A musical tribute to Greek composer Manos Hadjidakis is coming to CSMA, thanks to the Kombos Collective, a chamber ensemble that champions the rich musical repertoire of Greece and the Greek diaspora.
The trio will present “100 Years of Hadjidakis,” a centennial celebration of the beloved composer through his music, at 7:30 PM on Oct. 17 in Tateuchi Hall. The group features Katerina Clambaneva on vocals, Ellie Falaris Ganelin on flute, and Mary-Victoria Voutsas on piano.
“Manos Hadjidakis was ahead of his time. He brought a new vision and prominence to Hellenic music (traditional Greek folk music) through the radio and concerts in his homeland and in film worldwide,” the Kombos Collective writes on their website.
The group, formerly known as the Greek Chamber Music Project, combines classical, contemporary, jazz, and world music in a way that’s more fluid and inclusive. To reflect this evolution, they adopted the new name of Kombos Collective.
“Like the strands of a rope, each musical voice comes together to create a strong bond,” said Ellie Falaris Ganelin, the group’s director.
This bond will be on display as the group performs the piano works of Hadjidakis. Born in Xanthi, Greece, on October 23, 1925, he is considered one of modern Greece’s greatest composers.
He transformed the seemingly lower-class rebetika and popular music into a respected art form by combining folk and classical styles.
In Greece, he was well-known as a pop songwriter. Hadjidakis later gained recognition abroad for his movie soundtracks, even winning an Oscar in 1960 for the title song from the film “Never on Sunday.”
Check out the video below to hear the unique sound of Kombos Collective merged with Hadjidkis’ music.
By TaLeiza Calloway-Appleton
