Διαλογισμός σε Κίνηση και Ακινησία: Το Εσωτερικό Εργαλείο (Antaḥkaraṇa)Γιώργος Φωτιάδης, Μαριάννα Αστρακά, Θύμιος Ατζακάς
25 March 2026Agios Lavrentios Dance Orchestra
Workshop and coaching on brass, string and percussion ensembles
Coordination: James Wylie, Fausto Sierakowski
Duration: 30 hours
Hours: 10.00 – 14.00 & 17.00 – 19.00
(the hours may be adjusted to meet the needs of the workshop)
Language: English, Greek
25 - 31 August
(25.8 arrival date / 31.8 departure date)
Inspired by the Arabic orchestras of the 1950s, this ensemble aims to include all instruments: plucked and bowed strings, percussion, winds.
From Eastern melodies to funky Afro riffs, from Gospel harmonies to Greek dance rhythms, we'll orchestrate, play and compose pieces which focus on the rhythmic elements of melody and how these fragments can interconnect and layer, one on top of the other, to make a giant groove machine!
We'll work on rhythmic and modal improvisation as well and use techniques such as "Conduction" to make the orchestra feel like a living creature.
James Wylie
Saxophonist, clarinetist and composer James Wylie (b.1986), currently based in Thessaloniki, Greece, grew up in Wellington, New Zealand and was introduced to music through classical repertoire at a young age. After experience with piano and violin he settled on the saxophone in his teens serving as his introduction to jazz and improvised music.
James studied at the New Zealand School of Music in Wellington where he received his Bachelor of Music. During this time he was active both locally and internationally and was the recipient of prestigious awards such as grants from both the NRW KULTURsekretariats, Aotea Performing Arts Trust and the Woolf Fisher Trust. The latter
of these two awards allowed him to continue formal study at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, MA. He graduated in 2010 with a Masters of Music (Honours) in Jazz Performance. Whilst in Boston he studied privately with many renowned musicians, both in Boston and abroad, such as Hayden Chisholm, Frank Gratkowski, Anthony Coleman, Jerry Bergonzi, Allan Chase, Dominique Eade, John McNeil, Cecil McBee, Bill McHenry, Tony Malaby and Chris Cheek. In 2011, James reclocated to Berlin involving himself in a wide variety of musical activities and collaborations with dance and theatre.
He has also performed or recorded in more than twenty-five countries internationally, in major festivals such as Moers Festival, Les Suds à Arles, Festival D’Aix-En-Provence, Udaipur World Music Festival and many more as well as with musicians such as Gunther Schuller, Sokratis Sinopoulos, Harris Lambrakis, Giannis Aggelakas, Hayden Chisholm, Max Andrzjewski, Thimios Atzakas, Antonis Anissegos, Michalis Siganidis, Anna Webber, Kostas Theodorou, Elias Stemeseder, Sam Rivers, Wayne Shorter, Jonathan Crayford, Kostas Anastasiadis, Bob Moses, Cecil McBee and as well as having created music for Boston-based, Company1.
As an educator James has many years of experience teaching saxophone, music theory and composition and has given workshops throughout Εurope and the rest of the world at institutions such as the Paris Conservatoire, the New Zealand Jazz Foundation and Jazz Workshop Australia.
His musical interests include the investigation of microtonality and its application to the saxophone and extending the technique of the instrument. James is also involved in study of overtones and non-tempered intonation systems and developing an improvisational language for solo saxophone performance. Other areas of interest are the music of Greece, Iran, Armenia, Turkey, and the near east and continuing instrumental studies with Sina Danesh on the Iranian kamanche and persian radif.
Fausto Sierakowski
Fausto Sierakowski was born in Paris, graduated from the Santa Cecila Music Conservatory in Rome and obtained a Masters degree from the New England Conservatory in Boston in 2012 under the direction of Anthony Coleman.
He has performed and recorded with musicians such as Matt Moran, Anthony Coleman, Joe Morris, Hayden Chisholm, Evgenios Voulgaris, Thymios Atzakas and Axel Dörner.
In 2016 he moves to Greece to study Ottoman classical music with Evgenios Voulgaris.
Since then he has performed with the Ensembles of Evgenios Voulgaris, Thymios Atzakas, James Wylie as well as musicians such as Avgerini Gatsi, Maria Ploumi and Kostas Tsarouchis.