KONSTANTINA ANDREAKOU

Interview: Maro Voulgari | Photo: Stefanos Georgiadis

«Choir singing is sharing»

Konstantina Andreakou has intertwined her life with the music and choirs of Paros. On the occasion of this year’s award won by the Archilochos Choir in an international competition in Romania, she takes us on a melodic journey.

‘I come from a musical family. I’ve breathed and lived music from a young age. There was always a piano in the house –my grandmother and aunt played and sang. For me, it was clear very early on that I would pursue music.

Then came the conservatory, where I completed my studies under Liana Haratsi, and music theory under Kostas Varotsis, and I also studied sociology.

After my PhD, it was time to look for a job. I sent out CVs everywhere and received an invitation from Spyros Pavlakis, who had taken over the artistic direction of the Municipal Conservatory of Paros. That’s how I ended up on the island, initially living in Athens and travelling to teach, and in a few years, as appointed music teacher as well, something I’d always wanted since I had specialized in the Orff system.

So I started teaching at the school in Naoussa, and when, in 2020, I became principal at that same elementary school, this had a special emotional meaning for me.

In addition to the school choir, we started a choir within the Naoussa music and dance ensemble. It was a children’s choir and that’s where we began to win a number of awards. At the same time, along with the Dutch conductor Orfeas John Munsey, who was a great mentor to me, we created an a cappella vocal ensemble as part of the activities of the Aegean Center for the Fine Arts.

So I was both a teacher and a chorister, which gave me the chance to see things from both perspectives. It was an intense experience because I was deeply involved in every aspect. When the conductor left, it was time for me to take my own initiatives.

So I created a choral singing workshop at the Municipal Conservatory titled ‘The Body Sings, the Voice Plays,’ through which we participated in various festivals. Then the moment came when I took on the task of reorganizing the adult choirs.

So that was a pivotal moment, when old and new choirs came together, with Nikos Sarris inviting his former choristers and, symbolically, handing me the baton.

From that point on, our progress was rapid. We immediately reorganized the Archilochos Choir, which had been inactive, and it felt as though the choir had come back to its home.

Our first appearance with this choir was on a national holiday where, under Giorgos Gemeliaris’s direction, we sang inside the Baptistery of Ekatontapyliani. It was our vocal ensemble’s first outward expression.

From that moment on, we kept taking on more and more engagements, including travelling off the island for competitions and festivals.

Eventually, in an international competition in Romania, we submitted three versions of Christmas carols: from the Cyclades, the Byzantine tradition, and from Propontis. And we won the grand prix as well as the audience award.

Our dreams include setting up an International Choir Festival at the end of each June –featuring numerous guest choirs and a choral workshop, and obtaining special permission to sing inside the church. With lots of work, respect and inspiration, I believe we’ll accomplish both of these goals as well!’