In the seminar, we will study tunes by "Galianos" (Lefteris Manasakis from Galia), "Lyratzakis" (Kostis Papadakis from Mesochori), as well as repertoire that was played in gatherings and celebrations by lyra players of the region. It is open to all instruments. The interactive nature of the class, both in its theoretical and practical parts, will include listening and approaching, as closely as possible, the style of the lyras. The purpose of the seminar is to guide the student in how to study the above repertoire, so that this study may later serve as the foundation for their individual approach to Cretan music.
Haris Panagiotakis – Cretan Lyra: The Melodies and Timbre of Mesara
Type of seminar: Open – Instrument-focused
Participant level: Open to all levels
Score reading: Not required
Teaching hours: 5–6 hours/day
BIOGRAPHY
Haris Panagiotakis began his musical journey in 1998, learning the Cretan lyra under the guidance of lyra player Manolis Karpoutzakis (1947–2011) from Zaros, Heraklion. While still in school, he attended seminars with Zacharias Spyridakis, Giorgos Xylouris, Ross Daly, Dimitris Sgouros, Giotis Kiourtsoglou, Eugenios Voulgaris, and Haris Lambrakis. In parallel with his musical pursuits, he studied Music Technology, graduating from the Department of Music Technology and Acoustics at the Hellenic Mediterranean University in Rethymno.
He has collaborated with numerous musicians in concerts and events, including Psarogiannis, Vasilis Stavrakakis, Michalis Stavrakakis, Kostis Avyssinos, Dimitris and Nikos Koukoulitakis, Giorgos Manolakis, Cihan Turkoglu, Michalis Kontaxakis, Dimitris Sideris, Yiannis Papatzanis, Maria Koti, Kelly Thoma, Giorgos Kotsinis, Thomas Konstantinou, Kostis Meretakis, Manolis Manousakis, Akis Pitsanis, and others.
In 2012, he served as an assistant at the “Musicians of the Mediterranean” seminar in Catalonia, taught by Giorgos Xylouris (Psarogiannis). In 2017, he taught Cretan lyra at the “AR” Conservatory (Heraklion, Crete), and in June 2019, together with Alexis Alevizakis, he taught the seminar “Music of Crete” in Moires.
Today, he is a co-founder and member of the musical ensembles “Karavani” and “Agkinares,” the latter having released its first album titled "Anixi Kerou" (“Season’s Spring”).
He has contributed to the following albums: "O Kynigos" (Manolis Stivaktakis), "To Xylino" (Manolis Manousakis), "O Paratiritis" (Maria Koti), and "Ichotopio" (Alexis Alevizakis).