Selected press clippings

Press Cuttings
“A score of Byzantine music arranged and performed by the Greek ensemble En
Chordais will soak into your system and stay there”. (The New York Times).
“The group combines Greek regional idioms and contemporary sounds with a range of
influences, mixing moments of traditional festiveness and intense humor into their
performance.” (Gig Magazine - UK).
“The Greek ensemble En Chordais –hugely popular at the 2007 Mediterranean Arts
Festival- return with a multi-media program on Marco Polo’s travels, an epic original
musical journey.” (BC Magazine – Hong Kong).
“Ce groupe fondé à Salonique en 1999 a un projet, celui de confronter les différentes
traditions musicales vivantes de l’est méditerranéen pour mieux en faire ressortir la
proximité. Son répertoire couvre donc les musiques traditionnelles tant hellènes que
turques ou égyptiennes (liste non exhaustive), répertoires savants et populaires, mais
sans écarter les compositions originales. La démarche est éprouvée et a encore
convaincu récemment (Prix France Musique des musiques du monde 2008).
(Mondomix - France).
“The non-profit organization En Chordais, from Thessaloniki, is an example of creativity
in the cultural field. Its multi-faceted presence shows both seriousness and
knowledge.” (Jazz & Tzaz Magazine - Greece).
“The recordings of “En Chordais” stand out thanks to the substantiated presentation of
their material, a result of systematic research in fields that are not particularly well
known, as well as for the high aesthetic value of the generous booklets that
accompany them. ….in other words, paradigmatic editions that stem from painstaking
and systematic work.” (Eleutherotypia - Greece).

“The concert Marco Polo’s Travels to China is a mosaic of musical traditions just as the
Silk Road once blended the cultures of East and West. Guests artists from Tajikistan,
Turkey, Israel, Iran and Italy and the En Chordais Ensemble from Greece create an
enchanting experience for all.” (English Street – Hong Kong).
Each concert is an opportunity to enjoy the local traditions and the heritage common
to the Mediterranean countries. What an inviting prospect! (Theatre de la Ville official
site - France).
“En Chordais is not a typical music ensemble. To be more precise, it is not just a music
ensemble. It is a group of people coming from Thessaloniki, motivated by the love for
the Near East’s musical tradition, which gave them the impulse to create and develop a
cultural organization through which our musical heritage finds a way out to the
modern world.” (Eksousia - Greece).
“En Chordais … is one of the music ensembles that have been really creative the last
years, following the traditional music forms… Their multifarious activities prove their
seriousness and open-minded approach in their work… – The best way to get to know
them.” (Ependytis - Greece).
“The music-loving public of the city throngs to their performances, honoring the
invited musicians and also rewarding a musical journey of quality and daring.”
(Thessaloniki - Greece).
"En prelude, un magnifique morceau instrumental, "Prosmoni", composition de
Kyriakos Kalaitzidis, est venu resonner dans l'eglise avant que les voix se mettent en
scene jusqu'a ce tres beau poeme qui a conclu de tres belle maniere la soiree. (Etang
de Berre, La Provence).