BIOGRAPHY

  I was born in Athens (Greece) on June 26, 1977.

  I graduated from the 13th Lyceum of Athens (Greece), in 1995. In the same year, I started my music studies, in the “National Conservatory of Athens”, taking courses of Classical Piano, Classical Theory, Classical Harmony and History of Music for five years. I also took Lessons on Classical Singing for three years.

 

  In 1998 I started studying Jazz Music in “Athenaeum Conservatory”, taking Voice Lessons and Jazz Repertoire with Sofia Noiti, Jazz Improvisation, Jazz Phrasing, Jazz Harmony and Workshops with Sylvios Syrros, Jazz Piano with George Kontrafouris, Dimitris Kalantzis and George Katsanos, History of Jazz with Zack Samuel and  Theory of Jazz, Ear-training and Dictée with Tasos Zois.

 

  I graduated from the Jazz Department of “Athenaeum Maria Callas Conservatory” in 2004, taking an A degree in my Diploma. My teachers have distinguished me for my special skills in: Prima Vista, rhythmic, melodic and harmonic comprehension, Acoustic Memory, fluency in Dictée (melody and chords), dynamic and touching singing performance.

 

   I have attended various seminars on Voice Technique such as:

- Voicecraft seminar with Alison Bagnall (Founding Director – Voicecraft, Speech Pathologist,Voice Specialist).

- Special Seminar on Speech Level Singing with Heather Kefalas (SLS Vocal Instructor), which included private lessons on SLS voice technique as well as teaching on Stage Fear Treatment.

- Seminar on Speech and Voice Therapy with Elpida Koutsoubaki (Speech Therapist, Voice Specialist, Psychologist) and exploration on the anatomy and physiology of the voice with Dr Constantinos Lambropoulos (MD Otolaryngologist, Voice Specialist, Voice Surgeon, President of the Athens Voice and Swallowing Center) and Stella Santzakli MSc., CCC-SLP (Speech language pathologist, Partner Vice President and Voice Therapist at Athens Voice and Swallowing Center).  

 

  I have also attended “The Singer’s Workshop” with Robert Bicknell (London College of Music singing teacher and vocal producer), which mainly included techniques and special exercises on voice liberation. Moreover, I have attended master classes on Jazz Singing and Improvisation, Jazz Phrasing and Vocal Performance with famous Jazz Vocalists, Educators and Composers, such as Sheila Jordan, Sheila Cooper, JD Walter, Deborah Carter and Gretchen Parlato. In the last few years, I have attended seminars on Drama therapy and Music therapy.

 

  I have taken courses on Speech Training, Theatrical Improvisation and Musical in the "Theatre of Changes" and have also been taught techniques on Stage Appearance and Stage Fear Treatment. 

 

  I have participated in more than 50 Concerts of the Musical Workshops of “Swinging Jazz Athenaeum”, and have also performed with several groups in various music scenes in Athens, such as Fones, Parafono, Baraki tou Vasili, Estoudiantina, etc.. I am proud to have collaborated with many exceptional musicians of the Greek Jazz Scene, such as Serafeim Bellos (drums), Filipos Poulimenos (Tenor Sax), Manos Loutas (bass), Kostas Kouvidis (drums), Giorgos Mikros (Jazz piano), Giannis Kasetas (Alto Sax), etc.

 

  I am the lead voice of "Jazz it Up".  The band consists of five members (voice, el. bass, drums, piano-sax and el. guitar) who are all professional musicians working in the music industry during the last 15 years. All members of the band have performed as session musicians with many well-known Greek artists from all musical genres. OUr basic motive in forming this group is our love for Jazz and the improvisational capability of this music to approach other musical styles. Jazz it Up program is based on Jazz funk and soul, it’s upbeat and fun and appeals to a wide age group.

 

 

  In 2005 I started teaching private Singing Lessons, Improvisation as well as Theory of Modern Music, Music Scores Reading, Ear-training and Dictée. My teaching method focuses on technique and vocal performance. Main fields of my technique include: warm ups, vocal range extension, tone enhancement, vocal empowerment, diaphragmatic breathing and general performing arts skills (song styling, phrasing and lyric interpretation). 

 

 I speak English (Certificate of Proficiency of Cambridge) and German (Kleines Deutsches Sprachdiplom).

 

 My aim is to keep singing any sort of music that intrigues me and participate in musical activites that express me. I love to teach and being taught.