Vangelis Papathanasiou, who is mostly known through just his first name, has made a remarkable career in music composition. The musical talents of Vangelis first became obvious at a very early age. His parents tried to encourage him to study with a professional teacher, but he did not respond well to formal education, as he was generally unwilling to follow instructions.
At the end of his school years, he and some friends formed a band called "Formynx", which became popular. In 1968 Vangelis moved to Paris. Together with Demis Rousos and Lucas Sideras, he formed "Aphrodite's Child". This group scored an immediate world wide hit with their first release, "Rain and Tears". Later on, the band split and he continued solo in Paris writing music for movies. His career launched and Vangelis received an array of awards, among them an Oscar in 1982 for the soundtrack of the film "Chariots of Fire". The music of Vangelis is too diverse to be described as pop, rock, classical, jazz, or new age. Explaining his music, Vangelis says, "All I try to do is let people know what I think through my music. I just bring the music to you and it is up to you to do what you want with it".
Nana Mouschouri's singing talent has been recognized internationally. </spaShe was born in Hania, Crete, and studied music at the National Conservatory of Greece.
Manos Hatzidakis was one of the most popular Greek composers. Born in the town of Xanthi, he was the composer of many musical pieces of popular nature among them the famous "Piraeus' Children "(Ta Pedia tou Pirea), sung by Melina Merkouri.
Kalomiris is one of the most famous Greek composers and most important representative of the Greek National School.
Theodorakis was born in the island of Hios, visited many places Greece and got acquainted with both folk music and the music of Greek Orthodoxy.
If it had not been for Mitropoulos' decision to quit priesthood education and follow a brilliant career in music, we would not have celebrated the most important contemporary musician of Greece.
Zagori is an area of great natural beauty and unique architecture in the Pindus Mountains in Epirus in Northwestern Greece. The area is of about 1.000 square kilometers and contains 46 villages. Zagoria villages is called by Greeks “Zagorochoria” meaning the villages behind the mountain.
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In 1989, Professor of Byzantine Studies, Helen Ahrweiler is appointed Chairman of the Cultural Centre Pompidou in Paris