Kyriakos Kostoulas

(1934–2023) | Born in Malakasi, Kalabaka, Trikala, into a family of musicians. He was a self-taught clarinetist; he began studying the clarinet at the age of 10, and by 16 he was performing professionally at weddings and village festivals in the region. From 1960 onward, he settled in Athens, where he gained wide recognition and took part in thousands of radio and television programs as well as numerous recording sessions.

He collaborated with leading singers and musicians, including Stelios Kazantzidis, Yiota Lydia, Kaity Grey, and Foteini Mavraki, as well as prominent performers of the Greek folk tradition. He possessed a deep knowledge of musical idioms from all over Greece and excelled particularly in the Thracian repertoire, working for many years with Chronis Aidonidis and Karyofyillis Doitsidis.

His playing was distinguished by its authentic folk character and great expressiveness. He was regarded as one of the most important and beloved clarinetists of his generation.

Source: Yiorgos E. Papadakis’ archive

Concert at the “Nea Poria” theatre, 1973
Concert at the “Nea Poria” theatre, 1973
Themistocles Angelis (violin), Kyriakos Kostoulas (clarinet), Domna Samiou, Stavros Adrianos (oud), Mathios Balabanis (goblet drum)

© Domna Samiou Archive

Concert at the “Nea Poria” theatre, 1973
Concert at the “Nea Poria” theatre, 1973
Themistocles Angelis (violin), Kyriakos Kostoulas (clarinet), Domna Samiou

© Domna Samiou Archive

Songs

Souravli – Greek Flutes and Pipes
  • SongMacedoniaFlorinaInstrumental

Omorfoula

  • Η ομορφούλα ⬥ Instrumental tune, a local dance from Florina with Kyriakos Kostoulas (clarinet). Recorded in 1974.
Farewell, Holy One
  • SongCentral GreeceLament

Redhair Wife of the Priest

  • Ρούσα παπαδιά ⬥ Syrtos dance song from Central Greece with Domna Samiou. Recorded in 1973.
Songs About Greeks Far From Home (LP)
  • SongThessalyImmigration Song

When You Go off Abroad, My Love

  • Σαν πας πουλί μ’ στην ξενιτιά ⬥ Immigration dance song from Thessaly with Chrysostomos Mitropanos. Recorded in 1989.
Songs About Greeks Far From Home (LP)
  • SongMacedoniaImmigration Song

White Doves O Mine, White Ring-Doves

  • Άσπρα μου περιστέρια ⬥ Immigration song from Macedonia with Domna Samiou. Recorded in 1989.
Farewell, Holy One
  • SongMacedoniaLove SongTable Song

Yesterday or the Day Before I Passed by

  • Εψές προυψές επέρασα ⬥ Table love song with Yiorgos Bagiokis. Recorded in 1973.
Farewell, Holy One
  • SongAsia Minor (Western Coast)SmyrnaInstrumental

Zeimbekikos of Smyrna

  • Ζεϊμπέκικο Σμύρνης ⬥ Instrumental tune, also known as “Ayvaliotiko”, with Kyriakos Kostoulas (clarinet), Yiorgos Koros (violin), Nikos Stefanidis (kanun), Karyofyllis Doitsidis (oud). Recorded in 1973.
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Records

Farewell, Holy One
  • AlbumLP1974EMI Columbia

Farewell Holy One

One of Domna Samiou’s most characteristic LPs through which younger generations familiarized themselves with traditional folk music.
Songs About Greeks Far From Home (LP)
  • AlbumCD, Digital release1992UNHCR – The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

Songs About Greeks Far From Home

This CD, published by UNHCR with an informative booklet, includes sixteen songs narrating different aspects of migrating to foreign lands: departure and life in foreign lands; the lives of families left behind; death in foreign lands or a return home.
Songs About Greeks Far From Home (LP)
  • AlbumDigital release, LP1989UNHCR – The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

Songs About Greeks Far From Home (LP)

This LP includes nineteen songs narrating all the different aspects of migrating in foreign lands: the departure and the life to foreign lands, the life of the family left behind, death in these foreign lands or the return home.
Souravli – Greek Flutes and Pipes
  • AlbumLP1974EMIAΛ Columbia

Souravli – Greek Flutes and Pipes

LP is dedicated to Greek instrumental folk music and especially to wind instruments such as the different types of pipes: flute, mandoura, gaida, pipiza, gavala.
My Precious (Tzivaeri)
  • AlbumLP1972Lyra

Travelling in Greece with Domna Samiou

Domna Samiou had the general musical supervision of this important LP including twelve songs most of which are interpreted by her accompanied by local traditional musicians. As in all previous LPs, the songs are representative of all areas of Hellenism and are performed without any alteration in lyrics or music.
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