Dimitris Yfantis
Singing – Dimitris Yfantis
METHOD OF INTERPRETING AND LEARNING A TRADITIONAL SONG
Its analysis and the steps of its reconstruction. The importance of lyrics in traditional song, recognizing key words, and how to express them within the melodic structure. An introduction to the modes and scales of traditional music, including the basic major and minor tetrachords and the Epirotic pentatonic scale. The significance of understanding rhythm and how to approach it correctly. Teaching the human voice as a musical instrument and ornamentation techniques that assist in the accurate interpretation of a traditional song.
Biography
Dimitris Yfantis was born and raised in Ioannina. At the age of 21, he began singing regularly at student venues in the city. At 25, he moved to Athens, where he studied classical singing and oud with Haig Yazdjian for two and a half years. Today, he plays more than ten instruments, including strings and wind instruments.
Since beginning his recording career in 1997, he has collaborated with major Greek artists such as Dimitra Galani, Haris Alexiou, Alkistis Protopsalti, Tania Tsanaklidou, Melina Kana, Maria Dimitriadis, Maria Farantouri, Dimitris Mitropanos, Kostas Hatzis, Glykeria, Nikos Portokaloglou, Dimitris Basis, Manolis Lidakis, Vasilis Papakonstantinou, Eleonora Zouganeli, Fotini Velesiotou, Peggy Zina, Vasilis Saleas, as well as composers and songwriters including Mikis Theodorakis, Stamatis Kraounakis, Lina Nikolakopoulou, Thanos Mikroutsikos, Manolis Rasoulis, Nikos Xydakis, Giorgos Andreou, Kostas Livadas, Ypogeia Revmata, Orfeas Peridis, Pantelis Thalassinos, Sokratis Malamas, Nikos Moraitis, and others.
In 2002, along with Erofili and Nikos Kouroupakis, he formed the vocal group TRIFONO, achieving two platinum and three gold records as both a singer and songwriter.
He has performed internationally in Australia, Turkey, Italy, Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina, the USA, Cyprus, and Belgium. In Greece, he has appeared on both small and large stages across the country, including prestigious venues like the Onassis Cultural Center, the Athens Concert Hall (Megaron), and the Odeon of Herodes Atticus.
To date, he has released four albums with TRIFONO and five solo albums. His songs have been performed by Sokratis Malamas, Yiannis Haroulis, Yiannis Kotsiras, Eleni Tsaligopoulou, Pantelis Thalassinos, TRIFONO, Ypogeia Revmata, and the Spyros Lampros Children’s Choir.
He has also contributed as a performer or songwriter to albums by other artists. Since 2016, he has composed music for theatrical productions.
For over a decade, he has taught traditional singing and traditional instruments at the ARS NOVA – NEES TECHNES Conservatory in Ioannina. He has also taught traditional singing at the Department of Music Studies in Arta, the Municipal Conservatory of Ioannina (for one year), and the Philippos Nakas Conservatory (for one year).
In December 2022, he received a distinction in the “Open Platforms – Bridges” competition, co-organized by EDEM and the Athens Concert Hall.
