The traditions of mandolin music in the regions of Asia Minor and the Ionian Islands.

The cultural presence of the mandolin in Greece is linked to four different musical traditions coming from four different regions: Asia Minor, the Ionian Islands, Athens, and Crete. However, since the music has traditionally been passed on from generation to generation by means of oral transmission, and since traditional musicians are now in old age, all this heritage is about to be lost. During this project, I will focus on the musical traditions of Asia Minor and the Ionians islands. Fieldwork will provide an overview of the repertoire and an accompanying range of insights about unknown playing techniques and pedagogical processes that are severely lacking at the moment. The purposes of the project are to explore, document and record the repertoire, as well as the playing techniques that have evolved throughout the musical traditions of Asia Minor and the Ionian Islands; to develop and document a specific performance practice method for these two traditions; to enrich the mandolin's repertoire by bringing unknown repertoire and performing techniques to light; to improve improvisation skills of classical musicians; to inspire new composers to use the already existing instrumental techniques and stylistic characteristics that have been spread orally through the four traditions and create new contemporary music for mandolin.

Keywords:MANDOLIN, IMPROVISATION

Disciplines:History of music, Musicology and ethnomusicology, Performance studies

Project type:Collaboration project