Founded in 2015 by Aris Christofellis and Dimitris Kountouras, The Centre for Early Music (CEM), unique of its kind in the Greek musical education, aims to promote the study of Early Music in Greece.

The Centre provides numerous courses on vocal solo and ensemble music, Renaissance choir, historical flutes and recorders, baroque violin, harpsichord and basso continuo. Moreover, lectures on topics such as medieval notation, literature and poetry, humanism and music are also included in the Centre’s educational activities.

The Centre’s Early Music Ensemble also performs concerts of medieval, renaissance and baroque music. The students, the teachers and well known guest artists, create a vibrant atmosphere in the newly renovated concert hall of the Athens Conservatoire.

CEM has also collaborated with the Megaron Athens Concert hall and the French and Dutch Institutes of Greece, while it has recorded for the National Greek Radio.

During the last years, CEM has been developing the “Samos Summer Academy”, a creative project in close collaboration with the “Haute école de musique Genève – Neuchâtel”, which involves several masterclasses throughout the year and culminates to a summer course in the Greek island of Samos. The project is strongly supported by the Schwarz Foundation.

Furthermore, the CEM benefits from the collaboration of the Athens Conservatoire as a partner at the European program for Early Music EEEmerging.

Past Events (a selection)

• November 2019, 4-6 Recorder Masterclass by Prof Daniele Bragetti (Haute école de musique Genève), 6.11.Concert with Renaissance consort music
• December 2019, EEEmerging Residency
• January 2020, 21-24 Baroque Orchestra Project & Baroque violin Masterclass by Florence Malgoire (Haute école de musique Genève)

Coming Events (2021)

• 23-30th October, EEEmerging Residency
• 21-22th October 2021, Masterclass of historical flutes & recorders (D.Kountouras)
• 2nd December 2021, Jubileum concert CEM Ensemble

Courses

• Vocal music from Medieval to Baroque
• Historical flutes & recorders
• Harpsichord and Basso continuo
• Early music ensembles
• Baroque Orchestra
• Medieval Music

Teaching staff of CEM

• Aris Christofellis, Theodora Baka – vocal interpretation
• Dimitris Kountouras – recorder, traverso, Medieval music, ensembles
• Fani Vovoni – baroque violin
• Panos Iliopoulos – harpsichord, basso continuo

Guests

• Iason Marmaras – harpsichord, basso continuo
• Prof. Irmgart Lerch Kalavrytinos – medieval notation (National University of Athens)
• Emeritus Prof. Stavros Deligiorgis – poetry and literature (University of Iowa)

Coordinator: Dimitris Kountouras, E: dkountouras@athensconservatoire.gr

Hommage à l’ amour – Megaron Athens Concert Hall, 14/02/2018.