Songs from foreign lands

with Katerina Clambaneva, Gavrilos Kokonas and Pavlos Carvalho

Saturday 10th June 2023 @ The Studio Theatre, BHASVIC 6th form college

Τα τραγούδια της Ξενιτιάς (Songs from foreign lands)

People have been leaving their homes for foreign lands over the centuries escaping war, economic crises, searching for new opportunities in the hopes of starting a fresh. This brought with it loss and nostalgia for what and who was left behind. These songs touch on the pain and loneliness of being in a new place alone missing loved ones and yearning for the feeling of belonging and familiarity of their homeland. A lot of us have been through similar journeys in our lives and are living away from “home.” As we settle and rebuild we create a new home filled with hope for a new future. Join us on Saturday 10th June by the sea in Brighton and ride the waves of emotions with us as we share the stories of the rebetes who faced these challenges before us.

Musicians:

Katerina Clambaneva, voice

Gavrilos Kokonas, voice/guitar

Pavlos Carvalho, voice/bouzouki

Katerina Clambaneva

Katerina was born in San Francisco, California and raised in Athens, Greece. After completing her Bachelor of Arts in Classical Civilisations from UC Berkeley she built her career in Arts Administration and Marketing. She moved to London in 2009 and completed her Masters in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern Music at City University and works as a Performing Arts Manager.

She specialises in traditional and contemporary Greek music and performs internationally, throughout Europe and the United States. She is captivated by world music and is very interested in cultural fusion through musical expression. She enjoys singing in many languages.

Katerina maintains a busy performance schedule participating in several groups including, PAKAW!, Plastikes Karekles, and the Josquin Singers of B.A.C.H. Cities she has performed in include Athens, San Francisco, Oakland, London, Isle of Wight, Ixtapa Mexico, Brussels Belgium, Istanbul, Luxembourg, Mytilini Greece and counting. Favourite venues include the National Theatre in London, the Green Note in Camden, ODC Theatre in San Francisco and 1002 Nihtes in Athens.

Career highlights as a vocalist include the dance production of Rebetiko with Yannis Adoniou’s KUNST-STOFF and music by Minos Matsas, with shows in Berlin and San Francisco and the film score for the Spanish film De Tu Ventana a la mia directed by Paula Ortiz with music composed by Avshalom Caspi. Most recently, Katerina was invited to join the Greek Chamber Music Project for a California tour with Uproot: Music From Asia Minor.

Gavrilos Kokonas

Born on Thassos, Gavrilos Kokonas grew up surrounded by rebetika and songs from Asia Minor, and embarked on his musical journey aged fifteen, drawing on his family’s heritage. While working as a teacher in Alexandroupolis, he joined the troupe of the venerated Chronis Aidonidis in 1989, as a laouto, oud and saz player, and performed with him until 2005; in the following years he also released his own albums, composed music for the theatre, and performed with a number of celebrated musicians in Greece and around the world. He and his beloved Syrmatenia live (and fish!) on the island of Thassos.

Pavlos Carvalho

Pavlos Carvalho is one of the founding members and director of the Rebetiko Carnival. As a bouzouki player and cellist he has performed in festivals throughout the UK and abroad such as Brighton, Chichester, Sidmouth Folk, The Proms, Equator: Women of the World festivals. He has performed in venues ranging from the Green Note and Vortex to the Royal Albert Hall, Purcell Room, Royal Festival Hall, Barbican, Sage Gateshead, Lincoln Centre New York, Teatro dal Verme Milan, among others. His performances outside Europe have taken him to China, Australia, Russia and the US.

In 2012 he founded the Rebet Asker: Greek Roots Series at the Green Note, London, which has now established itself as the longest running Greek music series in the UK, currently in its 11th year. His love of outreach work, taking him to hospitals, hospices, residences for those with special needs and prisons, led him, together with close musical friends to build the Rebetiko Carnival as a charity and festival with philanthropic work at its centre.

Event Details

Doors open: 13.30

Music starts: 14:00

Music finishes: 16.30

Please note, the price at the door is £15 (General Admission), £11 (Students and under 18s). Cash only payments.