KOUMPANEIA KOSTAS XALTIAS

The members of Koumpaneia Kostas Xalkias live in the mountains of Epirus in northwestern Greece, close to the Albanian border. They come from a Romany family with an ancient tradition of music-making. In this corner of the world, music is still an inseparable part of weddings, baptisms, funerals and engagement ceremonies. Koumpaneia Kostas Xalkias consists of two clarinets, violin, lute, accordion and percussion. For more than thirty years the group has been led by two brothers, both of them clarinetists. It is among the last exponents of the ancient and highly characteristic repertoire of northern Epirus, which includes both dances and slower, more open musical forms.

Last year the group gave concerts in France and Brazil.