Biographies of

Lesvian

Musicians

The Musicians of Lesvos

Vougioukas Giannis

Vougioukas Giannis

Giannis Vougioukas was born in 1923 in Skoutaros, Lesbos. He was a self-taught musician and singer. He played the daouli and the bouzouki. He started playing the drum and daouli at a young age. His uncles, who played the bagpipes, taught him how to play the daouli. He...

Vougioukas Giannis

Vougioukas Giannis

Giannis Vougioukas was born in 1923 in Skoutaros, Lesbos. He was a self-taught musician and singer. He played the daouli and the bouzouki. He started playing the drum and daouli at a young age. His uncles, who played the bagpipes, taught him how to play the daouli. He...

Pantelidis Vasilis

Pantelidis Vasilis

Vassilis Pantelidis was born in 1931 in Skoutaros, Lesvos. He was an instrumentalist with theoretical knowledge of music. His father taught him to play the santouri and then his grandfather taught him the clarinet, his preeminent instrument of choice. His professional...

Prikes Stratis

Prikes Stratis

Stratis Prikes was born in 1936 in Pamfila, Lesbos. He was an amateur musician, singer and poet. As a young, he was a cantor, and began learning the bouzouki at the age of 14. He emigrated to Athens where he worked for three years at an uncle’s fish shop before...

Rodanos Charilaos

Rodanos Charilaos

Charilaos Rodanos was born in 1914 in Agiasos, Lesbos. He was an instrumentalist with knowledge of music theory and a music teacher.  His first instrument was the violin, but he also played the mandolin and guitar.  He was first taught the violin by his grandfather....

Lesvos

The music of Lesvos was greatly influenced by musical practices that developed in the major urban centres of Asia Minor. From the 18th century onwards, Lesvos developed close ties with these centres, and especially Smyrna and (to a lesser degree) Constantinople, both with regards to economic activities and social practices. These ties were strengthened when Lesvos joined a Mediterranean and wider European product-trading network, which promoted the mono-cultivation of olives on the island, and the production and trade of olive oil and related products, such as soap. Under these circumstances, the influence and effect of the major urban centres and culture of Asia Minor upon Lesvos was significant.

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