Kathy Tzilivakis

 

HAVING captivated audiences in countless nightclubs and concert halls, the sounds of the bouzouki are now set to be heard at the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games. 

 

If all goes according to plan, a group of 50 Greek bouzouki players, including children as young as 10, will share the stage with other musicians and performers during the next Summer Games. 

It’s been an Olympic feat by Yiannis Polykandriotis, a London-based bouzouki maestro who opened that city’s most popular bouzouki school more than a decade ago.

 

And since the musical performances during Olympic opening ceremonies are among the most watched events ahead of the actual competition, Polykandriotis says he is vigorously preparing for the day the dynamic Greek sound and rhythms of the bouzouki will fill the Olympic stadium in London and capture the ear of millions around the world. 

 

“My students are second- and third-generation Greeks,” Polykandriotis says on the phone from London. “Many of them didn’t even speak Greek when they came to me. But they’ve learned through the music. We’ve accomplished so much over the years and it will truly be a great joy to show this to the world.”

 

Here Polykandriotis explains the process of selecting what music will be played at the Games and what it means to him being a purveyor of Greek culture abroad.

 

 

Yiannis Polykandriotis: Yes. I thought it would be a great idea for these children to play a part in the Olympics. I sent a letter with my proposal to the organising committee and they responded positively. Now we are at the second stage of our preparation. We will be scheduling a meeting with the organisers in the coming days so they can see us perform. 

 

 

It’s very important in the sense that it will be a once-in-a-lifetime chance for them to show what they’ve accomplished. They want their hard work to be recognised. I think it will be a tremendous experience for them and it will also serve as an example for other children of Greek immigrants. It’s very important for the second- and third-generation Greeks to keep their heritage alive. 

 

 

I would like us to perform during the opening ceremony when the Greek team enters the stadium. 

Another idea I have is to take Elton John’s recording of the song [Candle in the Wind 1997] for Princess Diana and adapt it for the bouzouki. It’s something that I know I can do well, if we get permission to do it. 

 

Or the organising committee can tell us what they would like us to perform. This will all be discussed soon.

 

They have such a big will and desire to succeed. They have a strong belief in themselves that they can reach the sky, which for them is the Olympic Games. It really will be something extraordinary to see third-generation Greeks - the grandchildren of Greek immigrants - take the stage at the Olympics. It’s what I have been working towards all these years. 

 

It’s touching to see an 8-year-old boy with absolutely no knowledge of the Greek language to now be able to listen to Greek music and understand it and then all of a sudden this boy starts to speak Greek fluently. The boy also begins to play Greek music and to really get to understand our culture.