Bouzouki player, Dean Georgalas, set to amaze in The Melbourne Rebetiko Ensemble

·

Dean Georgalas has been playing the bouzouki since the tender age of 9 but more recently, the COVID-19 pandemic forced him to adapt his musical talent for the online world.

Cue the second digital installment of The Melbourne Rebetiko Ensemble which is set to take place this Friday, June 26 at 7pm. The Ensemble will be streamed live on the Facebook pages of The Greek Herald and Rebetika in Melbourne, and Dean says he’s proud he gets to perform Rebetiko music from his favourite artists.

“I’ve been playing the bouzouki for 38 years. I was inspired by some of the great artists such as Georgios Zampetas and Manolis Hiotis. It’s that unique sound which resonates and draws you in,” Dean tells The Greek Herald.

The second Melbourne Rebetiko Ensemble is set to take place online this Friday, June 26 at 7pm.

“So when I play I’m in my own world. Away from everything! I can express my feelings through my music. It’s truly special. Rebetika allows you to feel the music and connect like no other style.”

But how does Dean feel about sharing his music and “his own world” with thousands of viewers who will tune in to the digital concert on Friday? Because let’s not forget, the first concert reached more than 19,000 people.

READ MORE: Melbourne group perform Rebetiko concert online for the first time ever.

“I’m extremely excited. Initially, I was quite sceptical but after the feedback and the difference we felt we had made, it has really made us appreciate our audience and our fans so much more,” he says.

“We are always looking at different and better ways to perform. We are constantly updating and adding to our repertoire. We also have a great choice of songs for this second performance.”

The Melbourne Rebetiko Ensemble can be streamed live on the Facebook pages of The Greek Herald and Rebetika in Melbourne.

Works by Vassilis Tsitsanis, Sotiria Bellou and Giorgos Mitsakis are expected to be performed, along with original music from the Ensemble’s upcoming CD, ‘To Monopati,’ which is available for digital purchase and download.

Taking part in the online performance will also be founding members of the Ensemble including Stavrina Dimitriou (vocals), Achilles Yiangoulli (vocals/guitar) and Con Kalamaras (baglama/vocals).

A grouping which Dean calls a “diverse bunch” who are excited to see where the future takes their magical music making.

“We all have a strong passion for what we do. We are all so very dedicated and every gig is an absolute buzz,” Dean exclaims. “So I think as long as we have the people’s support, we might have a third ensemble. Why not! Third, fourth…”

It’s clear there are some exciting times ahead.

The Melbourne Rebetiko Ensemble can be streamed live on the Facebook pages of The Greek Herald and Rebetika in Melbourne on Friday, June 26 at 7pm.

Advertisement

Share:

KEEP UP TO DATE WITH TGH

By subscribing you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.

Advertisement

Latest News

Step into the world of mental health with Georgia Cassimatis’ latest book

Greek Australian author and journalist, Georgia Cassimatis, has released a book all about exploring the world of mental health.

GOCNSW Welfare Service to put a spotlight on cyber security awareness

The Greek Orthodox Community of NSW’s (GOCNSW) Welfare Service has organised three Cyber Security Awareness education and training workshops.

Marriage of a Greek woman abroad: What to watch out for

It is during this registration process that numerous problems arise, which are not dealt with immediately but later on.

Athena Competition Greek winners show olive oil diversity

By Lisa Radinovsky from Greek Liquid Gold. At the 10th anniversary edition of the ATHENA International Olive Oil Competition in Chania, Crete, Greece in May, 175 Greek olive oils...

Greece’s island communities face population crisis

The demographic decline in Greece is hitting its islands hard, with Lemnos and Agios Efstratios showing alarming signs of aging populations.

You May Also Like

Greece’s Foreign Minister welcomes Egypt’s demarcation of western maritime borders

Greece's Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias has welcomed Egyptian President el-Sisi’s decree delimiting the western maritime borders of Egypt.

Cyprus expects arrival of 600,000 tourists by August

Yiannis Karousos is expecting a tourism boom as a result of the restriction relaxations, with the minister predicting 600,000 passengers in August.

‘It’s in our blood to fight for what’s right,’ says Randwick City Councillor, Harry Stavrinos

Since 2012, Councillor Harry Stavrinos has been serving the constituents of West Ward and the Greater Randwick community.