Ilias Zoutsos Reinventing Tradition - Λyrα | Satie Gymnopedies no. 3 for Lyra and piano

Ilias Zoutsos Reinventing Tradition - A creative musical approach
 
Λyrα: The journey - From ancient times to today's reinvention of lyra as a modern global instrument
 
The traditions of Crete, Greece and Eastern Mediterranean converse with music traditions of the World, Classical music and contemporary creation.
 
 
Ilias Zoutsos, originating from Crete, is a remarkable creator and performer. A virtuoso on the Cretan lyra, a soloist on the classical violin, as well as a Doctor of Music Studies at the School of Philosophy of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, he is a case of an international and charismatic artist beyond the usual categories. Always authentic, drawing upon his experience and knowledge, with his path opens up new ways in music.
Reinventing tradition he innovates once more and presents the creative musical proposal: “Λyrα”. It is about a journey at which the primordial sound of lyra meets the contemporary world. Starting from its natural context -the traditions of Crete, the rest of Greece and the wider Eastern Mediterranean region- lyra becomes a universal instrument that converses with the musical traditions that span the globe, with a major milestone the classical music, as well as the contemporary creation.
 
The lyra, as we know it today (a pear-shaped instrument with a bow) holds great significance in the evolution of stringed instruments and music, with a history that exceeds over a thousand years. With characteristic records and depictions dating back to the 9th and 10th century, it constitutes a popular musical instrument in Byzantium and precursor to many European bowed instruments. Today, it still survives in the musical traditions of Crete, the Dodecanese, Constantinople and Thrace but also in the wider area (Mediterranean-Balkans).
 
Within the years, Ilias Zoutsos, with the background in classical music and violin studies, and by studying the repertoire and characteristics of those different variants of lyra, shaped a mixed style of interpretation on the Cretan lyra that condences techniques from all these versions of lyra, as well as from other bowed instruments of central Europe that have as centerpiece the violin and its wider family (viola da gamba, e.t.c).
 
As a natural consequence, this innovative approach and the new ways of interpretation introduced by Ilias Zoutsos generate new expressive possibilities for the lyra, leading to an exceptionally broadening of its repertoire (World music traditions, Classical music, contemporary creation) and finally to its reinventing as a global musical instrument. This is the core of the proposal embodied by the very word of the title: “Λyrα”.
 
This special condition is complemented by the equally pioneering and rare combination of the lyra with the piano, which besides from being uniquely and highly intriguing in terms of tonal color, it significantly contributes to the successful temperamenting of different musical cultures.
 
YouTube: https://youtu.be/WBwNYPOgMkg
 
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/4cPk0iC
 
 
Gymnopedies no. 3 for Lyra and piano
 
 
Music: Erik Satie
Arrangement for Cretan lyra and piano: Ilias Zoutsos
 
 
Lyra soloist: Ilias Zoutsos
 
Piano: Spiros Loukos
Recording, Mix, Mastering: Yiannis Paxevanis
Cover art: George Hatzakis
 
Production: Ilias Zoutsos
Artistic Direction: Ilias Zoutsos
 
 
iTunes/Apple Music: https://apple.co/4brbFR9
 
Deezer: https://bit.ly/4aiyu8U