my journey
An Ambassador of Greek Music
Petros Gaitanos was born and lives in Greece. He has studied European and Byzantine music at the Athens Hellenic Conservatory and received his degree with honors.
He is recording, registering and performing the three basic repertoires of his country, the Greek composers, the broader Hellenic traditional music and also the ecclesiastical-Byzantine music, to which he has mainly devoted his career to this day.
He has cooperated with the greatest Greek composers, such as Mikis Theodorakis, Giannis Markopoulos, Stamatis Spanoudakis and others, who have composed songs just for his voice. He has given concerts in all the important landmarks of his country, attended by thousands of spectators, whereas he has held many concerts around the world, giving on stage the music and the poetic word of Greece in concerts and festivals.
During his career, he has released 56 CDs, most of which have become golden and platinum, whereas he is the only artist in Greece who can study, perform and communicate so uniquely and successfully the broader tradition of his homeland to all generations.
Almost since the beginning of his career, he has been recording discs with Byzantine hymns, thus he has so far recorded 42 CDs with hymns, among which the album “Ta Thia Pathi (The Holy Passion)”, 1997, which is the live recording of his concert in Easter 1996 in the Athens Cathedral with hymns of the Passion Week. This album also contains the wonderful “Hymn of Love”, from Paul the Apostle’s First Epistle to the Corinthians, a hymn that becomes a great success from the lips of this unique artist. The disc sells greatly, becomes golden granting Petros huge success and love from all the Greek people, while at the same time, he becomes the main interpreter of this eternal expression, which becomes so successful for the first time.
In total, he has recorded discs with hymns of the most important holidays and personages in Christianity, while in 2012 he is completing and releasing a historical work of his, under the title ‘ Holy Scriptures, from the New Testament Texts’ , where the artist records and directs in audio the entire New Testament, by inviting dozens of top-ranking actors and musicians, resulting to a milestone work for Petros Gaitanos, extending to 21 CDs and 24 listening hours, which is already making a great success.
In this work, the artist is studying, directing and creating an innovative project, based on the New Testament, through narrations, ancient musical instruments from the broader Mediterranean area that were in use at the time when Jesus set foot on earth, as well as traditional instruments, modern sounds of latest technology, along with many hymns which designate the most important facts as they were described by the four Evangelists and the Apostles. In 2015 directing and creating a play about the life, speeches and the hymns of Saint Paisios from the Holy Mount Athos, extending to 6 CDs.
Traditional Music
In March, 1998, he presented the album titled “Agheras, Erotas and Armyra, apo ti Mavri stin Aspri Thalassa (Wind, Love and Saltiness, from the Black to the White Sea)”, which quite soon became golden. At this point, Petros Gaitanos is in the beginning of a personal recording on a disc of some important moments of the Hellenic traditional music. Songs from Asia Minor, Constantinople, the Aegean Sea, Pontus (the exquisite song “The mother is like fresh, cool water (The song of the mother)”, which is included in this CD, has been really loved by people, granting him great success). These albums comprise a reference point to the acknowledgement of tradition. Petros Gaitanos, as an experienced and successful producer by now, accompanies these releases with detailed booklets and cooperates with exceptional musicians and folklorists of the Greek tradition. Three more albums follow, featuring traditional songs from Macedonia, Pontus as well as Thrace, which also sell to a great extent.
At the same time, the artist performs live in different parts of the planet symphonies written on his voice, with material inspired from exceptional people and expressions of the Greek people and Orthodoxy. He cooperates with great symphonic orchestras from all over the world and interprets new and older works. Some representative concerts are: “Ode to St. Cassianos”, a work for Cyprus, by a Cypriot composer – poet, in cooperation with the National Symphonic Orchestra of Cyprus under the auspices of the President of the Republic of Cyprus. He interprets for the first time worldwide at the Athens Concert Hall the new work “Ode to Alexander the Great”, with a symphonic orchestra and a choir, while the same work is presented again in Summer 2005 in Herodeon (Herod’s Odeon) receiving amazing reviews, reaching a peak with the presentation of the same work at the Pyramids of Egypt, in cooperation with the Symphonic Orchestra and the choir of the Cairo Opera, under the auspices of both the Greek and the Egyptian Government. That was the first time ever that an artist was allowed to perform by the Pyramids. He travels to Festivals representing Greece. In 1996, sponsored by Greece and the Public TV, he sings at the Mediterranean Festival of Malta along with representatives from another 50 countries, while in Summer 2005 the Greek Government sends him as a representative of the Greek music to the National Festival of Ephesus and he performs in the packed ancient theatre the Greek music from Byzantium up to the contemporary Greek composers, while he makes the audience cheer by singing Turkish songs. He cooperates with directors and plays a leading role in theatrical performances, such as “The City is Conquered” , “From Theogony to the Conquest of Trapezounda” singing and acting on a supporting role. It is worth mentioning that a crucial aspect of his interpretative evolution is his successful – as it has been proved – creative work with Byzantine music. He is one of the few Greek singers who transfer the memories of tradition to the newer generations. Besides, he has his eyes focused on contemporary sound and contemporary singing, which he interprets with interest and a fervid soul, leaving his trail on that, too, and giving people well-loved, successful songs. Having Constantinople as a starting point and the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew characterizing him as a great part of the art of our country and an ideal example for the young people, he started a unique tour to churches, where, the audience, filled with special emotions, listens to him, chanting in their own way hymns which have been preserved throughout the centuries.
Ecclesiastic Byzantine Music
For most of his career, Gaitanos has been recording Byzantine hymns, thus far releasing 42 CDs. Among the more significant of these discs is Ta Thia Pathi (The Holy Passion), a live recording of his 1996 Easter concert in the Athens Cathedral. This album of Passion Week hymns includes the wonderful “Hymn of Love,” from Paul the Apostle’s First Epistle to the Corinthians, which the lips of this unique artist has made a popular success. The disc was certified gold, made him a treasure of the people of Greece, and launched his career as the main interpreter and popularizer of this ancient, yet timeless, form of expression.He has since recorded hymns relating to all the most important holidays and personages of Christian tradition. Currently, he is releasing in stages a major historical work entitled Holy Scriptures, from the New Testament Texts. Extending to 21 CDs and 24 listening hours, the project adapts the entire New Testament, incorporating narration, musical instruments from the Mediterranean region in use at the time of Jesus, traditional instruments, modern sounds, the latest audio technology, and many hymns. Under Gaitanos’s direction, dozens of top-ranking actors and musicians are participating in this innovative production, the initial releases of which have already proven very successful.
Gaitanos’s hymns have broken sales records, selling more than two millions discs and achieving gold status. Listeners young and old, from Greece and many other countries, have connected to the eternal themes he has made available to them through his art. For this achievement of religious and artistic expression, he was awarded special recognition from the Archbishop of Athens and All Greece, Ieronimos II, as well as from Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew.In addition to his Byzantine hymns, Gaitanos has produced a substantial body of recorded work in other genres of Greek music, including traditional Hellenic music. Among his more notable forays into this field is the album Agheras, Erotas and Armyra, apo ti Mavri stin Aspri Thalassa (Wind, Love and Saltiness, from the Black to the White Sea), which quickly went gold after its release in 1998. Other albums include Songs from Asia Minor, Constantinople, The Aegean Sea, and Pontus, which includes the exquisite “The mother is like fresh, cool water (The song of the mother),” now a much-loved song among the people of Greece. Recently Gaitanos has begun a new, personal recording project to capture the most important moments of the Hellenic music tradition.His artistic sensibility informed by the present as well as the past, Gaitanos is also accomplished in modern Greek musical forms. He has collaborated with the greatest Greek composers, including Mikis Theodorakis, Giannis Markopoulos, Stamatis Spanoudakis, and others, who have composed songs specifically for his voice.As result of his prolific output, Gaitanos is a skilled producer as well as recording artist and performer. He directs particular attention to the content and design of the detailed, supplemental booklets that accompany his CDs.
He collaborates with the most important actors and musicians of his country. At this point Petros Gaitanos reaches a sales record with hymns that go over 2.000.000 discs, hundreds of thousands of Greek people mainly, but also foreigners, tune in with the expression and the artistic creation of the important Greek artist, who inspires and sets an example for thousands of younger and older people from Greece and other countries of the world.
As a confirmation of his successful course, he received golden CDs with hymns for over two millions of all CDs he has released so far containing hymns, for the first time in Greek Discography. The artist was awarded a prize by the Archbishop of Athens and the Entire Greece, Ieronimos.
an ambassador of greek music
Petros Gaitanos was born and lives in Greece. He studied European and Byzantine music at the Athens Hellenic Conservatory and received his degree with honors. Beloved in Greece and known throughout the world, he records and performs the three fundamental repertoires of his country: the Greek composers, traditional Hellenic music, and, the focus of his career, ecclesiastical Byzantine music.Having released 56 CDs of music, most of which have been certified gold, platinum, and multiplatinum, Gaitanos is a preserver, interpreter, and ambassador of Greek culture. He has performed live to countless joyous audiences throughout Greece and abroad, sharing Greek musical forms with the world, and bringing the spiritual richness of his homeland’s ancient traditions to the people of today.
He presented the play “Ode to Alexander,” a new work performed with symphonic orchestra and choir. It was performed several times, first at the Athens Concert Hall; a year later at the Herodeon (Herod’s Odeon), where it received amazing reviews; and finally, reaching a peak of success, at the Pyramids of Egypt, with the symphonic orchestra and choir of the Cairo Opera, under the auspices of both the Greek and Egyptian governments. This was the first time that an artist was allowed to perform by the pyramids.
At the same time, the artist performs live in different parts of the planet symphonies written on his voice, with material inspired from exceptional people and expressions of the Greek people and Orthodoxy. He cooperates with great symphonic orchestras from all over the world and interprets new and older works. Some representative concerts are: “Ode to St. Cassianos”, a work for Cyprus, by a Cypriot composer – poet, in cooperation with the National Symphonic Orchestra of Cyprus under the auspices of the President of the Republic of Cyprus. He interprets for the first time worldwide at the Athens Concert Hall the new work “Ode to Alexander the Great”, with a symphonic orchestra and a choir, while the same work is presented again in Summer 2005 in Herodeon (Herod’s Odeon) receiving amazing reviews, reaching a peak with the presentation of the same work at the Pyramids of Egypt, in cooperation with the Symphonic Orchestra and the choir of the Cairo Opera, under the auspices of both the Greek and the Egyptian Government. That was the first time ever that an artist was allowed to perform by the Pyramids. He travels to Festivals representing Greece. In 1996, sponsored by Greece and the Public TV, he sings at the Mediterranean Festival of Malta along with representatives from another 50 countries, while in Summer 2005 the Greek Government sends him as a representative of the Greek music to the National Festival of Ephesus and he performs in the packed ancient theatre the Greek music from Byzantium up to the contemporary Greek composers, while he makes the audience cheer by singing Turkish songs. He cooperates with directors and plays a leading role in theatrical performances, such as “The City is Conquered” , “From Theogony to the Conquest of Trapezounda” singing and acting on a supporting role. It is worth mentioning that a crucial aspect of his interpretative evolution is his successful – as it has been proved – creative work with Byzantine music. He is one of the few Greek singers who transfer the memories of tradition to the newer generations. Besides, he has his eyes focused on contemporary sound and contemporary singing, which he interprets with interest and a fervid soul, leaving his trail on that, too, and giving people well-loved, successful songs. Having Constantinople as a starting point and the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew characterizing him as a great part of the art of our country and an ideal example for the young people, he started a unique tour to churches, where, the audience, filled with special emotions, listens to him, chanting in their own way hymns which have been preserved throughout the centuries.
It is also worth noting that Petros Gaitanos’s occupation with the art of music has as its centre his communication with God and with the people, through many kinds of music, having as his aim the true and the substantial spiritual gain. He is the only Greek artist who is not limited to the artistic expression of the material he interprets, but through the selected he reaches his target, thus becoming the bridge connecting the people with the Creator and the higher eternal values.
In 2019, he completes his first international work, entitled “Journey to Ithaka”, a unique Greek journey of music and words, ever since the ancient times up to the present. This work is about greek music from the ancient times up to the present day, starting from Homer’s Odyssey, C.P.Kavafy’s poem “Ithaka”, Greek Philosophers (Aristotle, Plato, Socrates), a stasimon (choral song) from a tragedy by Euripides, the oldest song ever found in human history, as well as the recording of the oldest musical instrument in human history. The artist sings in eight greek dialects and five languages. https://youtu.be/e1o9o7dZbHw This important work, which has been recorded on two cds, includes a special edition, a booklet with the words of the material in their original dialect, as well as translated into English. It will be firstly released in America for educational reasons, in universities and colleges of America, as ordered by the significant institution Faculty Resource Network (FRN) in New York University (NYU), the largest private university of the United States of America. FRN is a coalition of 54 colleges and universities in America, as well as in other countries. NYU has got universal centres all around the world. This work went on tour in the years 2020-2021 in various places around the globe, where it was presented live by its original contributors and there has been an enthusiastic response by both the people and the Media. The production was also released in Greece in 2019, with great success.
He travelled to Jerusalem and shot four documentaries at the exact places of the Christ’s Passion, in cooperation with the Public TV. The documentaries are watched by millions of viewers, giving extraordinary viewing rates, while the historical shootings with the interpretations and the face of the important artist are shown and shown again during the over the years with the same big success.
Petros Gaitanos is characterized-by priority- by his action as a Performer , Director of audio recordings of ecclesiastical material, Production Manager of cds, Narrator, Musician and Photographer and he has recorded so far fifty four (54) cds, most of which have been multiply certified Platinum and Gold. He has also given hundreds of concerts with many tours in Greece, the USA, Canada, Australia, Israel, Africa, Europe, Asia and Cyprus, where the audience sometimes devoutly attends his Byzantine approaches and other times cheers him in stadiums and theatres , while he uniquely performs traditional and contemporary songs.
There should also be mentioned his important occupation with photography which embraces almost all of his works and his creations in general. His archive contains more than a million photographs. At the same time, he gives concerts to different parts of the planet, where he becomes an ambassador of the Greek music to the other peoples who listen to it and discover the elevated art and expression of the Greek heritage.
For the next years, he will be working with artists and choirs in various parts of the globe, aiming to create a new way of expression through many musical genres from the global expression, always founded on respect for the eternal tradition. And the journey continues…
discography
THE DILEMMA (1990 – Polygram)
Music, Lyrics, Orchestration, Production: Stamatis Spanoudakis
GLASS RUNNER (1992 – Polygram)
Orchestration: Yiannis Ioannou, Yiorgos Theophanous
Director of Production: Yiorgos Macrakis
IN FIRST PERSON (1993 – Polygram) Orchestration: Antonis Mitzelos
Director of Production: Giorgos Macrakis
NINTH HOUR (1995 – Polygram)
Certified MULTI-PLATINUM
Ecclesiastical Byzantine hymns of the Holy Week
Narrator: Nikitas Tsakiroglou
Production Manager: Petros Gaitanos
MIKIS THEODORAKIS STATE D’ (1996 – Polygram) Music: Mikis Theodorakis
Lyrics: Manos Eleftheriou, Spyros Toupoyannis, Tassos Livaditis
Orchestration, Director of Production: Yiannis Ioannou
PASSION WEEK (1997 – Polygram) Certified MULTI-PLATINUM
Live recording of Athens Cathedral performance
Director of Production Art Supervisor: Petros Gaitanos
FREE SEAS (1997 – Polygram)
Orchestration: Nikos Kouros
Music: Yiannis Bouphidis, Pantelis Abazis
Lyrics: Rena Avgheri, Pantelis Abazis
Director of Production: Petros Gaitanos, Costas Kalimeris
WIND, LOVE AND SALTINESS (1998 – Polygram)
Certified PLATINUM
Traditional songs
Orchestration: Nikos Philippidis
Director of Production, Art Supervisor: Petros Gaitanos
LIGHT FROM LIGHT (1998 – Polygram) Certified MULTI-PLATINUM
Byzantine liturgical hymns of Christmas, New Year’s Day and the Epiphany
Traditional chants
I WILL CHANT HYMNS TO MY GOD AS LONG AS I EXIST (1999 – Universal Music)
Ecclesiastical Byzantine hymns (3 CDs)
Choir Directors: Yiorgos Naoum, Michalis Meletis
Director of Production: Petros Gaitanos
Limited Edition
LIKE FRESH COOL WATER (2000 – Universal Music) Traditional Macedonian songs
Orchestration: Nikos Philippidis
Director of Production, Art Supervisor: Petros Gaitanos
THE SOURCE OF LIFE (2000 – Universal Music)
Certified MULTI-PLATINUM
Ecclesiastical Byzantine hymns dedicated to the Virgin Mary
Production Management: Petros Gaitanos
Narrator: Giannis Fertis
SECRET PAGE (2001 – Universal Music)
Orchestration: Manolis Phamellos, Costas Yanniris, Stathis Drogosis
Director of Production: Manolis Phamellos
PENTECOSTARION (2003 – Universal Music) Certified MULTI-PLATINUM
Ecclesiastical Byzantine hymns of the Resurrection, the Ascension, the Pentecost,
the Holy Spirit and the Miracles of Jesus
Traditional chants
Narrator: Petros Gaitanos
Production Manager: Petros Gaitanos
BLOOD AND WATER (2006 – Universal Music)
Certified MULTI-PLATINUM
Narrators: Gregoris Valtinos, Phelarete Komninou
Photographs: Petros Gaitanos
Production Management, Art Supervision: Petros Gaitanos
IT BLOSSOMS AND BARES MORE (2006 – Universal Music) Traditional songs from Pontus
Photographs: Petros Gaitanos
Orchestration: Michalis Kaliontzides
Production Management-Art Supervision: Petros Gaitanos
THE HEAVENS NARRATE… (2006 – Universal Music)
Certified GOLD (4-CD box set)
Photographs: Petros Gaitanos
Production Manager, Art Supervisor: Petros Gaitanos
ANTHOLOGY (Universal Music 2006)
Certified GOLD (2 CDs)
Art Supervision: Petros Gaitanos
Photographs: Petros Gaitanos
ARCHANGELS’ ODES (2008 – Universal Music) Certified MULTI-PLATINUM
Collection of best hymns
(2 CDs + 1 DVD)
Photographs: Petros Gaitanos
Edition Supervisor: Petros Gaitanos
FOLLOWING IN THE TRACK OF A VOICE (2009 – Universal Music)
Certified GOLD (3 CDs + 1 DVD)
The Greatest Hits, The Best Traditional Songs, The Greatest Hymns,
Observing the Tracks of the Course
Photographs: Petros Gaitanos
Edition Supervisor: Petros Gaitanos
THE HOLY GOSPELS AND HYMNS OF ORTHODOXY (2010 – Universal Music)
Certified DOUBLE-PLATINUM (10 CDs)
Readings and songs of the life of Christ
Narrators: Gregoris Valtinos, Athena Sotiropoulou, Petros Gaitanos
Production Management, Artistic Supervision, Direction: Petros
Gaitanos
THE HOLY SCRIPTURES (2012 – Universal Music)
Certified GOLD (21 CDs)
Dramatic readings and adaptations of New Testament texts
Production Management, Artistic Supervision, Direction:
Petros Gaitanos
SAINT PAISIOS FROM THE HOLY MOUNT ATHOS (2015)
Certified MULTI-PLATINUM (6 CDs)
Speeches and hymns of Saint Paisios
Production Management, Artistic Supervision, Direction:
Petros Gaitanos
THE HAIL MARY PRAYER (2016 )
Certified MULTI-PLATINUM (2 CDs)
THE AKATHIST HYMN (THE UNSEATED HYMN) (2016)
Certified MULTI-PLATINUM (2 CDs)
THE SUPPLICATORY CANON TO VIRGIN MARY (2016)
Certified MULTI-PLATINUM (2 CDs)
TEACHINGS AND HYMNS OF ORTHODOXY (2017)
Certified MULTI-PLATINUM (2 CDs)
THREE DAYS (2018 )
The Mundane Death – Christ’s Descent into Hades – The Resurrection
Participate Petroloukas Chalkias
Certified MULTI-PLATINUM (2 CDs)
JOURNEY TO ITHAKA (2020 )
A Hellenic musical journey from ancient times up to the present