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Μουσικό Σχολείο Βόλου

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Μουσικό Σχολείο Βόλου

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Greek soprano Christina Poulitsi (Χριστίνα Πουλίτση) was born in Athens in 1983. She began her music studies at the age of five, attending guitar and piano lessons. Her aptitude for music helped her to obtain degrees in harmony, counterpoint and fugue with honours.

She attended the first year of the Department of Political Science of School of Law of University of Athens. Wanting to consolidate her knowledge on music she became a student of the Department of Music Studies of University of Athens, where she graduated magna cum laude. A year later she obtained her degree in monody with honours and first prize. She has also gotten two scholarships, one from "Maria Callas" Association and "Friends of Music" Association (Φίλοι της Μουσικής), and thus, she managed to complete her opera studies at University of Arts in Berlin, studying with distinguished soprano Dagmar Schellenberger and obtaining her master degree. During her studies she attended many vocal seminars with Alberto Zedda, Michael Hampe, Daphne Evangelatou and other vocal professors.

Her very first stage appearence as a protagonist was in 2009, when she interpreted her role as Isabella from Rossini's opera "L' Inganno Felice (Ευτυχισμένη Εξαπάτηση)" at Greek National Opera. In November 2011 she gained the first prize at "Nico Dostal" International Competition in Vienna and nearly one year later, in October 2012, she made successfully her first debut appearence as Queen of the Night (from Mozart's opera "Die Zauberflöte (Ο Μαγικός Αυλός)" at Dresden State Opera. Since then, she has interpreted many roles from well-known operas, such as Gilda (from Verdi's "Rigoletto") and Rosina (from Rossini's "Il Barbiere di Siviglia (Ο Κουρέας της Σεβίλλης)". She has been a permanent member of Landesbühnen Sachsen Opera Theater in Dresden. She has also performed as a soloist at many vocal works, such as Orff's Carmina Burana, Pergolesi's Stabat Mater, J. S. Bach's sacred music (Cantatas and Magnificats) etc. She earned rave reviews with her prominent role as the Queen of the Night, which she has mostly performed in Greece and abroad.

In the following video Christina Poulitsi sings the aria of the Queen of the Night "Der Hölle Rache" from Mozart's Magic Flute (second part) at Semperoper in Dresden in February 10, 2014. Her performance is deeply expressive and dramatic.

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Queen of the Night "Der Hölle Rache", Semperoper, Christina Poulitsi

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Μουσικό Σχολείο Βόλου

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Μουσικό Σχολείο Βόλου

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Sofia Vempo (Σοφία Βέμπο) was a Greek singer and actress. She was born in Gallipoli peninsula of East Thrace in February 10, 1910 and she died in Athens in March 11, 1978. She was a leading performer whose career spanned from Interwar period until the '50s. Sofia Vempo was best known as "the Singer of Victory" due to the national songs she performed during the Greek-Italian war of 1940.

Vempo's real name was Sofia Mpempou (Σοφία Μπέμπου). Her father was a tobacco worker. In 1912 Vempo's family settled in Constantinople, but a couple of years later, in 1914, after Eleftherios Venizelos' (Ελευθέριος Βενιζέλος) government approved of population exchange between Greece and Turkey, they came back to Greece and settled to her father's homeland, the small town of Larissa, Tsaritsani and after a while they moved again and they permanently dwelled in Volos.

After finishing school, Sofia Vempo was forced to start working and help her family due to poverty. Her first occupation was as a cashier at a store in Volos called "Floria" (Φλωρία). Meanwhile, little Sofia discovered music and liked it very much. This led her to buy a guitar with her savings and started practicing with help of her friend, Maritsa Hasapi (Μαρίτσα Χασάπη).

In September 1933 Sofia Vempo boarded on the "Kefallinia" (Κεφαλληνιά) steamboat and travelled to Thessaloniki to find her brother, Tzortis, who studied in there and he had not sent her a letter for a long time. During her trip she had her guitar and she sang while playing on the instrument. Very soon all passengers and crew gathered round her, became fascinated by her performance and burst into applause. This was, so to speak, Vempo's very first public performance. Thessaloniki's greatest impresario, Constantinos Tsimbas (Κωνσταντίνος Τσίμπας) was among the passengers of the steamboat and, upon hearing Vempo's voice, he suggested her to work at Astoria Entertainment Centre. When Sofia met her brother, they discussed about Tsimbas' proposal and after Tzortzis gave his consent, Sofia started to perform live at Astoria. It is remarkable that every single night the patrons asked her to sing more and her programme was prolonged.

At this point, Sofia Vempo's career began to flourish. Within a week after her concerts at Astoria Center, her fame was spread in Athens and Fotis Samartzis (Φώτης Σαμαρτζής), owner of Centricon Theater (Θέατρο Κεντρικόν) invited her to give concerts in there. Sofia told her parents about this proposal and after they approved of it, she appeared in an inspection called "Parrot 33" (Παπαγάλος 33) in October 25, 1933. In this inspection young Sofia appeared as a gypsy with her guitar and played the song "A woman passed by" (Μια γυναίκα πέρασε). Her success was so big, that the audience asked her to repeat this specific song four times in a row and Sofia received a standing ovation at the end of the concert. Moreover, distinguished actors, such as Orestis Makris (Ορέστης Μακρής), Marika Nezer (Μαρίκα Νέζερ) and others congratulated her keenly. It was the time she signed a contract of 10,000 drachmas per month, which was a considerably huge amount of money for back then for a singer's single season. It has also to be noted that after this historical concert inspection writer, Paul Nor, gave her stage name, Sofia Vempo, whose development from then on proved to be rapid.

Sofia Vempo's acclaim to Athenian audience caused a renewal of her contract and she started to appear at Centicon Theater and Mundial Theater too. Her fame touched Egypt as well and she accepted an invitation to perform live at Grand Trianon in Alexandria. In 1934 she returned to Greece and many new songs were composed for her to sing, such as "My Black Eyes" (Μαύρα μου μάτια) and "Don't ask for kisses" (Μη ζητάς φιλιά).

Vempo's first recordings were made by Parlophon Records Company and subsequently by Columbia Records. Her first song with Columbia was called "I Love You" (Σ' αγαπώ). Nearly all lyricists and composers gained interest in Sofia Vempo's singing and wrote songs for her to perform. Kostas Giannidis (Κώστας Γιαννίδης) and Michael Sougioul (Μιχάλης Σουγιούλ) were the first lyricist and composer respectively to work for Vempo. All these songs became top hits. 25-year-old Sofia was already a prominent singer.

In the fall of 1937 Vempo went in Egypt again for a series of shows. Prolific Egyptian director, actor, producer and screenwriter, Togo Mizrahi, hired Sofia out for acting in his 1938 movie "The Girl Refugee" (Η Προσφυγοπούλα). 1938 was a golden year for Sofia Vempo. She signed a new contract with Columbia Records, which allowed her to make a profit of 10% from the sales of her vinyl records. This fact was the first one to happen to a Greek singer, since all of them received a daily wage from their work. Vempo continued to sing with great success. One of her biggest hits was the song "Zehra" (Ζεχρά). The summer of 1938 an antenna was placed in Zappeion Palace (Ζάππειο) and Vempo's songs were the first experimental transmission. Christmas Eve of 1938 found her giving a show in Cyprus and meeting famous Cypriot songwriters.

In 1939 Sofia Vempo gained huge recognition and was the main figure in the fields of Greek Light Song (ελληνικό ελαφρό τραγούδι). At this point she interpreted the hit song "How am I sorry?" In Christmas Eve of 1939 Vempo's career reached its pinnacle. Shortly before 1939 expired Sofia met leading jazz composer Apostolos Moschoutis (Απόστολος Μοσχούτης), who composed the song "Two Flower in a Side" (Δυο λουλούδια σε μιαν άκρη) for her.

In 1940 Second World War was already in progress and many countries were conquered by Axis Forces. Sofia Vempo played a leading part in an inspection called "Cease Fire" (Παύσατε πυρ), sang "The New Moon" (Το καινούργιο φεγγάρι) and at the end of the show she met Greek actress Georgia Vasileiadou (Γεωργία Βασιλειάδου), to whom she promised to help her, as she discerned the latter's acting talent. In summer of 1940 Vempo performed the wonderful waltz "Yoy wake me with kisses in the morning" (Το πρωί με ξυπνάς με φιλιά) at the inspection with the title "Evening Craziness" (Βραδινές τρέλες). The same year she met her future husband, Mimis Traiforos (Μίμης Τραϊφόρος), a Greek lyricist of light songs, who composed for her the well-known song "Children, Children of Greece" (Παιδιά, της Ελλάδος παιδιά).

In October 28, 1940 at 10 o' clock in the morning Zappeio radio station would have played Sofia Vempo's songs, but the broadcaster Costas Stavropoulos (Κώστας Σταυρόπουλος) interrupted the streaming and announced the beginning of the war. During this period Vempo performed satirical and war songs to encourage the Greek soldiers. She had also offered 2000 golden pounds to the Greek Navy for support. When the Nazis conquered Greece, she escaped to Middle East and continued to perform for Greek and ally troops.

In 1949, after the war was over, Sofia Vempo acquired a theater of her own, the "Vempo Theater". After being in a long relationship with Mimis Traiforos, the couple finally got married in 1957 and despite their ups and downs, they remained together until Vempo's death. At the middle of the '60s Sofia Vempo dimished her public appearences and in the next decade she ceased to perform live for good. As an exception, she sang "Children, Children of Greece" (Παιδιά, της Ελλάδος παιδιά) for the revival of the democracy after the fall of the junta.

Besides her singing career, Sofia Vempo had played minor roles in three greek movies, "The Girl Refugee" (Η Προσφυγοπούλα) in 1938 mentioned above, "Stella" (Στέλλα) in 1955 and "Stournara Street 288" (Στουρνάρα 288) in 1959. She died of a stroke in March 11, 1978 and her funeral turned into a folk pilgrimage. "The Singer of Victory" was deified that day from the Greek people, who considered her as their heroine.

"Children, Children of Greece" (Παιδιά, της Ελλάδος παιδιά) is Sofia Vempo's best known song and is always presented in Greek national anniversary. The lyrics, written by Mimis Traiforos, describe the difficulties that soldiers faced in the war of 1940 and along with the music, composed by Michael Sougioul, they are really touching.

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ΒΕΜΠΟ -ΠΑΙΔΙΑ ΤΗΣ ΕΛΛΑΔΟΣ ΠΑΙΔΙΑ

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"Everything we see in the world is the work of women." Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.

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Nana Mouskouri, one of the world’s most successful singers, was born on the 13th of October 1934. Mouskouri had displayed exceptional musical talent from a young age. She began singing lessons at the age of 12.

In 1950, she was accepted at the Athens Conservatoire. She studied classical music with an emphasis on singing opera. By 1958, she met Greek composer Manos Hadjidakis who was impressed by her voice and offered to write songs for her. In 1959 Mouskouri performed Hadjidakis’ “Κάπου υπάρχει η αγάπη μου” (Somewhere my love exists) at the inaugural Greek Song Festival. The song won first prize, and Mouskouri began to be noticed.

In 1961, Mouskouri performed the soundtrack of a German documentary about Greece. This resulted in the German-language single “Weiße Rosen aus Athen” (White Roses from Athens). The song was originally adapted by Hadjidakis from a folk melody. It became a success, selling over a million copies in Germany. The song was later translated into several languages and it went on to become one of Mouskouri’s signature tunes. She also scored a worldwide hit in 1981 with “Je chante avec toi Liberté”, which was translated into several languages after its success in France.

In 1984, Mouskouri returned to Greece and performed to a large audience at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus, her first performance in her homeland since 1962. She was also elected to the European Parliament as a Greek deputy from 1994 to 1999.

On July 23 and 24, 2008, Mouskouri gave her two final ‘Farewell Concert’ performances at the ancient Herodes Atticus Theatre, in Athens, Greece, before a packed stadium.In 2015 she was awarded the Echo Music Prize for Outstanding achievements by the German music association Deutsche Phono-Akademie.

"Χάρτινο το Φεγγαράκι" Μάνος Χατζιδάκις

Θα φέρει η θάλασσα πουλιά
κι άστρα χρυσά τ' αγέρι
να σου χαϊδεύουν τα μαλλιά,
να σου φιλούν το χέρι.

Χάρτινο το φεγγαράκι,
ψεύτικη ακρογιαλιά,
αν με πίστευες λιγάκι
θα `σαν όλα αληθινά.

Δίχως τη δική σου αγάπη
δύσκολα περνά ο καιρός.
Δίχως τη δική σου αγάπη
είναι ο κόσμος πιο μικρός.

Χάρτινο το φεγγαράκι,
ψεύτικη ακρογιαλιά,
αν με πίστευες λιγάκι
θα `σαν όλα αληθινά.

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NANA MOUSKOURI***ΧΑΡΤΙΝΟ ΤΟ ΦΕΓΓΑΡΑΚΙ**ΗΡΩΔΕΙΟ 1984 HD HQ

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Μουσικό Σχολείο Βόλου

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Μουσικό Σχολείο Βόλου

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Agnes Baltsa (Αγνή Μπάλτσα) was born in Lefkada in 19 November 1944. She is a prominent Greek mezzo-soprano singer. Her musical education began with piano lessons at the age of 6 and then she moved to Athens in 1958 to focus on developing her singing abilities. She graduated from the Greek National Conservatoire in 1965 and then she travelled to Munich to continue studying with the aid of a Maria Callas scholarship.

She appeared for the first time in an opera concert in 1968 at the age of 24 as Cherubino in Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's "The Marriage of Figaro" (an opera buffa in 4 acts, K. 492 composed in 1786) at Frankfurt Opera. Her next major role was Octavian in Richard Strauss' comic opera in 3 acts "Der Rosenkavalier" (Op. 59) at the Vienna State Opera in 1970. Ten years later, in 1980, she became Kammersangerin (abbreviated KS) of the Vienna State Opera. This is a German honorific title for distinguished singers of opera and classical music and it literally means "chamber singer". Notable Austrian conductor Herbert von Karajan (1908 - 1989) paved the way for  her to become a regular member at the prestigious Salzburg Festival as well.

Agnes Baltsa's best-known performance was that of Carmen, an opera with 4 acts by French composer Georges Bizet, in which she sung many times along with famous tenors such as Jose Carreras. In addition she has sung vocal works by Mozart, Rossini, Mascagni, Saint-Saens, Verdi, Bellini, Offenbach and Donizetti. She also starred in a 1992 Austrian film called "Duett", impersonating an opera singer. In 2017 she sang Klytemnestra (Κλυταιμνήστρα) in Richard Strauss's opera in one act "Elektra" (Ηλέκτρα, Op. 58) at the Greek National Opera's new premises at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center, which was estrablished the previous year (2016).

Here we can enjoy the most famous aria from the opera "Carmen" by Georges Bizet with Baltsa's adorable voice at the main role of Carmen at a concert at the Metropolitan Opera in New York:

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Maria Callas sings "Casta Diva" (Bellini: Norma, Act 1)

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Maria Callas sings "Casta Diva" (Bellini: Norma, Act 1)

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born in New York on 2/12/23. She made her professional debut in Greece, at the National Opera with "Boccaccio".She made her Italian debut at the Arena in Verona, Italy in 1947. In 1954 she made her American debut with NORMA. On 16/9/77 Maria Callas died in Paris.Βorn Maria Kalogeropoulou in New York. Her parents were Greek immigrants
Callas took piano lessons from the age of 7.1937 her parents divorced and the mother with the two girls returned to Greece. In Verona married the rich businessman Giovanni Meneghini.1956 she sang at Metropolitan Opera in New York. Her voice had a problem and she divorced, as she had formed a bond with the Greek shipowner Aristotle Onassis.The marrage Onassis to Jacqueline Kennedy in 1968 shocked her. 55 years old died of a heart attack in her home in Paris.

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Maria Callas sings "Casta Diva" (Bellini: Norma, Act 1)

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THE 8TH March leave the mimosas on the plants to live and bloom. To women for present give every day what never Fadesthem Tenderness, Respect and Love

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THE 8TH March leave the mimosas on the plants to live and bloom. To women for present give every day what never Fadesthem Tenderness, Respect and Love

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Μουσικό Σχολείο Βόλου

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Μουσικό Σχολείο Βόλου

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I would like to share with you the story of the legendary black soul singer, Minnie Riperton (1947 - 1979).

Minnie Riperton was an American singer and songwriter, best known for her five-octave coloratura soprano range and for her exceptional use of the whistle register of her voice, making her the queen of the whistle register.

She studied music, drama and dance at Chicago's Lincoln Center and as a teenager she sang lead vocals for the girl group "The Gems". She also performed backing vocals for various established artists, such as Etta James, Bo Diddley, Chuck Berry and Muddy Waters.

In 1970 Minnie Riperton married Richard Rudolph, a songwriter and music producer. They remained together until her death and they had two children, music engineer Marc Rudolph (b. 1968) and actress Maya Rudolph (b. 1972).

In 1975 Minnie Riperton reached the apex of her career with her No. 1 single "Loving You" from the album "Perfect Angel" released the previous year (1974). However, soon afterwards things took a turn for the worse...

In January 1976 she was diagnosed with breast cancer and three months later she underwent a radical mastectomy. The news were really bad, because by the time of the diagnosis the cancer had metastasized and had already spread to the lymphatic system and she was given about six months to live by the doctors. Despite the grim prognosis, she did not develop hard feelings and remained an easy-going and a smiling person for the rest of her life. She astonished everyone by living three and a half years after the diagnosis and she continued recording music and touring.

In 1977 she became a spokesperson for the American Cancer Society, but she did not reveal that she was terminally ill. In addition, in 1978 she received the American Cancer Society's Courage Award at the White House by President Jimmy Carter.

During the recording of her final album "Minnie" (1978), her cancer progressed to the point that she suffered a great deal of pain. Extreme lymphedema immobilized her right arm in early 1979 and in her final singing appearences on television her right arm remained in a fixed position. By mid-June, Riperton was confined to bed and finally died on July 12, 1979 in the arms of her husband at the very young age of 31...

The 1975 hit song "Loving You" from her second album "Perfect Angel" (1974) was composed by Minnie Riperton and her husband, Richard Rudolph, as a lullaby to their little daughter, Maya Rudolph, when she was a baby. The song peaked at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 on April 5, 1975. It is a declaration of love and one of the tenderest songs ever to be recorded. Minnie sang "Maya, Maya, Maya" toward the end of the first version of the song, but later on she included her son, Marc (whose nickname is Ringo), when she sang it in her last concert performances: "Maya, Maya, Ringo, Maya". The epitaph on Minnie’s headstone in an LA cemetery is the opening line from her popular song: “Lovin’ you is easy ’cause you’re beautiful.”

I selected her signature song "Loving You" in a heartbreaking last performance in April 1979. One cannot help being gripped by grief and sorrow listening to this song. This is a string ensemble version featuring Minnie Riperton in terrible condition, ravaged by cancer and with her right hand paralyzed. However, her unique heavenly voice was here, full of passion and not at all affected by her illness! When she performed high-pitched notes, she sounded like a violin playing harmonics! She was the main influence for famous female singers, such as Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey.

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The Last Lovin' You 1979 (with complete intro)

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International Women's Day (IWD) is celebrated on 8 March around the world. It is a focal point in the movement for women's rights.
After the Socialist Party of America organized a Women's Day in New York City on February 28, 1909, German delegates Clara Zetkin, Käte Duncker, Paula Thiede and others proposed at the 1910 International Socialist Woman's Conference that "a special Women's Day" be organized annually. After women gained suffrage in Soviet Russia in 1917, March 8 became a national holiday there. The day was then predominantly celebrated by the socialist movement and communist countries until it was adopted by the feminist movement in about 1967. The United Nations began celebrating the day in 1977.
Commemoration of International Women's Day today ranges from being a public holiday in some countries to being largely ignored elsewhere. In some places, it is a day of protest; in others, it is a day that celebrates womanhood.

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This padlet is dedicated to famous female singers. You can add here songs from famous female singers from your country.

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Marinella (real name: Kyriaki Papadopoulou) (Thessaloniki, May 19, 1938) is a Greek singer, an important representative of folk song, with exceptional expressive ability. He has been singing professionally since 1956. He has released many solo albums, most of which have been commercially successful. She is famous mainly in Greece and Cyprus but also with an international career. In 2016, Marinella completed 60 years of continuous presence in Greek music. She is considered by many to be the most important singer of Greek song.

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Μαρινέλλα -  Ποτέ να μη χαθείς απ΄ τη ζωή μου  1979