Workshops 2025

Lesson timetable:


The workshop’s objective is to present the participants with a representative sample repertoire of traditional music from some characteristic style of the Greek regions (Rebetiko and Asia Minor), as well as to delve into their basic idiomatic techniques concerning string instruments that accentuate each of the distinct styles researched. Development of:

- The main idiomatic fingerings/siding techniques

- Bowing techniques for performing (solo & comping) various rhythmic motives (even and prime rhythms) 

- Ornamentation techniques (ornaments, melismas, embellishment)

- Improvisation practice (taxim) in the Greek style with reference to the manner of performance of microtonals and modality (makam)

- Phrasing and the overall aesthetic of Greek traditional music (GTM). 

- Furthermore, the issues of arrangement and development of the various performing roles of string instruments within small string ensembles in the performance of GTM, will be addressed by employing a plethora of intrinsic timbre techniques of the instrument (rhythmic and harmony accompaniment by chop, pizzicato, chords, parallel voicings, ricochet, pedal etc.) 

The workshop’s ideal objective is, despite the participants' varied performing backgrounds, to expand their already developed technique to the performance of GTM and to cultivate communication channels and interactivity amongst them.  

Presentation of the violin workshop in partnership with workshops for other instruments/voice will take place at the end of the seminar.

Giannis Zarias has been active as a violinist for three decades in the field of Greek music (traditional, rebetiko), having collaborated with many musicians of the genre, both in various music venues in Athens and in various music scenes and festivals in the rest of Greece and abroad, while he is also involved in the wider music of the Balkans and improvisation. He is a founding member of the music groups: Rebetiko Trio (with V. Skouta & D. Mitarakis), the contemporary string quartet Frog String Quartet and the Violione Orchestra (DMSA).

Since 2007 he has been teaching violin and coordinating music ensembles in the direction of Greek traditional music at the Department of Music Science & Art (DMSA) of the University of Macedonia (Assistant Professor). He also teaches violin at the Music Departments of the National Kapodistrian University of Athens and the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA). Indicative video of his teaching activity: https://shorturl.at/ZDd36

He studied classical violin in Athens and after his diploma, he continued his studies in jazz music at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam, in the Netherlands. He holds a doctorate in violin from DMSA and graduated from the School of Electronics & Computer Engineering of the NTUA.

Musical ensembles participating:

1. Violione Orchestra DMSA https://bit.ly/2YnvplB

2. Rebetiko Trio   https://bit.ly/30ZE0wp

• Frog String Quartet https://shorturl.at/uNgK5 

1. ZaPaTaVou Quartet  https://bit.ly/2BviVPS

2. Greek folk Orchestra https://bit.ly/3fMWsMG

3. Rebetien  https://bit.ly/37SulsP

4. Violione Orchestra  NTUA  https://t.ly/ST64

https://www.facebook.com/giannis.zarias

https://www.youtube.com/user/gianniszarias