On Tuesday, 11 July 2023, a scheduled visit of the Vice-Regional Governor of the Evros Regional Unit, Mr. Dimitris Petrovic, with His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew took place at the Phanar. The purpose of the visit was to present to His All-Holiness the book “Hellenes Composers of Thrace”, published by the Evros Regional Unit of the Region of Eastern Macedonia – Thrace, as well as the offering to His All-Holiness of a significant number of reprints of the English edition of the book.
The meeting was attended by the President of the Association of Music Educators of Macedonia – Thrace and Dean of the School of Music Studies of the University of Ioannina, Dr. Athanasios Trikoupis, who is one of the authors of the book, and the Constantinopolitan composer-chorister and professor of Byzantine music, Dr. Demosthenes Fistouris, one of the performers of the works included on the cd, which accompanies the book.
The said study, co-authored by Georgios Konstantzos, Thomas Tamvakos and Athanasios Trikoupis, is today a work of reference for the musical culture of Thracian Hellenism and brings to light for the first time important information about dozens of creators of both eastern and western music originating from the wider region of Thrace.
The offered english reprints of the book may be used as souvenirs to be given to the overseas visitors of the Ecumenical Patriarch, to highlight the Hellenism of Thrace and its long-standing cultural presence.
The Patriarch heartily accepted the Region’s offer and discussed privately with the Vice-Regional Governor and the two University Professors about the book and about the prospects of disseminating its content.
Finally, proposals for cultural cooperation were made from both sides of the meeting, mainly for the presentation and dissemination of the work of Greek composers and musicians.