Kastellorizo: Songs and Melodies

A discographic release dedicated to the island’s musical treasure, featuring also a new song performed by Manolis Mitsias.
This distinctive edition centers on the music and songs of the beautiful and historically pivotal border island of Kastellorizo and is produced by the organization “Polyechies,” which specializes in Greek traditional and Byzantine music.
The recording brings together distinguished performers who faithfully convey the color and ethos of Kastellorizo’s songs: the internationally renowned Protopsaltis and choir director Grigoris Daravanoglou; the vocalist Marina Manolakou; the virtuoso tambouras player and music educator Giannis Megaloudis; and the kanun soloist and accomplished singer Zoe Miliou.
The driving force behind the edition is Giorgos Karavelatzis, a native of Kastellorizo, who sings, performs, and guides the project with authenticity and dedication.
Rooted in the broader Dodecanese tradition, Kastellorizo’s musical heritage reveals a wealth of songs structured upon the modes of ancient Greek music and the octoechos system of Byzantine chant. Wedding songs, love songs, akritic ballads, narrative folk songs, carols, and laments enrich the recording. The edition also includes an English translation for the large Kastellorizian community in Australia, a vibrant diaspora closely connected to its ancestral homeland.
The musical direction of the project is by the Dodecanesian composer Manolis Karpathios.