The traditional music of Greece’s Epirus region will be offered as a course at the Hellenic College Holy Cross in Boston, one of the city’s most important academic institutions, starting in the next academic year.
The course will delve into the rich musical heritage of Epirus, renowned for its distinctive polyphonic singing and instrumental traditions. Students will explore the historical context, cultural significance, and musical characteristics of Epirus’ music, gaining a deep understanding of its role in shaping Greek cultural identity.
The course, titled “The Music of Epirus,” will be taught by distinguished musician, composer and lute virtuoso Vasilis Kostas, who was recently nominated for a Grammy Award.
The initiative began following a proposal by Kostas himself, which was officially accepted by Hellenic College Holy Cross, to promote Epirus music in an international academic environment. This is the first time that the music of Epirus has been given an institutional place in a curriculum at an American institution.
The course will begin in September 2025 and will be available online, giving access to students from all over the world. During the spring semester, it will be offered in a hybrid format, with classes also held in person in Boston, offering experiential learning and direct contact with the tradition.
Kostas has performed at renowned venues like Carnegie Hall and the Montreal Jazz Festival and collaborated with legendary clarinetist Petroloukas Halkias on the acclaimed The Soul of Epirus albums. His work also includes participation in Grammy-nominated pianist Danilo Pérez’s project, The Global Messengers.
In a recent interview, Kostas said, “The path that brought me here began with my childhood listening in Ioannina and lessons alongside important traditional musicians, such as clarinetist Andreas Fakos, continued with my studies at the Berklee College of Music in Boston and culminated in the collaboration over the last ten years with my mentor and clarinet legend, Petroloukas Halkias.
“With these experiences in my luggage, I took on great responsibility to create the proposal for the Epirus music course at Hellenic College Holy Cross, which was accepted.”
He added that the course is designed so that students from America and Greece would be systematically introduced to the diversity of Epirus music and learn about its basic characteristics, as well as the historical and social history of the region.
“The aim is to open a new window into Greek culture and civilization for the participants – and possibly into the roots of some students from the Greek diaspora.”
He stressed that teaching will not be limited to theory and analysis, but will be based on listening, participation, and singing.
