Born in 1976 in Athens. He grew up in a family of deep musical tradition, with the sound of the Pontic lyra; his grandfather played the lyra as well.
At the age of seven he began his music studies at the Hellenic Conservatoire of Athens and in other conservatoires. Up until he was fifteen he played the bouzouki. In 1991, he joined for two years the dance society of the Pontic Association of Agia Varvara ‘O Faros’, where his first contact with the Pontic tradition took place. The following year, he started lyra lessons at the ‘Efxinos Pontos’ Pontic Association of Korydallos, with Yiorgos Amarantidis, who also helped him cultivate and develop his talent in singing.
At the age of nineteen he released his first personal album entitled Ego Pontiopoul’ eimai ta’ onoma m’ en Ilia. Apart from lyra he also plays the Pontic bagpipe and the flute. Other personal albums include the following: Pontos… opse – osimeron kai panta and Avdes Pontou.
He has participated in many concerts, events, music and theatre shows, in Greece and abroad, playing the lyra and singing. He has also collaborated and participated in the recordings of many artists.
He teaches the lyra as well as the Pontic dialect and music; moreover, he writes lyrics and composes music. He has also created works for musical theatres, on the history and culture of the Pontic Hellenism.
Source: Ilias Yfantidis
