The Friends of Music Society, in its aim to support and strengthen Greek music creation, expanded its basic artistic pursuits with research and educational objectives.
Specifically, the Society decided to include in its activities the recording and study of Greek traditional music and its dissemination through the use of modern computer networks and products.
In 1995, the programme “Recording, study and promotion of Greek traditional music” began, starting from Thrace (the prefectures of Evros, Rodopi and Xanthi).
The research programme “Recording, study and promotion of traditional music of Thrace ” took place during the period 1995 – 2000. During this period of time, a total of 38 research missions were carried out in 65 towns and villages in Thrace and the Thracian diaspora, such as the Thracian communities in Macedonia and Chernopolie in Ukraine.
More than 2500 songs, instrumental music and story-telling samples were recorded in 116 130-hour digital films and 1000 analogue audio tapes with interviews. Video footage of around 4000 hours and 12000 photographs and slides were also collected.
This material, after being processed in individual files, has been rendered and categorised.
This project was implemented thanks to the kind sponsorship of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation