Matthaios Tsahouridis
Encyclopedia
Matthaios Tsahouridis (b. 18 Sep 1978 ) is a Greek
musician who plays a range of stringed musical instruments. He was born in Veria
, Greece, and at the age of 9 made his mark as a perceptive performer and a sensitive interpreter of music. The Pontic lyra is the instrument which expresses his deep felt devotion and respect for the music he loves and serves. Matthaios is sometimes also referred to as Makos or simply Makoulis.
Matthaios has shown a great interest in the stringed family of musical instruments; he plays instruments such as the violin
, laghouto
(Greek lute), oud
, the Greek bouzouki
, guitar
, the Persian kamancheh
, the Afghan rubab, as well as the Afghan and the Uzbek ghichaks. Having participated in many music concerts and recordings, Matthaios has managed to put forward a personal statement over the musical tradition he embraces and to which he has devoted his life.
, University of London. In 2003 he was awarded a scholarship by the 'Michael Marks Charitable Trust' for his Doctoral research in the field of Performance Practice. From December 2007, Matthaios holds a PhD in Performance Practice from Goldsmiths University of London (titled: 'The Pontic lyra in contemporary Greece'), the first PhD in the U.K. referring to the performance of non-western music cultures.
(Megaron Mousikis) in 1996. In 1997, he was awarded a scholarship by His Eminence Mr Panteleimon and Iera Mitropolis Verias, in order to continue his music studies in London.
In January 2005, Matthaios won the Arts Foundation Fellowship Award 2005 of Britain, as the best UK based instrumentalist, working in a non-western musical tradition. He has also performed the Pontic lyra at WOMAD music festival in Reading (England 2001 and 2005), WOMEX music festival in Rotterdam (Holland 2001), Roskilder Rock festival (Denmark 2002), in Teatro Massimo for UNESCO (Palermo Opera House, Italy 2002), at the Royal Albert Hall
(in a Charity concert for the children of Afghanistan, London 2002) and at the Purcell Room in London's Southbank Arts Centre. He performed the Pontic lyra for BBC Radio 3
, as well as in many other BBC radio programmes. In August 2004, he performed the main music theme of the BBC for the Olympic Games of Athens
with the opera band Amici and Prague Symphony Orchestra
. He has also collaborated with Ostad Ardeshir Kamkar
on the Persian kamancheh
in Tehran
(August 2004). In May 2005, he performed at Herodus Atticus Theatre in Acropolis, Athens, accompanied by ERT Contemporary Music Orchestra in the opening ceremony of the Athens Festival and in June 2005 he performed the Oratorio ‘Kosmas o Aitolos' (by Mimis Plessas) in Veria, Greece. In 2006, Matthaios was the co-artistic director of the opening ceremony for the International Byzantine Congress of London with Lady Marina Marks as Chairman and Prince Charles as patron. In March 2007 he performs at the London Porchester Hall (Bayswater) with Cat Stevens
(Yusuf Islam).
Greeks
The Greeks, also known as the Hellenes , are a nation and ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighboring regions. They also form a significant diaspora, with Greek communities established around the world....
musician who plays a range of stringed musical instruments. He was born in Veria
Veria
Veria is a city built at the foot of Vermion Mountains in Greece. It is a commercial center of Macedonia, the capital of the prefecture of Imathia, the province of Imathia and the seat of a bishop of the Greek Orthodox Church...
, Greece, and at the age of 9 made his mark as a perceptive performer and a sensitive interpreter of music. The Pontic lyra is the instrument which expresses his deep felt devotion and respect for the music he loves and serves. Matthaios is sometimes also referred to as Makos or simply Makoulis.
Matthaios has shown a great interest in the stringed family of musical instruments; he plays instruments such as the violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
, laghouto
Laouto
The laouto is a long-neck fretted instrument of the lute family, found in Greece, and similar in appearance to the oud. It is played in most respects like the oud .- Construction :...
(Greek lute), oud
Oud
The oud is a pear-shaped stringed instrument commonly used in North African and Middle Eastern music. The modern oud and the European lute both descend from a common ancestor via diverging paths...
, the Greek bouzouki
Bouzouki
The bouzouki , is a musical instrument with Greek origin in the lute family. A mainstay of modern Greek music, the front of the body is flat and is usually heavily inlaid with mother-of-pearl. The instrument is played with a plectrum and has a sharp metallic sound, reminiscent of a mandolin but...
, guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, the Persian kamancheh
Kamancheh
The kamānche or kamāncha is a Persian bowed string instrument related to the bowed rebab, the historical ancestor of the kamancheh and also to the bowed lira of the Byzantine Empire, ancestor of the European violin family. The strings are played with a variable-tension bow: the word "kamancheh"...
, the Afghan rubab, as well as the Afghan and the Uzbek ghichaks. Having participated in many music concerts and recordings, Matthaios has managed to put forward a personal statement over the musical tradition he embraces and to which he has devoted his life.
Education
By the year 2001, Matthaios had completed his Bachelor Degree in Music Studies and his Masters in Ethnomusicology at Goldsmiths CollegeGoldsmiths College
Goldsmiths, University of London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom which specialises in the arts, humanities and social sciences, and a constituent college of the federal University of London. It was founded in 1891 as Goldsmiths' Technical and Recreative Institute...
, University of London. In 2003 he was awarded a scholarship by the 'Michael Marks Charitable Trust' for his Doctoral research in the field of Performance Practice. From December 2007, Matthaios holds a PhD in Performance Practice from Goldsmiths University of London (titled: 'The Pontic lyra in contemporary Greece'), the first PhD in the U.K. referring to the performance of non-western music cultures.
Achievements
His original temperament and his amazing dexterity in playing the traditional instruments have been widely praised, culminating in his winning the First Prize in a Pan-Hellenic Music Competition, organized by the Greek Ministry of Education at the Athens Concert HallAthens Concert Hall
The Athens Concert Hall is a concert hall located in Athens, on Vassilissis Sofias Avenue....
(Megaron Mousikis) in 1996. In 1997, he was awarded a scholarship by His Eminence Mr Panteleimon and Iera Mitropolis Verias, in order to continue his music studies in London.
In January 2005, Matthaios won the Arts Foundation Fellowship Award 2005 of Britain, as the best UK based instrumentalist, working in a non-western musical tradition. He has also performed the Pontic lyra at WOMAD music festival in Reading (England 2001 and 2005), WOMEX music festival in Rotterdam (Holland 2001), Roskilder Rock festival (Denmark 2002), in Teatro Massimo for UNESCO (Palermo Opera House, Italy 2002), at the Royal Albert Hall
Royal Albert Hall
The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall situated on the northern edge of the South Kensington area, in the City of Westminster, London, England, best known for holding the annual summer Proms concerts since 1941....
(in a Charity concert for the children of Afghanistan, London 2002) and at the Purcell Room in London's Southbank Arts Centre. He performed the Pontic lyra for BBC Radio 3
BBC Radio 3
BBC Radio 3 is a national radio station operated by the BBC within the United Kingdom. Its output centres on classical music and opera, but jazz, world music, drama, culture and the arts also feature. The station is the world’s most significant commissioner of new music, and its New Generation...
, as well as in many other BBC radio programmes. In August 2004, he performed the main music theme of the BBC for the Olympic Games of Athens
2004 Summer Olympics
The 2004 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, was a premier international multi-sport event held in Athens, Greece from August 13 to August 29, 2004 with the motto Welcome Home. 10,625 athletes competed, some 600 more than expected, accompanied by 5,501 team...
with the opera band Amici and Prague Symphony Orchestra
Prague Symphony Orchestra
The Prague Symphony Orchestra was founded in 1934 by Rudolf Pekárek. In the 1930s the orchestra performed the scores for many Czech films, and also appeared regularly on Czech radio. An early promoter of the orchestra was Dr...
. He has also collaborated with Ostad Ardeshir Kamkar
Ardeshir Kamkar
Ardeshir Kamkar is a Kurdish musician from Iran.He started his music training under the supervision of his father. He came to Tehran in 1980 and continued studying traditional arrangements under Mohammad Reza Lotfi and his brother Pashang...
on the Persian kamancheh
Kamancheh
The kamānche or kamāncha is a Persian bowed string instrument related to the bowed rebab, the historical ancestor of the kamancheh and also to the bowed lira of the Byzantine Empire, ancestor of the European violin family. The strings are played with a variable-tension bow: the word "kamancheh"...
in Tehran
Tehran
Tehran , sometimes spelled Teheran, is the capital of Iran and Tehran Province. With an estimated population of 8,429,807; it is also Iran's largest urban area and city, one of the largest cities in Western Asia, and is the world's 19th largest city.In the 20th century, Tehran was subject to...
(August 2004). In May 2005, he performed at Herodus Atticus Theatre in Acropolis, Athens, accompanied by ERT Contemporary Music Orchestra in the opening ceremony of the Athens Festival and in June 2005 he performed the Oratorio ‘Kosmas o Aitolos' (by Mimis Plessas) in Veria, Greece. In 2006, Matthaios was the co-artistic director of the opening ceremony for the International Byzantine Congress of London with Lady Marina Marks as Chairman and Prince Charles as patron. In March 2007 he performs at the London Porchester Hall (Bayswater) with Cat Stevens
Cat Stevens
Yusuf Islam , commonly known by his former stage name Cat Stevens, is an English singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, educator, philanthropist, and prominent convert to Islam....
(Yusuf Islam).