Antonis Martsakis

Musician and singer. He was born in Athens in 1979. At the age of six, he began his apprenticeship in Cretan dances in the Cretan Association of Piraeus "I Omonia". His first teacher in Cretan dances was Andreas Marianakis. At a young age, he began violin lessons with Kostis Pachakis, and later with the violin master Michalis Kounelis.

He taught violin at the Venizelio Conservatory of Chania until 2011 and from 2012 he established his own music school in Chania where traditional music instruments of Crete are taught.

He works systematically on Rizitika songs and his work has been released in collaboration with Seistron Musical Publications (Chania, Crete).

Source: Antonis Martsakis

website Facebook

Songs

d27
  • SongCreteChania, LakkoiFable Song (Ballad)

A Maid Bidding Farewell

  • Μια κόρη συναπόβγανε ⬥ A maid was seeing her husband off to foreign parts holding a candle out for him to see, tankards of wine for him to drink. And as the wine poured forth, the words did too: – You’re leaving, Konstantinos my love, what would you have me [...]
d25
  • SongCreteHistorical SongCretan Rizitiko

Great Joy Across the Land

  • Ούλες οι χώρες χαίρουνται ⬥ Great joy across the land, great joy in every village and all in the best, the best of spirits save Rhodes, poor ill-fated Rhodes. Great joy across the land, great joy in every breast save ill-fated Rhodes that stands defenceless. Three years bombarded now from [...]
d32
  • SongCreteAcritic SongCretan Rizitiko

Last Night I Crossed Rivers

(The Death of Digenis)

  • Οψές επέρνου ποταμούς ⬥ Last night I forded rivers and crossed bridges and heard sighing and wondered what it was. Digenis is fighting for his life and the world cowers, the sky thunders and lightning flashes. The whole upper world is shaking, and the underworld is gaping open, its foundations [...]
d27
  • SongCreteFable Song (Ballad)

Mavrianos and the King

  • Ο βασιλιάς και ο Μαυριανός ⬥ Mavrianos and the king were dining in a garden. Having nought of note to discuss, the talk turned to blonde girls and curly-headed girls, to girls with dark black eyes and how there wasn’t one in the world that couldn’t be seduced. – I [...]
Τα χελιδόνια τση Βλαχιάς
  • SongCreteChania, KambanosHistorical Song, National Legends and LamentsCretan Rizitiko

The Swallows of Vlachiá

(The Sack of Adrianoúpolis)

  • Τα χελιδόνια τση Βλαχιάς ⬥ The swallows of Vlachiá and the birds of the West weeping late and weeping early, weeping at noon, weeping for ravaged Adrianoúpolis sacked on all the year’s great feasts at Christmas for candles, on Palm Sunday for laurel and on Easter Day for the ‘Christ [...]
d32
  • SongCreteAcritic Song

When Kostantis Was Begging

  • Όντεν εδικονίζετο ο Κωσταντής ⬥ When Kostantis was begging in foreign lands,
 he walked the streets and crossed the narrows
 wearing his monk’s habit short, his sword appeared,
 his silver sword [in its golden scabbard.
 A princess spied it from high up in the palace.

 – That’s no monk and [...]
SEE MORE

Records

d24
  • AlbumDVD2007Domna Samiou Greek Folk Music Association

Domna Samiou Sings Songs of Nature and of Love

This videotaped stage performance, held at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus on 11th of October 2005, includes songs and rituals related to the cycle of the agricultural year, rewarding human labour and telling of man’s relationship to nature.
d32
  • AlbumCD, Digital release2017Domna Samiou Greek Folk Music Association

Epic Songs of Warriors and Heroes

The publication includes 30 songs, inspired by the popular tradition of story-telling, relating tales of brave warriors, both high-ranked lords, and lowly soldiers. Centering on heroic Digenis, they originate from all parts of Greece. The publication also contains a detailed booklet analyzing the history surrounding the songs, and their interpretation. […]
d27
  • AlbumCD, Digital release2008Domna Samiou Greek Folk Music Association

Folk Fables in Song

In fables, fragments of ancient myths are preserved. On this CD, Domna Samiou & her collaborators sing tales of the fabulous and the fantastic combining the real world with the supernatural and narrating stories, often tragic, which might once have occurred – or could do so one day – however […]
d25
  • AlbumCD, Digital release2007Domna Samiou Greek Folk Music Association

Songs of History and Heroes

The retelling of fine, magnificent, heroic deeds from the past has always inspired a future path for every nation, the weft on which its future is woven. Austere and Doric, as stern as the heroes they describe, these songs from history function both as chronicles and musical myths, and as […]
SEE MORE

Concerts

s404
  • Concert
  • 11/10/2005

Domna Samiou Sings Songs of Nature and of Love

Traditional songs and events that follow the course of the cycle of the year. Starting from the autumn, which marks the beginning of the working and ecclesiastical year, a harvest revival, events of the twelve days of Christmas, Easter festivities, Saint John of Kledon customs, and summer festive events.
SEE MORE