2016
Info
YOUTH CHOIR of EDESSA: The choir was founded in October 1996 by Giannis Gouranis. In the 20 years of continuous operation it has made more than 120 appearances in festivals in Greece and abroad, as well as collaborations with Symphony orchestras and renowned soloists. The high level of the voices and the extensive and versatile repertoire available (four centuries of Greek and world musical creation and first takes of works by Greek composers) rank the choir among the standout choral ensembles that promote the choral art.
Giannis Gouranis, choir director, he studied Physics at AUTH and composition under Christos Samaras at the New Conservatory of Thessaloniki (1999, Diploma with Distinction and First Prize). He has served for many years as artistic director of the Municipal Conservatory & Spring Festival of Edessa Municipality and assistant of Mary Konstantinidou in the “North College” choir. During the last 25 years he has developed intense educational work as professor of music theory at the New Conservatory of Thessaloniki and the Municipal Conservatory of Edessa, while these last three years he is the Artistic Director of the New Conservatory of Edessa.
Lenka Peskou began her first piano lessons at 6 years of age. She continued her studies in music, piano and higher musical theory and received her Diploma in Piano and Composition with Honors. She has written many music books for children and recorded and produced many children and Christmas songs.
Katerina Kaifa was born in 2001 and is a student at the Junior High Music School of Thessaloniki, Greece. She studies piano and music theory in the Conservatory of Northern Greece. She also takes MUSICAL lessons in P.M.T.P TEEN`S STUDIO by Sia Koskina and she is a member of the “Friends of Music Association” Children’s Choir. In 2014, Katerina took part in the TV show “The Music School” on Mega Channel where she was the winner. In 2015, she released her first cd album, titled “Snowflake girl”, where she sung well-known and new Christmas songs.
The “Carols” is a custom in which children go on Christmas Eve, New Year’s Eve and Epiphany Eve from house to house and sing, depending on the day, a corresponding traditional song, accompanying it with triangles, guitars, melodicas, lyres or harmonicas. Knocking on doors and asking: “Shall we sing them?” And if the answer is positive then they sing carols for a few minutes ending with the wish “See you next year!” The landlord then rewards them with a small amount of money or with traditional sweets. With the passage of time and in various places of Greece many different and variant carols emerged, which are of great interest. Lenka Peskou, with the encouragement of FM Records and the support of Aegean Airlines, decided to investigate, record, transcribe for choirs, orchestrate and record this unique material of 50 different carols, often making adaptations or additions and subtractions, delivering the carols documented in sheet music and sound recordings, throwing thus new light on this constantly evolving traditional wealth.