃 ✍🏼 Transcript
How Apollo Got His Lyre
It was a starlit night in Mount Cyllene, in Arcadia, when Maia, the oldest of the Pleiades, gave birth to the son of Zeus, the crafty Hermes. While still a baby, Hermes left the sacred cave of his birth and made his way to the mountains of Pieria, where his half-brother, the Radiant Apollo, kept his oxen herds. Trickster god that he was, Hermes stole the oxen and led them away, putting shoes on their feet in order to cover their tracks, and then sacrificed some to the gods before returning to his mother’s cave.
It was there that he happened upon a grazing tortoise just outside the place of his birth. And seeing its shell, Hermes picked it up and marveled at its shape. And it was then that the thought of the lyre first struck him.
“You shall be my companion,” said the god. “Friend in joy and in sorrow.” And saying that, he cleaned out the shell and stretched the oxen hide of the sacrificed animals over it. Then he fixed their horns at the shell’s sides, connecting them with a yoke, and on that, he fastened the strings made out of the animals’ guts. And thus, having created the first lyre, he set to play and sing, sing of his birth and of his mother and of the glory of the gods and the Muses.
When Apollo, furious and inquiring after the thief, reached the cave, he was astonished to hear the sweet music of the lyre for the first time. His wrath was forgotten, so he made Hermes an offer.
“Clever god, clever thief,” said Apollo. “Truly, you must be blessed, for I have never heard such music before nor seen an instrument like that. You have taken my oxen, but I will freely offer them to you in exchange for this lyre”.
Hermes, crafty god that he was, seeing how enamored his brother was with the lyre, asked for his shepherd’s rod, as well as the gift of divination and prophecy with which he had found him. And the radiant Apollo gladly agreed.
And for the first time, Apollo held the lyre in his hands, making it his most prized possession. It would become his symbol, and with it, he played the most beautiful songs ever known to god or man.
And thus, Apollo became the God of Music.
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youtube.com/seikilo?sub_confirmation=1
🟢 SEIKILO is on Spotify too! Follow us at open.spotify.com/artist/6BeEN6EDTHO3ezHBkN161X
youtube.com/seikilo?sub_confirmation=1
🟢 SEIKILO is on Spotify too! Follow us at open.spotify.com/artist/6BeEN6EDTHO3ezHBkN161X
"Gentle Asclepius, the craftsman of new health for weary limbs and banisher of pain, the godlike healer of all mortal sickness."
— Pindar, Pythian Ode, 5th century B.C.
Song title:
Asclepius, the God of Medicine
The origins of healing in Europe can be traced to the sanctuary of Asclepius, a hero, the son of Apollo, and the God of medicine in Greek mythology. In the sanctuaries (or temples) of Asclepius, music played a key role, along with the use of the lyre to soothe those who suffered.
These holy sites, with the sanctuary of Epidaurus in their center, date back to the 2nd millennium BC and were used for ceremonial medical practices. Additionally, in the 8th century BC, the Epidaurus sanctuary became associated with the cult of Apollo.
The healing music in this music album was composed using two fundamental blocks of ancient world music: the ancient lyre of Apollo and several ancient Greek modes.
⚫ Find the perfect lyre for you at luthieros.com
🔵 Learn how to play the lyre and other ancient musical instruments at
lyreacademy.com/choose-your-next-course
💡 Concept design & supervision by Nikolaos Koumartzis
🎙️ SEIKILO affiliate artists Evagoras Bekiaris (music production) & Lina Palera (ancient lyre) join forces to produce inspiring music based on the ancient Greek modes and inspired by the long-forgotten knowledge of the ancient Greeks to soothe the human soul (or psyche) and heal our bodies.
💡 Who is Nikolaos?
Nikolaos Koumartzis, Ph.D., is the visionary behind many cultural endeavors with international recognition, including LUTHIEROS Music Instruments and SEIKILO Music Channel.
He holds a Ph.D. in Journalism from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, an MSc in Publishing from the University of the Arts London, a Ma in Strategic Product Design from the International Hellenic University, and a Ba in Computer Science from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki.
He is the author of six personal books, co-author of dozens more, and the lead author of papers on the topic (among others) of ancient Greek musical instruments. As a natural consequence, in 2009, he co-founded a series of publishing houses in Greece (iWrite Publications, Pigi Publications, and Daidaleos Publications), where he served as the Art Director until 2019. Then, he decided to leave everything else behind and focus on the rebirth of the ancient lyre and its introduction to the modern worldwide music scene.
His thesis, titled "The Lyre 2.0 Project," was the spark that led to the creation of many related endeavors such as LUTHIEROS, SEIKILO Museum of Ancient Music, and SEIKILO Ancient World Music Channel.
In 2020 he founded the Lyre Academy, where he has served as its Director since. Among others, he focuses on gradually putting together a series of comprehensive educational tools for the rebirth of the ancient lyre.
Last, he travels worldwide as the lead filmmaker of the SEIKILO YouTube Channel, while he teaches design in the Department of Journalism at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in his spare time.
🎙️ Who is Lina Palera?
Lina Palera is a world-renowned lyre player with live performances at numerous concert halls, museums, international conferences, et cetera. such as the Greek Museum of Byzantine Culture and the Frankfurt Musikmesse.
She has an extensive discography as a guitar player and a vocalist. “Aurora” is her first music album dedicated solely to the ancient lyre and the emotions it can evoke.
She loves teaching adults and children how to play the ancient lyre, and this is why she co-founded and serves as the Head of Music Programs at LyreAcademy.com!
🎙️ Who is Evagoras?
Evagoras Bekiaris is the lead music producer for the SEIKILO Ancient World Music Channel on YouTube, a composer, and mixing engineer, based in Cyprus.
Among many, he has composed the music for the Virtual Reality documentary "The Green Line," which premiered at the 71st Festival de Cannes and has won several awards, such as LA Film Award, London Film Week Award, and the El Paso IMPACTFest award. What's more, he has composed music for the game "Raji: An Ancient Epic," which won the Taipei Game Awards, and nominated for Best Debut Indie Game at The Game Awards and SXSW awards.
Last, he is responsible for the sound design and mixing of several theatre and movie productions, along with music albums such as the debut album of "Pausis."
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Experience true cinematic music deeply inspired by the ancient world with the ancient lyre at its center, beautifully framed by outstanding female vocalists and soundscapes straight out of the greatest ancient civilisations of the Mediterranean sea.
In this song, titled Metamorphosis, Theodore Koumartzis plays on a LUTHIEROS Lyre of Orpheus, masterfully handcrafted in Greece, with Marios Podaras on violin and Evagoras Bekiaris on the piano and behind this majestic music production, while Nikolaos Koumartzis, D.Phil., has the Art Direction of the whole project.
PAUSIS Debut Album Release
_In the silence, the universe answers
© Original compositions by Theodoros Koumartzis
🙏 Supported by LUTHIEROS Musical Instruments & SEIKILO Ancient World Music Channel
⚫ Find the perfect lyre for you at luthieros.com
🔵 Learn how to play the lyre and other ancient musical instruments at
lyreacademy.com/choose-your-next-course
🎙️ About PAUSIS
PAUSIS is a music collective featuring ancient and modern musical instruments performing original compositions inspired by our share ancient world music heritage.
The band features the ancient lyre as its main instrument, masterfully framed by outstanding female vocalists and soundscapes straight out of the greatest ancient civilisations of the Mediterranean sea. Formed in 2017, PAUSIS performed live at prominent music festivals in Greece and abroad, releasing its debut album (titled Pausis) in 2022.
Through cinematic improvisational arrangements, their music narrates journeys into the audience’s inner-self, with a distinctive scent of ancient myths and wisdom. They call their music “a secret form of communication,” i.e., a parallel and unobserved form of expression behind the obvious. Pausis is the unseen point at which all obvious forms of communication (dialogue, sounds, gestures, writing) converge to express something higher than their sum.
PAUSIS’s music is a meeting point of Ancient World Music with contemporary Fusion and a cinematic narrative mood with original compositions by its members.
🎨 About the Artwork
The artwork featured in this video was created with MidJourney, a generative artificial intelligence that creates art from natural language descriptions called "prompts." Nikolaos Koumartzis, D.Phil., our lead filmmaker, guided Midjourney to create cinematic moments of solo travellers discovering ancient world ruins while listening to music.
All the paintings in this series are inspired by actual ancient civilisations such as ancient Greece, Rome, and India. Different ancient world civilisations were chosen as a source of inspiration based on the theme of each song, the underlying feeling, or the musical instruments that participated in each recording.
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On the northern slope of Mount Psiloritis, there is a village called Anogia, where its citizens are known for their skill in composing and performing Mantinades. It is a form of traditional Cretan poetry used to express deep emotions, tell meaningful stories, and convey unspoken messages.
Mana (Mother) is a song composed by Loudovikos ton Anogeion, with lyrics based on a mantinada that Mihalis & Olga Dramountanis once wrote for their mother.
The melody is performed by Thanasis Kleopas (the Wandering Melodist) on an ancient lyre, masterfully handcrafted in Greece by the LUTHIEROS family.
⚫ Find the perfect lyre for you at luthieros.com
🔵 Learn how to play the lyre and other ancient musical instruments at
lyreacademy.com/choose-your-next-course
🎬 Directed by Nikolaos Koumartzis
Filming took place at Oikia Karapanou, a beautiful 19th-century mansion at Aegina Island, near Athens.
🎙️ Who is Thanasis Kleopas, the Wandering Melodist?
Thanasis Kleopas is an ancient lyre and guitar player with many performances around the world, such as in Thailand, Japan, India, France, Italy, Germany, and Switzerland. He combines traditional music with the ancient lyre and tries to produce emotion-provoking music. He performed in the past in churches, schools with kids with special needs, museums, and even fashion shows such as Dolce & Gabbana summer show in Milan.
🇬🇷 🎶 Lyrics in Greek
Μάνα
Μάνα μου δύσκολο κενό
αφήνει ο μισεμός σου.
Άκουσ’ το μάνα μια φορά
απ’το μεγάλο γιο σου.
Μάνα μου υπερήφανη
και ντροπαλή μου μάνα
δεν το πιστεύω πως χτυπά
για σένα η καμπάνα.
Φεγγάρι παραγγέλνω σου
και μην το λησμονήσεις
τη μάνα μου στα σκοτεινά
δεν θέλω να αφήσεις.
Του Ψηλορείτη την κορφή
τη χιονοσκεπασμένη
βάλε σημάδι μη χαθείς
γιατί θα περιμένει.
🇬🇧 🎶 Lyrics in English
Mother
Mother, a deep void
is left by your departure.
Listen to it, Mother, just once
from your oldest son.
My proud mother
And my shy mother
I can't believe it is for you
that the church bells are ringing.
Moon, I command you
And don't forget it
My mother in the dark
I don't want you to leave her.
At the top of Mount Psiloritis
The snow-covered summit
Make a mark to not get lost
For she'll be waiting for you.
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Did you know that Achilles was a great lyre player? That even Alexander the Great was striving to become a great lyre player?
In this episode of our animated series, we meet the two great heroes, along with Odysseus, Agamemnon, and the legendary centaur Cheiron. We discover why learning the lyre was considered equal to mathematics and war tactics education. After all, to become a legendary hero you need a holistic education, and the lyre is a crucial part of that.
The lyres used for this episode's music were masterfully handcrafted in Greece by the LUTHIEROS family. This story, among hundreds of others, can be found in the book "The Song of the Lyre" available at luthieros.com/the_song
👀 Watch the full mini-series at youtube.com/playlist?list=PLcMWkAbRJunFi1ahv3DJbIbjod3WVJBKj
⚪ Order the book at luthieros.com/the_song
⚫ Find the perfect lyre for you at luthieros.com
🔵 Learn how to play the lyre and other ancient musical instruments at
lyreacademy.com/choose-your-next-course
🎬 SEIKILO team
Art Direction & Concept Creation by Nikolaos Koumartzis
Script by Fotis Giantsios
Voiceover Jarrett Raymond
Animation by Hashir Ahmed
Sound design by George Ayman
Subtitles by Feraia Nikolaou
Music by SEIKILO Affiliate Artists
Song selection by Evagoras Bekiaris and Nikolaos Koumartzis
Special thanks to Evagoras Bekiaris and Feraia Nikolaou for their participation in the initial stage of the sound design.
📃 ✍🏼 Transcript
The Lyre of Achilles
It was May 334 BC when Alexander the Great crossed the Hellespont and began his conquest of the great Persian Empire. But he could not pass by Ilium, where the great heroes of the Iliad had lived, fought, and died, to pay his respects to Achilles’ tomb.
“Would the king like to see the lyre of Paris?” he was asked.
“I care nothing for it,” Alexander replied. But I wish to see Achilles's lyre, with which he sang the deeds of heroes.”
For Achilles, one of the greatest Greek heroes, was renowned for his lyre-playing as well. It was taught to him by the wise centaur Cheiron, a friend of his father’s, who instructed the young prince in all those things that a future king should know. War, mathematics, and, of course, music...
And when the call came, and Achilles sailed to Troy, knowing he would perish there, what need did he have of earthly riches? And so, when he laid siege to Cilician Thebes, the city of Eetion, Andromache’s father, he refused all spoils but one. An ornate lyre, that would be his companion in the decade-long war.
And when bitter disagreement rose outside the walls of Troy, and Achilles retreated to his tent, taking the oath never to fight for the Greeks again, he put away his tools of war and picked up his lyre, to calm his spirits and bring joy to his companion, Patroclus. And playing his sweet lyre, his only spoils, did the envoys of Agamemnon, Odysseus, and Nestor find him later, when they came to beg him to once more join them in battle and fight for the Greeks. But Achilles’ wrath was too great.
Only when his dear Patroclus was killed by the hand of brave Hector did Achilles put his lyre aside and once again picked up his sword and spear. And he threw himself into the fight, his mind filled only with revenge, forgetting his lyre, since the one he played it for was with him no more.
But his fate was sealed. And where the greatest of the Greeks fell, a monument was erected, a mausoleum where he could forever rest at the side of his companion. And next to it would lie, until the days of Alexander, the instrument of his youth, his only spoils of war, the soother of his soul. His lyre.
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"Gentle Asclepius, the craftsman of new health for weary limbs and banisher of pain, the godlike healer of all mortal sickness."
— Pindar, Pythian Ode, 5th century B.C.
Song title:
Aegle
The origins of healing in Europe can be traced to the sanctuary of Asclepius, a hero, the son of Apollo, and the God of medicine in Greek mythology. In the sanctuaries (or temples) of Asclepius, music played a key role, along with the use of the lyre to soothe those who suffered.
These holy sites, with the sanctuary of Epidaurus in their center, date back to the 2nd millennium BC and were used for ceremonial medical practices. Additionally, in the 8th century BC, the Epidaurus sanctuary became associated with the cult of Apollo.
The healing music in this music album was composed using two fundamental blocks of ancient world music: the ancient lyre of Apollo and several ancient Greek modes.
⚫ Find the perfect lyre for you at luthieros.com
🔵 Learn how to play the lyre and other ancient musical instruments at
lyreacademy.com/choose-your-next-course
💡 Concept design & supervision by Nikolaos Koumartzis
🎙️ SEIKILO affiliate artists Evagoras Bekiaris (music production) & Lina Palera (ancient lyre) join forces to produce inspiring music based on the ancient Greek modes and inspired by the long-forgotten knowledge of the ancient Greeks to soothe the human soul (or psyche) and heal our bodies.
💡 Who is Nikolaos?
Nikolaos Koumartzis, Ph.D., is the visionary behind many cultural endeavors with international recognition, including LUTHIEROS Music Instruments and SEIKILO Music Channel.
He holds a Ph.D. in Journalism from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, an MSc in Publishing from the University of the Arts London, a Ma in Strategic Product Design from the International Hellenic University, and a Ba in Computer Science from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki.
He is the author of six personal books, co-author of dozens more, and the lead author of papers on the topic (among others) of ancient Greek musical instruments. As a natural consequence, in 2009, he co-founded a series of publishing houses in Greece (iWrite Publications, Pigi Publications, and Daidaleos Publications), where he served as the Art Director until 2019. Then, he decided to leave everything else behind and focus on the rebirth of the ancient lyre and its introduction to the modern worldwide music scene.
His thesis, titled "The Lyre 2.0 Project," was the spark that led to the creation of many related endeavors such as LUTHIEROS, SEIKILO Museum of Ancient Music, and SEIKILO Ancient World Music Channel.
In 2020 he founded the Lyre Academy, where he has served as its Director since. Among others, he focuses on gradually putting together a series of comprehensive educational tools for the rebirth of the ancient lyre.
Last, he travels worldwide as the lead filmmaker of the SEIKILO YouTube Channel, while he teaches design in the Department of Journalism at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in his spare time.
🎙️ Who is Lina Palera?
Lina Palera is a world-renowned lyre player with live performances at numerous concert halls, museums, international conferences, et cetera. such as the Greek Museum of Byzantine Culture and the Frankfurt Musikmesse.
She has an extensive discography as a guitar player and a vocalist. “Aurora” is her first music album dedicated solely to the ancient lyre and the emotions it can evoke.
She loves teaching adults and children how to play the ancient lyre, and this is why she co-founded and serves as the Head of Music Programs at LyreAcademy.com!
🎙️ Who is Evagoras?
Evagoras Bekiaris is the lead music producer for the SEIKILO Ancient World Music Channel on YouTube, a composer, and mixing engineer, based in Cyprus.
Among many, he has composed the music for the Virtual Reality documentary "The Green Line," which premiered at the 71st Festival de Cannes and has won several awards, such as LA Film Award, London Film Week Award, and the El Paso IMPACTFest award. What's more, he has composed music for the game "Raji: An Ancient Epic," which won the Taipei Game Awards, and nominated for Best Debut Indie Game at The Game Awards and SXSW awards.
Last, he is responsible for the sound design and mixing of several theatre and movie productions, along with music albums such as the debut album of "Pausis."
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There is no fair wind for he who doesn't know where to go.
— Seneca, 1st century CE
"Evageras" is an original composition for two ancient lyres and vocal improvisation. It was written as a ritual song to summon the winds.
In Greek mythology, there were many wind gods, called Άνεμοι, with the main being Boreas (North), Zephyrus (West), Notos (South), and Eurus (East). This ritual song is written to summon Zephyrus, the god of spring breezes.
The melody is performed by Thanasis Kleopas (the Wandering Melodist) and Theodore Koumartzis on two LUTHIEROS ancient lyres, along with Jordan Koumartzis on a LUTHIEROS Electric Upright Bass.
⚫ Find the perfect lyre for you at luthieros.com
🔵 Learn how to play the lyre and other ancient musical instruments at
lyreacademy.com/choose-your-next-course
🎬 Directed by Nikolaos Koumartzis
Filming took place at Oikia Karapanou, a beautiful 19th-century mansion at Aegina Island, near Athens.
🎙️ Who is Thanasis Kleopas, the Wandering Melodist?
Thanasis Kleopas is an ancient lyre and guitar player with many performances around the world, such as in Thailand, Japan, India, France, Italy, Germany, and Switzerland. He combines traditional music with the ancient lyre and tries to produce emotion-provoking music. He performed in the past in churches, schools with kids with special needs, museums, and even fashion shows such as Dolce & Gabbana summer show in Milan.
🎙️ Who is Theodore?
Theodore is the youngest brother of the Koumartzis family. Being part of the family's endeavor since its early stage, he soon came to be an inspiring top-notch lyre player, constantly learning and experimenting with musicians around the world.
He is the founder of the PAUSIS Project, a curator at the SEIKILO Museum of Ancient Music in Greece (Thessaloniki), and an integral part of LUTHIEROS Music Instruments.
🌱 Listen to Theodore's music at
youtube.com/watch?v=izlnCWJEjes&list=PLcMWkAbRJunFz_TO-e_kw2k3Z18T1TESr
🎙️ Who is Jordan Koumartzis?
Jordan Koumartzis is a well-known double bass player in Greece and a celebrated luthier with a recognized specialization in ancient musical instruments. As a musician, he has performed live in numerous concert halls, museums, and conventions around the world, such as in Hong Kong, Germany, Greece, et cetera.
He is the oldest brother of the Koumartzis family and a Senior Luthier at the renowned LUTHIEROS Workshop.
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Aristotle tells us that the first Oracle, Priestess at Delphi, bore the name Phēmonoē: She who speaks the mind of God. Now Chilōn, the Sage of Sparta, made a pilgrimage to ask her: "What is the most important thing for a human being to learn?" And Phēmonoē replied: ΓΝΩΘΙ ΣΕΑΥTΟΝ.
👀 Tune in for a New Episode at the beginning of each month!
🍿 A Brand New Mini-Series at youtube.com/playlist?list=PLcMWkAbRJunGbt4KutpeyjpuP8PkSI-vl
What do some of the greatest minds of the ancient world—such as Aristotle, Plato, and Diotima—have in common? What is the "Scale of Virtues," and how is it connected with the Oracle of Delphi?
In this brand new mini-series, we unlock the secrets of the ancient "Scale of Aretē" and the philosophy of self-transformation behind it. In 8 episodes, we will unlock all the seven steps needed to achieve self-transformation with the help of the ancient lyre and a true classical scholar, Dr. Michael Griffin, from the University of British Columbia.
🎞️ Episode 03: Know Thyself in Ēthos — The Habits of Our Character (step 2)
⚪ Research & Presentation by Prof. Michael Griffin, Head of the Ancient Mediterranean and Near Eastern Studies, Department of Philosophy, University of British Columbia
⚪ Direction by Nikolaos Koumartzi, D.Phil., SEIKILO Ancient World Society
⚪ Lyre Performance by Lina Palera, SEIKILO Affiliate Artist
🟠 Find the perfect lyre for you at luthieros.com
👩🎓 Learn how to play the lyre and other ancient musical instruments at
lyreacademy.com/choose-your-next-course
🎬 Episodes' List:
01: Know Thyself — Unlock the Delphic Maxim (Introduction)
02: Know Thyself in Physis, the Nature of Our Bodies
03: Know Thyself in Ethos, the Habits of Our Character
04: Know Thyself in Politea, the Harmonis of Our Soul
05: Know Thyself in Katharis, the Freedom of Our Mind
06: Know Thyself in Theoria, the Vision of Beauty
07: Know Thyself in Paradeigma, the Union with Our Gods
08: Know Thyself in Enthousiasmos, the Inspiration of True Love
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📜 Video Transcription
Habit is easier to change than nature … and even habit is hard to change, precisely because it is a sort of nature, as Evenus says: ‘Mark me, my friend: it’s a long-continued training (meletēn), / And training in the end becomes people’s nature (physin)’. Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics 7.10, 1152a29-33
Socrates does not heal souls … by bringing opposites to bear on opposites, but rather by [applying medicines] that are like our condition now: if someone is madly in love, he says, ‘learn what it really means to love beauty’; if someone wants money, he says ‘learn what it really means to be self-sufficient’; if someone loves pleasure, he says, ‘learn what the easy life truly is, which the Poet Homer ascribes to our gods “who live at ease”.’ (Olympiodorus On Plato’s Alcibiades 7,4-8)
Every conscious being (logikos), taken together, is related to all the others like the limbs of a living whole… The thought in this will strike you more powerfully if you keep on repeating to yourself: I am a limb of the connected body of conscious beings. But if you change one letter from l to r and you call yourself merely a part [meros] rather than a limb [melos], you don’t yet truly love your fellow human beings from your heart… (Marcus Aurelius, Meditations 7.13)
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In total, fifteen poems by the Mesomedes of Crete, a well-known lyric poet and lyre player of the 2nd century CE, have survived to this day.
At least three were found with all the ancient musical notations preserved, specifically the hymns to Muse, Helios, and Nemesis.
In this video, Lina Palera performs on a LUTHIEROS ancient lyre, masterfully handcrafted in Greece by the Koumartzis family, the first part of the Hymn to Muse, starting with the phrase "Sing to Me, Muse."
👀 You can find this and several other ancient surviving melodies in the sheet music book Ancient Melodies, available at luthieros.com/product/9-ancient-melodies-that-survive-to-this-day-lyre-sheet-music
⚫ Find the perfect lyre for you at luthieros.com
🔵 Learn how to play the lyre and other ancient musical instruments at
lyreacademy.com/choose-your-next-course
🎬 Directed by Nikolaos Koumartzis
Filming took place at the open amphitheater of Europos village, Northern Greece. Europos is the birthplace of the Koumartzis family and is where the LUTHIEROS workshop is located.
🎙️ Who is Lina Palera?
Lina Palera is a world-renowned lyre player who has performed live at numerous concert halls, museums, international conferences, and cetera, such as the Greek Museum of Byzantine Culture and the Frankfurt Musikmesse.
She has an extensive discography as a guitar player and a vocalist. “Aurora” is her first music album dedicated solely to the ancient lyre and the emotions it can evoke.
She loves teaching adults and children how to play the ancient lyre, which is why she serves as the Head of Music Programs at LyreAcademy.com!
👍 Follow us on Facebook:
el-gr.facebook.com/seikilo
❤️ Follow us on Instagram:
instagram.com/luthieros/?hl=en
🔴 For more videos like this, subscribe to our channel:
youtube.com/seikilo?sub_confirmation=1
🟢 SEIKILO is on Spotify too! Follow us at open.spotify.com/artist/6BeEN6EDTHO3ezHBkN161X
youtube.com/seikilo?sub_confirmation=1
🟢 SEIKILO is on Spotify too! Follow us at open.spotify.com/artist/6BeEN6EDTHO3ezHBkN161X
"Gentle Asclepius, the craftsman of new health for weary limbs and banisher of pain, the godlike healer of all mortal sickness."
— Pindar, Pythian Ode, 5th century B.C.
Song title:
Íasis, the Healing Process
The origins of healing in Europe can be traced to the sanctuary of Asclepius, a hero, the son of Apollo, and the God of medicine in Greek mythology. In the sanctuaries (or temples) of Asclepius, music played a key role, along with the use of the lyre to soothe those who suffered.
These holy sites, with the sanctuary of Epidaurus in their center, date back to the 2nd millennium BC and were used for ceremonial medical practices. Additionally, in the 8th century BC, the Epidaurus sanctuary became associated with the cult of Apollo.
The healing music in this music album was composed using two fundamental blocks of ancient world music: the ancient lyre of Apollo and several ancient Greek modes.
⚫ Find the perfect lyre for you at luthieros.com
🔵 Learn how to play the lyre and other ancient musical instruments at
lyreacademy.com/choose-your-next-course
💡 Concept design & supervision by Nikolaos Koumartzis
🎙️ SEIKILO affiliate artists Evagoras Bekiaris (music production) & Lina Palera (ancient lyre) join forces to produce inspiring music based on the ancient Greek modes and inspired by the long-forgotten knowledge of the ancient Greeks to soothe the human soul (or psyche) and heal our bodies.
💡 Who is Nikolaos?
Nikolaos Koumartzis, Ph.D., is the visionary behind many cultural endeavors with international recognition, including LUTHIEROS Music Instruments and SEIKILO Music Channel.
He holds a Ph.D. in Journalism from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, an MSc in Publishing from the University of the Arts London, a Ma in Strategic Product Design from the International Hellenic University, and a Ba in Computer Science from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki.
He is the author of six personal books, co-author of dozens more, and the lead author of papers on the topic (among others) of ancient Greek musical instruments. As a natural consequence, in 2009, he co-founded a series of publishing houses in Greece (iWrite Publications, Pigi Publications, and Daidaleos Publications), where he served as the Art Director until 2019. Then, he decided to leave everything else behind and focus on the rebirth of the ancient lyre and its introduction to the modern worldwide music scene.
His thesis, titled "The Lyre 2.0 Project," was the spark that led to the creation of many related endeavors such as LUTHIEROS, SEIKILO Museum of Ancient Music, and SEIKILO Ancient World Music Channel.
In 2020 he founded the Lyre Academy, where he has served as its Director since. Among others, he focuses on gradually putting together a series of comprehensive educational tools for the rebirth of the ancient lyre.
Last, he travels worldwide as the lead filmmaker of the SEIKILO YouTube Channel, while he teaches design in the Department of Journalism at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in his spare time.
🎙️ Who is Lina Palera?
Lina Palera is a world-renowned lyre player with live performances at numerous concert halls, museums, international conferences, et cetera. such as the Greek Museum of Byzantine Culture and the Frankfurt Musikmesse.
She has an extensive discography as a guitar player and a vocalist. “Aurora” is her first music album dedicated solely to the ancient lyre and the emotions it can evoke.
She loves teaching adults and children how to play the ancient lyre, and this is why she co-founded and serves as the Head of Music Programs at LyreAcademy.com!
🎙️ Who is Evagoras?
Evagoras Bekiaris is the lead music producer for the SEIKILO Ancient World Music Channel on YouTube, a composer, and mixing engineer, based in Cyprus.
Among many, he has composed the music for the Virtual Reality documentary "The Green Line," which premiered at the 71st Festival de Cannes and has won several awards, such as LA Film Award, London Film Week Award, and the El Paso IMPACTFest award. What's more, he has composed music for the game "Raji: An Ancient Epic," which won the Taipei Game Awards, and nominated for Best Debut Indie Game at The Game Awards and SXSW awards.
Last, he is responsible for the sound design and mixing of several theatre and movie productions, along with music albums such as the debut album of "Pausis."
👍 Follow us on Facebook:
el-gr.facebook.com/seikilo
❤️ Follow us on Instagram:
instagram.com/luthieros/?hl=en
🔴 For more videos like this, subscribe to our channel:
youtube.com/seikilo?sub_confirmation=1
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Den Underbara Fiolen is an ancient Scandinavian ballad with hundreds of versions all over Europe (120+ in Sweden alone) and as far as India and China. The oldest version can be traced back to Egypt in the 10th century BCE, with its English version (The Twa Sisters) dating to 1656 CE.
The song recounts the tale of a girl drowned by her jealous sister, with a group of traveling musicians turning her body into a harp or a lyre. It is a cautionary tale of sadness, betrayal, and vengeance, a theme that has touched the hearts of many singers and poets throughout the centuries. Among them were Bob Dylan and Tom Waits (with songs titled "Two Sisters") along with Loreena McKennit with her "Bonny Swans".
In this video, the song is performed by Sheila Louis Wright on vocals, and Lina Palera on a LUTHIEROS ancient lyre, masterfully handcrafted in Greece by the Koumartzis family.
This collaboration is part of the LUTHIEROS R&D team's current research into medieval lyres, with the aid of Greek universities.
⚫ Find the perfect lyre for you at luthieros.com
🔵 Learn how to play the lyre and other ancient musical instruments at
lyreacademy.com/choose-your-next-course
🎬 Directed by Nikolaos Koumartzis
Filming took place at the beautiful and tranquil St. Helen's Anglican Church in Vancouver, Canada.
🎙️ Who is Lina Palera?
Lina Palera is a world-renowned lyre player with live performances at numerous concert halls, museums, international conferences, et cetera. such as the Greek Museum of Byzantine Culture and the Frankfurt Musikmesse.
She has an extensive discography as a guitar player and a vocalist. “Aurora” is her first music album dedicated solely to the ancient lyre and the emotions it can evoke.
She loves teaching adults and children how to play the ancient lyre, and this is why she co-founded and serves as the Head of Music Programs at LyreAcademy.com!
🎙️ Who is Sheila Louis Wright?
Sheila is a vocalist, musician, actor, and artist living in Abbotsford, BC, Canada. She is a Mezzo-Soprano (but often sings Alto), a voice student of Marlene Carr, and a member of “Belle Voce Acapella Ensemble” who primarily performs Baroque music, early polyphony, and plainsong, and also often performs with the Chilliwack Baroque Symphony, all under the direction of Paula DeWitt.
While voice is her main instrument, she plays a variety of medieval instruments such as the Saxon/Germanic Lyre, Kravik & Gunnar Lyre, Jouhikko, Folk Harp, Rebec, Bowed Psaltery, Recorders, Hornpipe, Bodhran and other percussions, Penny Whistles, Flute, and also Bass Guitar and Piano.
Sheila became passionate about Scandinavian folk music after many years of exploring Celtic, Renaissance, and early polyphonic music as a general interest and as part of her involvement in the Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA). For the last 20 years, her passion has been in Scandinavian Medieval Balladry (as well as balladry of other regions of Europe).
Sheila is very excited and honored to be able to collaborate with the Seikilo & Luthieros for a small part of this project.
🔎 Find out more about her at www.Norse-Singer.com
🎧 And listen to her music at youtube.com/songstress73
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Aristotle tells us that the first Oracle, Priestess at Delphi, bore the name Phēmonoē: She who speaks the mind of God. Now Chilōn, the Sage of Sparta, made a pilgrimage to ask her: "What is the most important thing for a human being to learn?" And Phēmonoē replied: ΓΝΩΘΙ ΣΕΑΥTΟΝ.
👀 Tune in for a New Episode at the beginning of each month!
🍿 A Brand New Mini-Series at youtube.com/playlist?list=PLcMWkAbRJunGbt4KutpeyjpuP8PkSI-vl
What do some of the greatest minds of the ancient world—such as Aristotle, Plato, and Diotima—have in common? What is the "Scale of Virtues," and how is it connected with the Oracle of Delphi?
In this brand new mini-series, we unlock the secrets of the ancient "Scale of Aretē" and the philosophy of self-transformation behind it. In 8 episodes, we will unlock all the seven steps needed to achieve self-transformation with the help of the ancient lyre and a true classical scholar, Dr. Michael Griffin, from the University of British Columbia.
🎞️ Episode 02: Know Thyself in Physis — The Nature of Our Bodies (step 1)
⚪ Research & Presentation by Prof. Michael Griffin, Head of the Ancient Mediterranean and Near Eastern Studies, Department of Philosophy, University of British Columbia
⚪ Direction by Nikolaos Koumartzi, D.Phil., SEIKILO Ancient World Society
⚪ Lyre Performance by Lina Palera, SEIKILO Affiliate Artist
🟠 Find the perfect lyre for you at luthieros.com
👩🎓 Learn how to play the lyre and other ancient musical instruments at
lyreacademy.com/choose-your-next-course
🎬 Episodes' List:
01: Know Thyself — Unlock the Delphic Maxim (Introduction)
02: Know Thyself in Physis, the Nature of Our Bodies
03: Know Thyself in Ethos, the Habits of Our Character
04: Know Thyself in Politea, the Harmonis of Our Soul
05: Know Thyself in Katharis, the Freedom of Our Mind
06: Know Thyself in Theoria, the Vision of Beauty
07: Know Thyself in Paradeigma, the Union with Our Gods
08: Know Thyself in Enthousiasmos, the Inspiration of True Love
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📜 Video Transcription
Human goodness (aretē) soars upward like a tree fed on fresh dews,
lifted among the wise and just toward the liquid upper air.
(Pindar, Nemean Ode 8, 36-43)
A human being enjoys the truest health when all the elements stand in their due proportion to one another… when they are perfectly mingled. (IV)... The healer must set themselves against the established character of diseases, of constitutions, of seasons and of ages; they must relax what is tense and make tense what is relaxed. (IX) (Hippocratic On the Nature of Man)
Let every soul, then, first realize this: that she made all living beings herself, breathing life into them, those that the earth feeds and those that are nourished by the sea, and the divine stars in the sky; she made the sun itself, and this great heaven, and drives it round herself… Let her behold the great soul, since she herself is another soul, no small one, who has become worthy to witness by being freed from deceit and the troubles that have beguiled the other souls, and is established in tranquility. Let only her encompassing body and the body’s raging sea be quiet, and the sea and air quiet, and the heaven itself at peace. Into this heaven at rest, let her imagine psychē as if flowing in from outside, pouring in and entering it everywhere an illuminating it: as the rays of the sun light up a dark cloud, and make it shine and give it a golden look, so psychē flowing into the body of heaven gives it life and gives it immortality and awaken what lies at rest. (Plotinus, Enneads 5.1.2)
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Experience true cinematic music deeply inspired by the ancient world with the ancient lyre at its center, beautifully framed by outstanding female vocalists and soundscapes straight out of the greatest ancient civilizations of the Meditteranean sea.
In this song, titled Belenus, Theodore Koumartzis plays on a LUTHIEROS Lyre of Orpheus, masterfully handcrafted in Greece, with Marios Podaras on the violin, Eljona Eleni Sinjari on vocals, and Manos Stratis on the piano. Evagoras Bekiaris is behind this majestic music production, while Nikolaos Koumartzis, D.Phil., has the Art Direction of the whole project.
PAUSIS Debut Album Release
_In the silence, the universe answers
© Original compositions by Theodoros Koumartzis
🙏 Supported by LUTHIEROS Musical Instruments & SEIKILO Ancient World Music Channel
⚫ Find the perfect lyre for you at luthieros.com
🔵 Learn how to play the lyre and other ancient musical instruments at
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🎙️ About PAUSIS
PAUSIS is a music collective featuring ancient and modern musical instruments performing original compositions inspired by our share ancient world music heritage.
The band features the ancient lyre as its main instrument, masterfully framed by outstanding female vocalists and soundscapes straight out of the greatest ancient civilizations of the Meditteranean sea. Formed in 2017, PAUSIS performed live at prominent music festivals in Greece and abroad, releasing its debut album (titled Pausis) in 2022.
Through cinematic improvisational arrangements, their music narrates journeys into the audience’s inner-self, with a distinctive scent of ancient myths and wisdom. They call their music “a secret form of communication,” i.e., a parallel and unobserved form of expression behind the obvious. Pausis is the unseen point at which all obvious forms of communication (dialogue, sounds, gestures, writing) converge to express something higher than their sum.
PAUSIS’s music is a meeting point of Ancient World Music with contemporary Fusion and a cinematic narrative mood with original compositions by its members.
🎨 About the Artwork
The artwork featured in this video was created with MidJourney, a generative artificial intelligence that creates art from natural language descriptions called "prompts." Nikolaos Koumartzis, D.Phil., our lead filmmaker, guided Midjourney to create cinematic moments of solo travelers discovering ancient world ruins while listening to music.
All the paintings in this series are inspired by actual ancient civilizations such as ancient Greece, Rome, and India. Different ancient world civilizations were chosen as a source of inspiration based on the theme of each song, the underlying feeling, or the musical instruments that participated in each recording.
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Did you know that by using all the fingers of your hand, you can make your lyre playing way more impressive? These simple techniques will change your mindset and unlock an extensive repertoire of ancient and modern melodies for you!
For the Greeks, there was no education without the lyre, and even great heroes like Achilles and Alexander the Great had to master it. Great Socrates also became a lyre student in his later years to complete his education.
In this series, we learn step-by-step simple and advanced lyre-playing techniques, exactly as taught to lyre students from all over the world at LyreAcademy.com! This lesson, titled Play Like a Pro, is part of the premium course 101 and is offered here for free exclusively for the SEIKILO channel's audience!
🧐 Discover Lyre Course 101 at lyreacademy.com/down-to-the-basics-lyre-101
🚀 Or get 20%, 35%, or 50% off the regular price by enrolling in the Beginner Semester, 1st Year of Studies, or the Full Academy bundle.
⚡ Find everything you need at lyreacademy.com
⬇ Download the lesson's handout at: lyreacademy.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/101-lesson4.pdf
⚪ Looking for the perfect lyre? Take a look at luthieros.com
Chapters:
0:00 Intro
0:56 The Lesson
6:41 Outro
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Oleander is a beautiful but equally dangerous flower.
Few of its leaves are enough to lead to death.
This is the story of a youth's death. Upon witnessing his beloved marrying another, he lays down beneath the oleander blossom for his final sleep. Everything the song narrates is seen through a death dream.
"Oleander's Blossom" is a folk song originating from the Epirus region in Greece. It is performed by Athena Katsanevaki and Eleni Eljona Sinjari on vocals, along with Theodore Koumartzis on a Lyre of Olympus, masterfully handcrafted in Greece by the LUTHIEROS family.
⚫ Find the perfect lyre for you at luthieros.com
🔵 Learn how to play the lyre and other ancient musical instruments at
lyreacademy.com/choose-your-next-course
📽️ Directed by Nikolaos Koumartzis.
The video shooting took place in the SEIKILO Museum of Ancient Music, Thessaloniki (Greece).
🎙️ About Athena Katsanevaki
Athena Katsanevaki has studied Musicology, Byzantine Music, and Violin, with a Ph.D. in Historical Ethnomusicology. Since 1990, she has repeatedly conducted intensive fieldwork in more than 200 little communities in the area of Northwestern Greece and abroad, among Greek speakers and bilingual or other language ethnic groups.
She has been involved with traditional singing and performance regarding the collaboration of the voice with the vocal techniques found in the traditional singing in different areas in Greece in a way that doesn’t abuse the contemporary personality of the singer but embodies traditional music through voice. She founded the vocal lab “Echo.” She has also collaborated with composers of contemporary European music, trying to find ways to embody traditional vocal styles in contemporary societies.
She has lectured for many years at the University of Macedonia and the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, both in Greece. The Academy of Athens has praised her research and fieldwork, and her work was presented at various international conferences. She is affiliated with MOISA (The International Society for the Study of Greek and Roman Music and its Cultural Heritage).
🎙️ About Eleni Eljona Sinjari
Eljona – Eleni Sinjari is a versatile artist with studies on piano and vocals. With participation in many festivals, recordings and activities from classical music orchestras and chamber music ensembles (as pianist), book presentations (as composer and singer), children & mixed choirs (as conductor, accompanist, and choral arranger), vocal ensembles (as a vocalist and acapella arranger), theatrical performance (as actor and singer) as well as large jazz and rock's scenes (as singer and keyboard player).
She collaborates with the Contemporary Conservatory of Music in Thessaloniki, the University of Macedonia in Thessaloniki, and the Municipal Conservatory of Kalamaria, where she teaches piano, choir lessons, acapella groups, and chamber music.
🎙️ About Theodore Koumartzis
Theodore is the youngest brother of the Koumartzis family. Being part of the family's endeavor since its early stage, he soon came to be an inspiring top-notch lyre player, constantly learning and experimenting with musicians around the world.
He is the founder of the PAUSIS Project, a curator at the SEIKILO Museum of Ancient Music in Greece (Thessaloniki), and an integral part of LUTHIEROS Music Instruments.
🌱 Listen to Theodore's music at youtube.com/watch?v=izlnCWJEjes&list=PLcMWkAbRJunFz_TO-e_kw2k3Z18T1TESr
🇬🇧 Lyrics in English
In the oleander blossom,
I lay myself down to sleep.
A quick rest to take,
and I had a great dream.
My love is getting married.
She's holding it against me,
and takes my enemy,
for my stubbornness.
And to their joy, they invite me,
hold on, my poor heart,
and they ask me to marry them,
to join two little bodies together.
I bought them gold wedding rings,
hold on, my poor heart,
and silver candles I brought,
there is no trust.
🇬🇷 Original Lyrics in Greek
Original title "Στης Πικροδάφνης τον Ανθό" (eng. "Oleander's Blossom")
Στης πικροδάφνης τον ανθό
έγειρα ν’ αποκοιμηθώ,
λίγο ύπνο για να πάρω,
είδα όνειρο μεγάλο.
Παντρεύεται η αγάπη μου,
το κάνει για γινάτι μου
και παίρνει τον εχθρό μου,
για το πείσμα το δικό μου.
Με κάλεσαν και στη χαρά,
βάστα καημένη μου καρδιά,
άιντε για να πάω να στεφανώσω,
δυο κορμάκια να ενώσω.
Βάζω τα στέφανα χρυσά,
βάστα καημένη μου καρδιά,
και λαμπάδες απ’ ασήμι,
δεν υπάρχει εμπιστοσύνη.
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Watch the Full Video at youtu.be/JzKJNzL4eTI
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Ancient World Music is a genre that expands swiftly with new musicians from all over the globe, and SEIKILO Channel is committed to supporting and introducing them to the world!
⚫ Find the perfect lyre for you at luthieros.com
🔵 Learn how to play the lyre and other ancient musical instruments at
lyreacademy.com/choose-your-next-course
🎙️ Who is Rui Fu?
Rui Fu is a singer-songwriter who specializes in improvisational and impressionistic interpretation of Chinese ethnic musical traditions and modernist portrayals of ancient Taoist meditative music.
Visit ruifu.co
🎙️ Who is Theodore?
Theodore is the youngest brother of the Koumartzis family. Being part of the family's endeavor since its early stage, he soon became an inspiring virtuoso lyre player, constantly learning and experimenting with musicians worldwide.
He is the founder of the PAUSIS Project, a curator at the SEIKILO Museum of Ancient Music in Greece (Thessaloniki), and an integral part of the LUTHIEROS Musical Instruments.
🎙️ Who is Nikos?
Nikos Varelas is a master percussionist with extensive studies in various techniques and types of frame drums.
He is an alumnus of the Music Science and Art Department of the University of Macedonia (Greece) and an Erasmus alumnus of the Turkish Music State Conservatory (Istanbul Technical University).
He fine-tuned his art with the guidance of world-renowned percussionists, including Dimitris Barbas, Kostas Anastasiadis, Zohar Fresco, Misirli Ahmet, and others.
He currently lives in Thessaloniki but travels all over Greece and abroad to share his passion for percussions as part of various bands from completely different music genres.
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Aristotle tells us that the first Oracle, Priestess at Delphi, bore the name Phēmonoē: She who speaks the mind of God. Now Chilōn, the Sage of Sparta, made a pilgrimage to ask her: "What is the most important thing for a human being to learn?" And Phēmonoē replied: ΓΝΩΘΙ ΣΕΑΥTΟΝ.
👀 Tune in for a New Episode at the beginning of each month!
🍿 A Brand New Mini-Series at youtube.com/playlist?list=PLcMWkAbRJunGbt4KutpeyjpuP8PkSI-vl
What do some of the greatest minds of the ancient world—such as Aristotle, Plato, and Diotima—have in common? What is the "Scale of Virtues," and how is it connected with the Oracle of Delphi?
In this brand new mini-series, we unlock the secrets of the ancient "Scale of Aretē" and the philosophy of self-transformation behind it. In 8 episodes, we will unlock all the seven steps needed to achieve self-transformation with the help of the ancient lyre and a true classical scholar, Dr. Michael Griffin, from the University of British Columbia.
🎞️ Episode 01 (Introduction): Know Thyself — Unlock the Delphic Maxim
⚪ Research & Presentation by Prof. Michael Griffin, Head of the Ancient Mediterranean and Near Eastern Studies, Department of Philosophy, University of British Columbia
⚪ Direction by Nikolaos Koumartzi, D.Phil., SEIKILO Ancient World Society.
⚪ Lyre Performance by Lina Palera, SEIKILO Affiliate Artist.
🟠 Find the perfect lyre for you at luthieros.com
👩🎓 Learn how to play the lyre and other ancient musical instruments at
lyreacademy.com/choose-your-next-course
🎬 Episodes' List:
01: Know Thyself — Unlock the Delphic Maxim (Introduction)
02: Know Thyself in Physis, the Nature of Our Bodies
03: Know Thyself in Ethos, the Habits of Our Character
04: Know Thyself in Politea, the Harmonis of Our Soul
05: Know Thyself in Katharis, the Freedom of Our Mind
06: Know Thyself in Theoria, the Vision of Beauty
07: Know Thyself in Paradeigma, the Union with Our Gods
08: Know Thyself in Enthousiasmos, the Inspiration of True Love
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📜 Video Transcription
Aristotle and Clearchus tell us that the first Oracle, Priestess at Delphi, bore the name Phēmonoē: She who speaks the mind of God. Now Chilōn, the sage of Sparta, made a pilgrimage to ask her: ‘what is the most important thing for a human being to learn’? And Phemonoe replied: ΓΝΩΘΙ ΣΕΑΥTΟΝ
Centuries later, the disciples of Plato understood the Oracle’s answer in seven ways, as rungs on the ladder of human goodness, the ‘scale of aretē’. Like rising notes on a musical scale:
You can know yourself by understanding what’s outside of you; or by understanding your natural body, and your habitual character [from Phaedo commentary]; or better yet, by knowing the community inside of you, for you are many, bringing harmony to your reason, emotion, desire; and you may know yourself in the act of cleansing (kathartikōs), in release from suffering and distraction; or you may know yourself in a vision (theōrētikōs), seeing yourself set free (heauton… theasêtai); or you may know yourself in eternity and divinity, according to your archetype, your true pattern; and you may know yourself in ecstasy, in individuality and unity: then, in love with your true god (oikeios theos), you act from inspiration (enthousiāi). (Olympiodorus On Alcibiades 172,5-12, supplemented from the Phaedo).
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"Gentle Asclepius, the craftsman of new health for weary limbs and banisher of pain, the godlike healer of all mortal sickness."
— Pindar, Pythian Ode, 5th century B.C.
The origins of healing in Europe can be traced to the sanctuary of Asclepius, a hero, the son of Apollo, and the God of medicine in Greek mythology. In Asclepius's sanctuaries (or temples), music played a key role, along with the use of the lyre to soothe those who suffered.
These holy sites, with the sanctuary of Epidaurus in their center, date back to the 2nd millennium BC and were used for ceremonial medical practices. Additionally, in the 8th century BC, the Epidaurus sanctuary became associated with the cult of Apollo.
The healing music in this music album was composed using two fundamental blocks of ancient world music: the ancient lyre of Apollo and several ancient Greek modes.
💿 Order the music album at luthieros.com/product/healing-music-with-the-lyre-_iasis
⚡ Check out all the music albums by SEIKILO: luthieros.com/music-albums
⚫ Find the perfect lyre for you at luthieros.com
🔵 Learn how to play the lyre and other ancient musical instruments at
lyreacademy.com/choose-your-next-course
💡 Concept design & supervision by Nikolaos Koumartzis
🎙️ SEIKILO affiliate artists Evagoras Bekiaris (music production) & Lina Palera (ancient lyre) join forces to produce inspiring music based on the ancient Greek modes and inspired by the long-forgotten knowledge of the ancient Greeks to soothe the human soul (or psyche) and heal our bodies.
💡 Who is Nikolaos?
Nikolaos Koumartzis, D.Phil., is the visionary behind many cultural endeavors with international recognition, including LUTHIEROS Music Instruments and SEIKILO Music Channel.
He holds a D.Phil. in Journalism from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, an MSc in Publishing from the University of the Arts London, a Ma in Strategic Product Design from the International Hellenic University, and a Ba in Computer Science from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki.
He is the author of six personal books, co-author of dozens more, and the lead author of papers on the topic (among others) of ancient Greek musical instruments. As a natural consequence, in 2009, he co-founded a series of publishing houses in Greece (iWrite Publications, Pigi Publications, and Daidaleos Publications), where he served as the Art Director until 2019. Then, he decided to leave everything else behind and focus on the rebirth of the ancient lyre and its introduction to the modern worldwide music scene.
His thesis, titled "The Lyre 2.0 Project," was the spark that led to the creation of many related endeavors such as LUTHIEROS, SEIKILO Museum of Ancient Music, and SEIKILO Ancient World Music Channel.
In 2020 he founded the Lyre Academy, where he has served as its Director since. Among others, he focuses on gradually putting together a series of comprehensive educational tools for the rebirth of the ancient lyre.
Last, he travels worldwide as the lead filmmaker of the SEIKILO YouTube Channel, while he teaches design in the Department of Journalism at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in his spare time.
🎙️ Who is Lina Palera?
Lina Palera is a world-renowned lyre player with live performances at numerous concert halls, museums, international conferences, et cetera. such as the Greek Museum of Byzantine Culture and the Frankfurt Musikmesse.
She has an extensive discography as a guitar player and a vocalist. “Aurora” is her first music album dedicated solely to the ancient lyre and the emotions it can evoke.
She loves teaching adults and children how to play the ancient lyre, and this is why she co-founded and serves as the Head of Music Programs at LyreAcademy.com!
🎙️ Who is Evagoras?
Evagoras Bekiaris is the lead music producer for the SEIKILO Ancient World Music Channel on YouTube, a composer, and mixing engineer, based in Cyprus.
Among many, he has composed the music for the Virtual Reality documentary "The Green Line," which premiered at the 71st Festival de Cannes and has won several awards, such as LA Film Award, London Film Week Award, and the El Paso IMPACTFest award. What's more, he has composed music for the game "Raji: An Ancient Epic," which won the Taipei Game Awards, and nominated for Best Debut Indie Game at The Game Awards and SXSW awards.
Last, he is responsible for the sound design and mixing of several theatre and movie productions, along with music albums such as the debut album of "Pausis."
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"I sail with you on the ocean of my dreams to a far away distant place of great beauty and tranquility." ― Rumi
On their path to spiritual enlightenment, Sufis often relied on dreams to cast light on their minds' shadows.
"Sufi's Dream" is dedicated to these secret teachings of the Sufism tradition, in which devotional music was considered an integral part.
The melody is performed here by Thanasis Kleopas (the Wandering Melodist) and Theodore Koumartzis on two ancient lyres, masterfully handcrafted in Greece by the LUTHIEROS family.
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🎬 Directed by Nikolaos Koumartzis
Filming took place at Oikia Karapanou, a beautiful 19th-century mansion at Aegina Island, near Athens.
🎙️ Who is Thanasis Kleopas, the Wandering Melodist?
Thanasis Kleopas is an ancient lyre and guitar player with many performances around the world, such as in Thailand, Japan, India, France, Italy, Germany, and Switzerland. He combines traditional music with the ancient lyre and tries to produce emotion-provoking music. He performed in the past in churches, schools with kids with special needs, museums, and even fashion shows such as Dolce & Gabbana summer show in Milan.
🎙️ Who is Theodore?
Theodore is the youngest brother of the Koumartzis family. Being part of the family's endeavor since its early stage, he soon came to be an inspiring top-notch lyre player, constantly learning and experimenting with musicians around the world.
He is the founder of the PAUSIS Project, a curator at the SEIKILO Museum of Ancient Music in Greece (Thessaloniki), and an integral part of LUTHIEROS Music Instruments.
🌱 Listen to Theodore's music at youtube.com/watch?v=izlnCWJEjes&list=PLcMWkAbRJunFz_TO-e_kw2k3Z18T1TESr
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Experience true cinematic music deeply inspired by the ancient world with the ancient lyre at its center, beautifully framed by outstanding female vocalists and soundscapes straight out of the greatest ancient civilizations of the Meditteranean sea.
In this song, titled Boundaries, Theodore Koumartzis plays on a LUTHIEROS Lyre of Orpheus, masterfully handcrafted in Greece, with Sokrates Votskos on the Armenian duduk. Evagoras Bekiaris is behind this majestic music production, while Nikolaos Koumartzis, D.Phil., has the Art Direction of the whole project.
PAUSIS Debut Album Release
_In the silence, the universe answers
© Original compositions by Theodoros Koumartzis
🙏 Supported by LUTHIEROS Musical Instruments & SEIKILO Ancient World Music Channel
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🎙️ About PAUSIS
PAUSIS is a music collective featuring ancient and modern musical instruments performing original compositions inspired by our share ancient world music heritage.
The band features the ancient lyre as its main instrument, masterfully framed by outstanding female vocalists and soundscapes straight out of the greatest ancient civilizations of the Meditteranean sea. Formed in 2017, PAUSIS performed live at prominent music festivals in Greece and abroad, releasing its debut album (titled Pausis) in 2022.
Through cinematic improvisational arrangements, their music narrates journeys into the audience’s inner-self, with a distinctive scent of ancient myths and wisdom. They call their music “a secret form of communication,” i.e., a parallel and unobserved form of expression behind the obvious. Pausis is the unseen point at which all obvious forms of communication (dialogue, sounds, gestures, writing) converge to express something higher than their sum.
PAUSIS’s music is a meeting point of Ancient World Music with contemporary Fusion and a cinematic narrative mood with original compositions by its members.
🎨 About the Artwork
The artwork featured in this video was created with MidJourney, a generative artificial intelligence that creates art from natural language descriptions called "prompts." Nikolaos Koumartzis, D.Phil., our lead filmmaker, guided Midjourney to create cinematic moments of solo travelers discovering ancient world ruins while listening to music.
All the paintings in this series are inspired by actual ancient civilizations such as ancient Greece, Rome, and India. Different ancient world civilizations were chosen as a source of inspiration based on the theme of each song, the underlying feeling, or the musical instruments that participated in each recording.
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No matter if you are a complete beginner or a virtuoso lyre player, here are 10 ways to play with your lyre and elevate your playing to the next level! You can learn all of them by becoming a lyre student at the LyreAcademy.com!
Let's quickly introduce ourselves to:
1. Plucking
2. Isokratis
3. Two-hands playing (or Double Plucking)
4. Chords
5. Muting Chords
6. Harmonics
7. Hroes
8. Sharp-pressing technique
9. Tremolo
10. Polyphony
⚫ Find the perfect lyre for you at luthieros.com
🔵 Learn how to play the lyre and other ancient musical instruments at
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📽️ Directed by Nikolaos Koumartzis
🎙️ Presented by Lina Palera
Chapters:
0:00 Intro
0:37 Plucking
1:14 Introducing Telamonas
1:57 Isokratis
2:21 Two-hands playing (or Double Plucking)
2:45 Chords
3:01 Introducing Plectrum
4:21 Muting Chords
5:17 Harmonics
6:24 Hroes
7:10 Sharp-pressing technique
8:11 Tremolo
8:57 Polyphony
9:41 Outro
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🗒️ 🇬🇧 Transcript
So, we know what the ancient lyre looked like, what was the music theory behind its teaching, and how it was able to positively form the soul of an individual human and, therefore, gracefully form the collective soul of an entire society.
If we want, then, to introduce the lyre to our lives and gradually to our society, we have to find out how it was played too. Thanks to many ancient sources and modern interpretations from various virtuoso musicians around the world, here are 10 ways to play with your lyre.
What I have here, on my hands, is a 7strings lyre. The most common way of playing similar instruments, and something I see a lot on the web from beginner lyre players, is to hold the instrument with the left hand and play the notes with the right.
This is called plucking, and it is the easiest and more straightforward way of playing with your lyre.
Be aware, though! You must quickly move away from this, as staying there too much tends to make this limited way of playing... permanent! You have to move forward and add your left hand to your playing.
And to do that, you need this piece of cloth.
Thanks to many ancient depictions, we know that the Greeks were using such a cloth to secure the lyre in their laps and be able to play using both hands. That cloth has a cool name, too! The ancient Greeks used to call it "telamonas," which is the word that we use too.
So, by attaching telamonas to our left-hand wrist, we can now use both hands.
This way of playing is also called plucking, but we are using both hands.
But now, we can add more techniques to our playing.
Isokratis, for example, is now an option for us.
We use our left hand to play a specific note, giving us the rhythm, and then we play a melody with our right hand. Having left hand free to accompany us, we can play more elaborated things on our lyre.
This is called two-hands playing or double plucking, and it is a technique that we can practice to unlock the true potentials of our lyre gradually.
Having both hands free now, we can play chords using our fingers.
The sound already began to feel more "full" and powerful, don't you think?
It's time to introduce another thing that is constantly depicted in ancient Greek pottery: the so-called plectrum. Someone could say that it is like an ancient guitar pick, but the way it was constructed makes us use it differently.
As you can see, the most obvious reason to use a plectrum is to make the lyre sounds louder. So, it is a great technique to have when you perform for a big audience or in an open-air venue or amphitheater as the ancient Greeks used to call it.
But, it is not only about louder sounds. If you look closer, you will see that the plectrum has an edge that can be constructed of wood, horns, or bones. All these different materials can produce different sound qualities, different timbre.
What's more, a plectrum is ideal when you try to play with specific playing techniques, such as hroes that we will see in a while.
This sounds like regular chords, but they are not exactly the same, don't you think? This is another well-documented ancient technique that can be found in various Greek pottery depictions.
What we do here is to touch with our left hand the strings we want to mute, we want to silence them, and then pluck all the strings with our plectrum.
This technique is called muting chords, and it comes straight out of the ancient Greek musical heritage. The secret here is to use your plectrum, whenever you can, to produce the louder sound possible.
(continues)
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🎬 Watch the full video at
youtube.com/watch?v=f32DthMNCHE
Ancient World Music is a genre that expands (along with the ancient lyre) swiftly with new musicians from all over the globe, and SEIKILO Channel is committed to supporting and introducing them to the world!
⚫ Find the perfect lyre for you at luthieros.com
🔵 Learn how to play the lyre and other ancient musical instruments at
lyreacademy.com/choose-your-next-course
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