Greek Fringe and Melisma Ensemble join forces to bring NikoTeini, Greek musicians who now call Istanbul home, to audiences down under!
NikoTeini, a living testament to a shared cultural heritage, features Niko Papageorgiou on the lavta (long-necked fretted lute) and Foteini Kokkala on the kanonaki (qanun, zither). These virtuosos draw on the exquisite traditions of the Eastern Mediterranean, expanding their repertoire through collaborations with modern luminaries like Antonis Apergis, Apostolos Sideris, İsmail İlgün, Alexia Mouza, Efren Lopez, and more.
This tour promises an intimate celebration of a shared cultural legacy, featuring young and fresh talent that artfully strikes a balance between tradition and innovation.
This event is powered by creative forces Dimitris Koubaroulis and Melisma Ensemble.
MUSIC
Embark on an enchanting sonic odyssey with Nefeli Fasouli, a captivating Folk and Jazz virtuoso hailing from Athens, Greece. Teaming up with her ethereal Psychedelic Folk collective, she crafts a contemporary Greek soundscape that seamlessly blends with the nostalgic echoes of 70s fusion. Nefeli's stage presence ignites electric euphoria, as her original compositions harmonize with reimagined classics, orchestrated by her bandmates. Her debut album, "O Cosmos Sou," unveiled in June 2021, is a prelude to her forthcoming second masterpiece co-created with Antonis Apergis. Beyond this, Nefeli defies genre boundaries, skillfully infusing Jazz, Soul, Disco, and global musical elements, resonating across generations and cultures. Yet, her artistry extends further—Nefeli's affinity for Modern Jazz composition led her to New York, where she recorded the captivating Jazz EP "Phases." Comprising her own creations, this EP promises to captivate listeners when it's released in late September 2023. Nefeli Fasouli emerges as a timeless musical architect, weaving tradition with innovation. Her melodies resonate deep within the soul, leaving an indelible mark on the sonic landscape. Experience the magic as she conjures emotions and shapes musical dreams, guiding audiences through uncharted dimensions of sound.
MUSIC
Σtella makes her Sub Pop debut with the mesmerizing Up and Away, an old-school pop paean to the pangs and raptures of love. From the Greek folk-inflected get-go, we’re swept up in Σtella’s world – and it’s quite the captivating place to be.
The singer-songwriter joined forces with artist and producer Tom Calvert (aka Redinho) in a match made in Athens, and the results are heavenly. Across her output, Σtella has proven herself a strong storyteller, and Up and Away is no exception (the guise of the medieval bard she assumes on the cover is telling).
Rollicking album opener “Up and Away” launches us headlong into an all-consuming affair. She’s caught, she shivers, thrilled by a new beginning, the sweetness of her vocals offset by vertiginous, blistering blasts of bouzouki. And so the sensual scene is set…
Album out now on Sub Pop Records.
It is time for the celebration of Greece, its people, history and art to shift to a new level. The Greek Fringe will attract talent that represents the experience of the modern Hellenic diversity. The Greek Fringe will shift beyond the folkloric representation of migration to explore the contemporary Hellenic diaspora throughout the Globe and the dynamic arts scene of mother Greece.
The financial crisis in Europe has led Greece to emerge as a hub of creativity and innovative thinking. The Greek Fringe seeks to promote and celebrate contemporary culture, which can often be overshadowed by a glorified notion of the past.
The Greek Fringe is a movement that will expose Greece and its booming arts scene and promote diasporic art across various forms of media. Though the theme is Greek, the festival aims to attract people who appreciate contemporary art and culture, regardless of their heritage.
As humans evolve, so too does language, culture and influence. If we don’t engage with the evolving artscape of Greece and communities abroad, the risk is that Greek culture can become stagnant and obsolete. We are here to facilitate new and emerging interpretations of Greek culture. There is an appetite among younger generations of the diaspora to explore and connect with not only the Greece of their Grandparents but the Greece of now.
We are here and we are claiming the now.
Co-founder & Director
Professional insomniac, Con spends every waking hour thinking about Greek Fringe and is constantly throwing ideas at Christina (his partner in crime) as they shape and mould the Festival into something exciting, fresh and evolving. Con is a first-generation Greek events producer/ curator/ practitioner based in Melbourne. His world circulates around art projects, concerts, and festivals including the Melbourne Rebetiko Festival. He lives and breathes music, producing radio and is seen to obsess over records and rare recordings. When not playing music, he juggles his life between the city and the country and is the proud owner of two chickens both called Greg and his cat, Minion Sassy Pants.
Co-founder & Director
Founder of Sydney Greek Jam, Christina is big on community engagement and providing a platform for underrepresented artists. This concept was the genesis for Greek Fringe and exposing hidden talents is what gives her a real buzz. She is an innovative coordinator of projects and people and has worked on a stack of indie events, including the Melbourne Rebetiko Festival. She plays percussion in a rebetiko band and strums the tzoura strictly in the confines of her loungeroom (much to her dog’s torment).
Content Producer | Words
Michael Alexandratos is a writer, researcher and publisher based in Sydney. Taking a lead on literature, he will shed light on burgeoning writers in the Greek scene and conduct interviews with our featured artists. Michael runs the blog Amnesiac Archive, which is dedicated to research into music and recorded sound, and Cycladic Press, which publishes books and zines on aspects of Modern Greek cultures. He can often be seen rummaging through dusty boxes of records in junk shops, swearing that he will not end up as a hoarder.
Content Producer | Performance
Vasiliki Tsouka is an arts manager and a dramaturg based in Melbourne. We are thrilled to have her on board as she has her finger on the pulse of performance art throughout the world. Since she was a young girl growing up in Athens, Greece, she has always loved art, literature and theatre, passions that she carries into her professional career. Though having lived in Melbourne the past five years, she keeps her connection to Greece by listening to Rebetiko while cooking her Grandmother’s recipes.
Niko Plaskasovitis is an emerging artist and creative producer who lives and works on Gadigal Land. He’s responsible for the editing of all the slick videos you see on our site. You’ll occasionally find him mixing music in intimate settings or experimenting with sweet ingredients for a cake conspiracy. Niko is currently completing his Bachelor of Media Art at UNSW Art and Design.
Visual Design / Web Development
Overdue Studio is a visual design studio creating thoughtful design solutions digitally and physically. From concept and design to realisation, the studio offers a full creative service in photography, branding, print, digital, object and exhibition design. It is Overdue Studio’s honour to collaborate with Greek Fringe, together they promote music and culture with creativity and authenticity.
Contact Overdue Studio for design enquiries.
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