Oudcafe.com
Title
WELCOME TO THE OUD CAFE HOME PAGE
Description
Hi, my name is Mavrothis Kontanis. I live in the USA, but my family is originally from Halkidiki, Greece. I've decided to pursue music, and my main interest is of course in the oud and Middle Eastern music. Greek music is naturally a part of the Middle East because of the thousands of years of history and interaction among all the cultures of the area, including the Greeks from ancient times, through the Byzantine and Ottoman eras, until today.
Each part of Greece and former Greek lands has its own indigenous culture and traditions. The folk music I play originates mostly from Asia Minor (present day Turkey), and the influence of this music (Smyrneiko) is very strong in Halkidiki due to a major influx of refugees there during the catastrophe of 1922-1923.
Today we can enjoy a Middle Eastern musical heritage that includes influences from Persian, Arabic, Armenian, Turkish, North African, Byzantine, and of course from the ancient cultures of Egypt, Mesopotamia, and Greece, among others. There have been many Western influences also, meaning that we have unlimited possibilities in Middle Eastern music today. Ottoman Classical Music is a very rich mixture of all these influences, and I believe within it is a very helpful and logical system for learning to play the oud.
Languages
English
