On October 24, 2015, the Athens Concert Hall hosted a special and big concert entitled “200 guitars for Manos”, which was dedicated to the 90th anniversary of the birth of Manos Hadjidakis (Xanthi, October 23, 1925-Athens, June 15, 1994).
The concert was conducted by Vangelis Boudounis with the participation of many instruments and musicians.
The highlight of this concert, however, was “The Guitarists“, an orchestra conducted by Hadjidakis for the first time, whose music dominates all its programs.
From Rethymno the beginning of the musical journey
As Vangelis Boudounis writes in his note on the musical tribute to the 90th anniversary of the birth of M. Hadjidakis at the Megaron:
“The story with guitar orchestras begins in 1984. That year, the first Guitar Seminar was held in Rethymno, Crete, where several guitarists from all over Greece had gathered.
At the end of the seminar we thought of doing a concert. But because there were so many of us, and the concert would be huge, I decided to play something together. I shared notes and we started studying and rehearsing.
Manos Hadjidakis, who, at my invitation, came to Rethymno to teach at the seminar, listened to our “strange” orchestra, was thrilled by this new sound and decided to conduct the rehearsals and the historic first concert of the “Guitarists” himself. at the Mosque of Rethymno ”.
So, the first concert with guitars started its long musical journey through time from the beautiful Rethymno in 1984 with Manos Hadjidakis and Vangelis Boudounis, while until today it gives us wonderful melodic, but also nostalgic moments!
Photo credits: boudounis.com
