Workshops in Mirtos on Crete

The workshops / seminars on Crete are organised by Ano Kato every year in the beginning or the end of the summer in the beautiful village of Mirtos in the South of Crete. 
Michiel Koperdraat leads the seminars. 

The seminars contain two blocks every day: three hours in the morning and one and half hour in the afternoon, after siësta!

And in the evening... then it all starts for real!

What to do when you have to cope with two and a half hours delay on the airport of Groningen-Eelde? Just sit and play! 

This way time flighs and the atmosphere is rising. During the flight there was enough time to listen to the repetoire for preperation.

The community building in Mirtos is an ideal rehearsal room.
Lots of space and light, good acoustics, good chairs, good and patient neighboars, and a good atmosphere!

Sometimes we did split the group in order to dive deep in some musical tradition elements and to polish some subtile songs, played by a more limited companion.

's Avonds spelen in het dorp, in één van de vele tavernes.
Spelen bij 'Glyko-Giannis' blijft een groot genoegen. 
Een heerlijke taverna in een prachtig steegje.

The 'Platanos Experience': 
Making a lot of 'noise' with a lot of mucisians in the tiny micro bar of Panayiotis !

The end presentation of the workshop week.The performance at Gianna and Manolis' place: Mirtos Tavern.

Every time a big succes for al the participants, experienced or not.

After rehearsal immediately a nice dive in the pool of Kastro (swimming under the olive tree!). 
This participant with his Adonis-like body was treating us on an elegant game of art swimming !  We all were in stitches, haha.

Wim changed his 4-string bouzouki for a real good 'trichordo', made by Georgos (living in Mirtos). The old one ends as wall decoration.

Playing in Mirtos Taverna

The after-party with Manolis Dimitriadis from Rembetiki Kompania. Manolis came to Mirtos because of the elections at that moment.

Recording of Ali Pasha (traditioneel)
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See all video's of this workshop!

For these workshops we use the community building of Mirtos, a beautiful and acousticly well sounding room with good chairs and good atmosphere. And in the evening... then it all starts for real!

Pictures from Jaap vd Gevel and others

The end-presentation to the village people on posters on every corner, also in Ierapetra. 

It became a crowdy evening. 

Breakfast at Dick & Siemons place in Mertiza.

Jur plays directly in your ear while you are 
playing a taximi !

This time: ney, sandouri en davouli! 
Oké Jannie and Hans, Ainte!

Stamatis is a real fan !

...and Jan is alfa's kefi...

...and Jur and Michiel also!

First evening in Hotel Mirtos, a real warming up. 
Of coarse we start with the local spirit: tsikoudia!

In the taverna of Michalis.

Grande finale in the street in front of Mirtos Tavern with all the locals.

For this workshops we were allowed the use of the town hall of Mirtos, a nice, cool hall with great acoustics and comfortable chairs.

We worked hard and devotedly for the whole week: from 10 am until 1 pm, and from 6 to 8 pm. Fortunately, in between we had time for a small siesta. And in the evenings…. Well, that was when the fun really started!  

Photographs: Leon vd Berg, Fenny Geijssen, Jaap vd Gevel and Erna Koperdraat

The locals enjoyed themselves more and more listening to those over-eager Dutchmen who simply could not stop playing music! Here and there bottles of homemade raki found their way to the tables: fuel for the artists!  

Beautiful Mirtos! 

As a matter of fact, during these weeks the workshop never stopped. Participants kept on playing and performing at night too, either at the apartments up in the village, or in the local tavernas. 
So, apart from our two official presentations on the last Friday night, you could stumble upon our musicians everywhere. Practice makes perfect! 

Playing at Panayotis’ taverna Platanos.

Playing at Michalis’ tavern, and Kostas' tavern (under)

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Performance for the whole village at Mirtos Tavern.

Here an impression of the year before.

Both the young and the old danced and danced !  

Villagers who were able to, jammed along.  

Between rehearsals, enough time was left for a little R&R. The pictures below were taken at the apartments ‘Aliki’, high up in the village. Here, our course-members stayed this year. As you can see, the view was great! 
Also, the place is a little separated from the village so we could ‘make noise’ until the wee hours of morning without fear of disturbing other people.  

Time for a tasty breakfast in the village!  

Playing at Michalis’ tavern.

Playing at Kostas’ Petrinos Taverna.  

One of our performances for the whole village at the Beach Tavern and at Mirtos Tavern. Lively and cheerful, and of course we played our music and danced way into the night!