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OUR MUSICIANS
VAGGELIS DIMOUDIS was born in Karoti, Didimotiho (Thrace) in 1954. In 1973 he traveled to Athens, first to the Dora Stratou Dance Theatre with the entire musical and dance group from his village (with Kariofilli Doitsidis) to present the dances of their area. There he continued for many years where he also acted as dance instructor for three years (from 1980-1983).
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From 1983 onwards, he engulfs his time with the outi and song, his first teacher being a fellow patriot from Thrace, Kariofili Doitsidis who alongside Chronis Aidonidis serve as his musical prototypes. In the following years, Vaggelis participates in the recording of various CDs primarily with music of Thrace, but also other regions of Greece with many renowned musicians such as Kariofillis Doitsidis, Domna Samiou, Hrisanthos, N. Filippidis, N. Oikonomidis, T. Giorgopoulos, V. Papanastasou, and many others).
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Today, Vaggelis continues to be an active participant in all three aspects of our cultural traditions: dance, song and music, teaching at various dance conferences in Greece and abroad, and additionally playing outi and singing amongst a renowned group of musicians for various dance group performances and glentia.
Lefkothea Maria Filippidi was born into a musical family with roots from the village of Kerasovo, Epirus. From a young age she has been surrounded with the sounds of traditional music from all over Greece courtesy of her immediate family; her father Niko, playing predominantly clarinet and wind instruments, and her uncle Kosta playing laouto, accordion and singing. Lefkothea studied at the University of Peloponnisos in History and Archeology in the Management of Cultural Goods. She later completed studies in Western Music at the Conservatory “Musical Horizons” and Byzantine Music at the Holy Archdiocese of Athens.
Lefkothea has appeared on a host of various television shows including “Stin Ygeia Mas”, “Oloi Oi Kaloi Horane”, and “Ehei Gousto” amongst many others. She has participated in the musical homage dedicated to Domna Samiou on ERT in addition to large scale gatherings including the Pan-Epirotic Federation of Greece’s annual gathering “I Pita Tou Ipiroti”. In most recent years, Lefkothea performed in various cities throughout Canada, Europe (Nuremberg) and the United States including Chicago, Los Angeles, San Diego and San Fransisco.
Lefkothea’s various collaborations and performances include appearances with Antonis Kiritsis, Petro Loukas Halkias, Chronis Aidonidis, Vaggelis Dimoudis, Pagona Athanasiou, Panagiotis Lalezas and Theofilos. In addition to her involvement in the traditional music scene, she has also performed with the rock band “Sinenohoi” at the music club Hollywood Stage”. More recently, she partook in a music dedication to Chronis Aidonidis with Giorgos Dalaras and Pantelis Thalassinos. In the coming year, a part of her personal discography based on traditional song will be released on various streaming platforms.
DIMITRIS ALTANTSIDIS was born in 1953 in Aiginio, Pieria and at age eight began to play accordion in a self-taught manner. His first music experiences were with the Kavakliotiko musical tradition which at the time was still present in its natural setting in the village. At the age of 15, for a three year period he began taking lessons at a music school in Thessaloniki. At age 18, Dimitri was part of a rock band which he formed with friends, all the while concurrently playing traditional music from Kavakli for various events (weddings, dances, festivities, etc.).
In the years that followed, he began playing professionally in different evening clubs with various laika singers. Over the last 25 years, with the encouragement of Giannis Prantsidis he began to further his involvement with traditional music. He partook in the recording of the 4 CD publication “Apo Ti Thraki Tou Orfea & Tou Dionysou” released by Giannis Prantsidis in 2008. Today, Dimitri continues to play his role in the conservation and promotion of the musical repertoire of Northern Thrace in various village festivities, dance seminars and with his involvement with various dance associations throughout Greece.
VASILIS GRAMMATIKOS was born in 1987, in Monastiraki, Drama. Influenced by the musical tradition of his homeland, in 1998 he decided to begin studies at the Music School of Drama learning gkainta under the tutelage of Dimitris Kotas from Kali Vrisi, Drama. He graduated in 2004, with distinction in student music competitions.
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Since 2008, Vasilis also performs tsampouna professionally for various dance groups, conferences and at glentia. As of 2010, Vasilis also assumed an instructor role, teaching gkainta at Center of Research and Promotion of National Music (K.E.P.E.M.) «Simon Karas» in Athens. Vasilis has collaborated with many of the most important Greek musicians in the field of traditional music and dancing groups within Greece. He participated in recording the album “Perasma sti Chio” (2012) with Nikos Oikonomidis and Kiriaki Spanou consisting of 20 songs from the island of Chios, as well as in the accompanying CD of the book "Greek Traditional Dance In Education - Teaching Methods" (2009) written by Vasilis Karfis and Maria Ziaka. In addition with his involvement in music, Vasilis has graduated as an Electrical Engineer.
Diesi, a traditional Greek band covering a vast repertoire from all regions of present-day Greece and beyond is based in Montreal and consists of Panagiotis Bakalis (Clarinet, Flute, Tsambouna, Gkainta), Harry Karavitis (Violin, Vocals), Panagiotis Bournakis (Laouto), and Chris Darsaklis (Percussion).
The members of Diesi developed an appreciation for traditional Greek music from a young age due to their involvement in folklore dance groups in the community. Through their participation in numerous performances and seminars both in North America and Greece, they developed a network with many renowned figures in the traditional dance and music scene. Under the guidance of such individuals, Diesi began developing a musical repertoire from throughout Greece, always with respect to the local traditions and the intricacies of the musical styles.
The band has performed at numerous cultural events, seminars, dance shows and social functions throughout North America also collaborating with various artists from Greece. Various conferences at which Diesi have played include Laografia – Hellenic Cultural Conference (Montreal, 2011-2023), Koinonia Seminar (Los Angeles, 2015-2024), Kefi Conference (Boston, 2024), among others. In addition, they have been featured on local Greek television programming, and partaken in various festivals including the Festival of Folklore (London, Ontario), Festival des traditions du monde de Sherbrooke and various local festivals primarily in Central and Northern Greece.
Diesi has collaborated with several traditional dance groups in Canada including La Troupe Folklorique Grecque Syrtaki (Montreal), Paradosi Hellenic Dance Company (Toronto), Romiosyni Dance Group (Halifax), Dionysos Dancers (Edmonton) and The Odyssey Dance Troupe (Ottawa) among others. Since 2013, Diesi has also participating annually in the dance competition FDF, organized by the Metropolis of San Francisco, playing alongside various dance groups from the Western United States primarily based in California.