Hrysoula Stefanaki
Encyclopedia
Hrysoula Stefanaki is a Greek singer and musician, born in Heraklion
, Crete, Greece, best known for her performances on Greek and international retro / Jazz
songs such as "Tango Noturno", "Blue Haven", "The last Waltz", "Regretting for Wasted Years" and other.
Stefanaki started playing piano
very early in her childhood at the age of five. Her parents cultivated her natural musical talent by enrolling her for piano lessons at the age of six, along with guitar
, theory and harmony at the "Apollo Conservatory of Music" at Heraklion, Crete. This journey lasted 12 years. Later she continued her music education
with voice lessons at the "Olympic Athens Conservatory".
She started ballet
lessons as well at the age of six for five continuous years.
The dream to become an actress pushed her to participate in several school plays throughout her school years.
She learned traditional Cretan dances in the dance school of Lazarus Hnaris. Her love for Cretan music, drove her to follow her father (a Cretan folk dance
r), to traditional festivals of Crete, where she refined her dancing competence.
While in high school, Stefanaki participated in "Korae" choir as well as in the choir of St. Menas church under the direction of Mrs Xylouris.
During a festival at her senior year of high school, where she played guitar and sang, she were offered to sing professionally at a known piano restaurant at Heraklion. This milestone signaled her professional journey as a singer.
Stefanaki participated in numerous concerts in Greece and aboad with most of the artists previously mentioned. Since 2005 Stefanaki performs next to pianist David Nachmias
presenting a show with Greek retro/Jazz songs written between 1910 and 1950, titled "From Attic to Gounares".
Heraklion
Heraklion, or Heraclion is the largest city and the administrative capital of the island of Crete, Greece. It is the 4th largest city in Greece....
, Crete, Greece, best known for her performances on Greek and international retro / Jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
songs such as "Tango Noturno", "Blue Haven", "The last Waltz", "Regretting for Wasted Years" and other.
Stefanaki started playing piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
very early in her childhood at the age of five. Her parents cultivated her natural musical talent by enrolling her for piano lessons at the age of six, along with 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...
, theory and harmony at the "Apollo Conservatory of Music" at Heraklion, Crete. This journey lasted 12 years. Later she continued her music education
Music education
Music education is a field of study associated with the teaching and learning of music. It touches on all domains of learning, including the psychomotor domain , the cognitive domain , and, in particular and significant ways,the affective domain, including music appreciation and sensitivity...
with voice lessons at the "Olympic Athens Conservatory".
She started ballet
Ballet
Ballet is a type of performance dance, that originated in the Italian Renaissance courts of the 15th century, and which was further developed in France and Russia as a concert dance form. The early portions preceded the invention of the proscenium stage and were presented in large chambers with...
lessons as well at the age of six for five continuous years.
The dream to become an actress pushed her to participate in several school plays throughout her school years.
She learned traditional Cretan dances in the dance school of Lazarus Hnaris. Her love for Cretan music, drove her to follow her father (a Cretan folk dance
Folk dance
The term folk dance describes dances that share some or all of the following attributes:*They are dances performed at social functions by people with little or no professional training, often to traditional music or music based on traditional music....
r), to traditional festivals of Crete, where she refined her dancing competence.
While in high school, Stefanaki participated in "Korae" choir as well as in the choir of St. Menas church under the direction of Mrs Xylouris.
During a festival at her senior year of high school, where she played guitar and sang, she were offered to sing professionally at a known piano restaurant at Heraklion. This milestone signaled her professional journey as a singer.
Collaborations
In 1996, Manolis Lidakis proposed for collaboration and they worked together during summer concerts. That first summer was followed by several collaborations with Greek singers such as:- 1997: George Hatzinasios and Stefanos KorkolisStefanos KorkolisStefanos Korkolis is a Greek composer and pianist. He was born in Athens and grew up in Patissia. He is a nephew of renowned Greek composer Mimis Plessas....
- 1999 to 2002 with Vicky MoscholiouVicky MoscholiouVicky Moscholiou , born in Metaxourgeio in Athens, was a Greek singer. On 14 March 2010, Alpha TV ranked Moscholiou the 13th top-certified female artist in the nation's phonographic era ....
. - 2001, with Yannis Spanos
- 2004, with Mimis Plessas and Dimitris MitropanosDimitris MitropanosDimitris Mitropanos is a Greek singer. He is renowned for his mastery of Laïkó, a Greek music style.-Biography:Mitropanos lived in his native city of Trikala in northwest Thessaly until the age of 16, beginning his musical career in 1964....
- 2005 with Costas Macedonas, Dimitris BasisDimitris BasisDimitris Basis, is a Greek singer musician. He is from the village of Cherso, near the city of Kilkis.Dimitris Mpasis was born in Stuttgart. His parents lived in Germany for some years...
and GlykeriaGlykeriaGlykeria is a Greek singer active in Greece and Cyprus, while also gaining fame in Israel, France, Turkey and England. Her career has spanned over 30 years and is marked by several multi-platinum releases... - 2007, with Christos Nikolopoulos
- 2008 with Manolis Mitsias
Stefanaki participated in numerous concerts in Greece and aboad with most of the artists previously mentioned. Since 2005 Stefanaki performs next to pianist David Nachmias
David Nachmias
David Nachmias is a Greek musician, arranger & pianist who devoted his career to the rediscovery and revivification of Greek Vintage Music.- Early life :...
presenting a show with Greek retro/Jazz songs written between 1910 and 1950, titled "From Attic to Gounares".
Discography
- 1997: Participation in the CD titled Damned 70's (Καταραμένο’70) with remakes of old folk songs produced by Mirror.
- 2002: The vocalist in the soundtrackSoundtrackA soundtrack can be recorded music accompanying and synchronized to the images of a motion picture, book, television program or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of a film or TV show; or the physical area of a film that contains the...
entitled "As long as there is love" (Όσο υπάρχει αγάπη) with music by Marios Strofalis produced by Heaven. - 2010: For a woman (Για μια Γυναίκα) Personal collection of mid-war era Greek songs arranged by David NachmiasDavid NachmiasDavid Nachmias is a Greek musician, arranger & pianist who devoted his career to the rediscovery and revivification of Greek Vintage Music.- Early life :...
. - 2010–2011: Worked with Dimitris BasisDimitris BasisDimitris Basis, is a Greek singer musician. He is from the village of Cherso, near the city of Kilkis.Dimitris Mpasis was born in Stuttgart. His parents lived in Germany for some years...
and Yannis Kostiras at ThessalonikiThessalonikiThessaloniki , historically also known as Thessalonica, Salonika or Salonica, is the second-largest city in Greece and the capital of the region of Central Macedonia as well as the capital of the Decentralized Administration of Macedonia and Thrace...
and AthensAthensAthens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...