Tasia Papanikolaou

Born in Amfissa, in the Prefecture of Phocis, Central Greece. She studied architectural design at the Doxiadis School. Between 1965 and 1991 she worked at the architectural office of the NTUA professor Yannis Despotopoulos, and of Ilias Skroubelos, and from 1977 she was an associate at the office of Kyriakos Krokos.

In 1971 she became a member of the Greek Folk Dance Group ‘Eleni Tsaouli’, and met Domna Samiou; since then, she has been taking part in her concerts both in Greece and abroad, as a member of the dance group. In 1994 she started attending Domna Samiou’s folk singing classes at the Museum of Greek Traditional Instruments, becoming a member of her choir.

As Domna’s close collaborator and assistant in all of her activities, she manages the vast amount of all information that consists her personal archive. In 1992 Domna Samiou put her in charge of the classification and filing of her recordings as well as of the overall organisation and digitisation of the Association’s archive. Moreover, she has been Domna’s assistant producer in her recordings. She is an active member of the website’s team.

Source: Tasia Papanikolaou

Records

Carnival songs with their ritual bawdiness – ‘sacred in the profane’ – disturbed the prudish devotees of tradition. The recordings come with a detailed booklet analysing the pagan and ritualistic context in which these songs are performed.
These “sacred in the profane” songs of the Carnival with their ritual bawdiness disturbed the prudish “devotees” of tradition. The records are accompanied by a detailed booklet analyzing the pagan and ritualistic context in which these songs are performed.
Carols, wishes and praises for Christmas, New Year and Epiphany. Some less and some more well-known, coming from various regions of Greece (2011).
This videotaped stage performance, held at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus on 2005, includes songs and rituals related to the cycle of the agricultural year,.
This edition aims to convey the spirit of Easter, the Christian feast celebrated amidst the glory and promise of springtime, through the selected rituals of that period of the year and their related sacred songs and tunes.
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.
Tales of the fabulous and the fantastic combining the real world with the supernatural. Narrating stories, often tragic, which might once have occurred – or could do so one day.
Here Domna collected some of her most favourable songs: slow and tranquil songs, melodious and sad; songs of sorrow and of love, of parting and of loved ones far away.
This CD includes songs and tunes in “7 beats to the bar” (the rhythm of kalamatianos dances) and in “9 beats to the bar” (the rhythm of zeibekikos and karsilamas dances) with lyrics and melodies both erotic and sorrowful.
Songs of Asia Minor by Domna Samiou. Live recording from the concert ‘Songs of Asia Minor with Domna Samiou’ at the Megaron, the Athens Concert Hall, on 8/3/2005. Traditional songs from the western coasts of Asia Minor, Propontis, Constantinople, Pontus and Cappadocia.