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A musical journey to the Greek islands (Part 2)
Hello! I’m currently in Skyros, my late grandfather’s home island, a great place to unwind, relax and enjoy some peace and quiet. One may argue that most Greek islands are such places. True. However, there is a very good reason why Skyros tops that list. The island is home to Skyros Center, Europe’s first course-based holiday center. Located in the middle of the Aegean, Skyros is the largest and southernmost of the Sporades islands (the other three of the group are Skiathos, Skopelos, and Alonissos). I’ve been here for a few days now, having driven all the way from Thessaloniki (a six-hour drive to the east coast of Evia, followed…
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A musical journey to the Greek islands (Part 1)
Hello! It’s been 10 days since I arrived in Greece. So far, I have stayed in my hometown, Thessaloniki, but I will soon visit Skyros, my late grandfather’s home island. Although Skyros is a short flight from Thessaloniki (25-30 minutes), I’m going to take the long way round: drive to the east coast of Evia (6 hours), then take the ferry to Skyros (an hour and a half). Once upon a time, I would have made several mixtapes for the road. Instead, I have compiled a 3-hour playlist, a musical journey to the Greek islands. Today, I’m sharing the first half of my playlist, 22 songs in total. A musical…
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10 Icelandic films and TV series to watch
Last year, I embarked on ‘a musical journey to Iceland‘, a country that I am yet to visit in person. Then, I went on ‘a cinematic journey to the Nordic countries‘, whereas earlier this year, I embarked on a wellbeing journey inspired and accompanied by the Icelandic pianist Víkingur Ólafsson. Since then, I happened to have watched several beautiful Icelandic films and TV series. So, today, I’m embarking on another virtual journey to the Land of Fire and Ice to re-visit those Icelandic films and TV series I’ve watched. Icelandic Films The County ‘The County’ (‘Héraðið’) was one of the first films I watched at the cinema, once cinemas were…
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From the Travelin’ Soldier to gaslighting
I have been a Dixie Chicks fan since the early noughties, when I realized that there was more to country music than the country-pop crossover hits by Shania Twain, Faith Hill and LeAnn Rimes. Back then, the American band, composed of Natalie Maines, Emily Robison (now called Strayer) and Martie Maguire, was on the top of the US country music charts, and their albums were selling millions of copies. Then, in 2003, the US invaded Iraq, and the Chicks (as they’re currently called) embarked on their Top of the World Tour, came to London, and the rest is history. Fast forward 17 years later, the trio has just released ‘Gaslighter’,…
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My favorite books and films about traveling
Globetrotters and travel enthusiasts like myself have recently found solace in reading books or binge-watching TV series and (feature or documentary) films. Although these activities are by no means substitutes for traveling, they can still take us to all those places we wish to visit but can’t (or may not yet want to) physically travel to. For instance, unable to travel to Greece this summer, I recently published the post ‘Traveling to Greece through film & music’. Then, a few weeks later, my friend Deborah sent me a link to the article ’10 of the best novels set in Greece – that will take you there’ recently published in the…
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A classical music journey to Austria
Happy 4th of July! Today is a national holiday in America, commemorating the Declaration of Independence of the United States, on 4 July 1776. As a non-American living in London during the lockdown, I have no plans to celebrate the Independence Day (well, I might listen to some country music). Nonetheless, I have a very good reason to celebrate today. Around the world, most of the music festivals scheduled to take place this summer have been canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This is not however the case with the Lockenhaus Chamber Music Festival (Kammermusikfest Lockenhaus) which is taking place from 2 to 11 July. Since I am not able…
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Bergen International Festival, Music & Silence
Established in 1953, the Bergen International Festival takes place from 20 May to 3 June 2020. Each year, the program includes over 400 events taking place over 15 days in more than 70 venues in and around Bergen. This year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, most of the events have been canceled, but there are still more than 50 events taking place in empty venues; these events are streamed online for free. They include music, theatre, dance, opera and visual art performances. Last Sunday, I watched the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra performing Edvard Grieg’s A minor Piano Concerto in Grieghallen. Considered the Bergen International Festival signature work, the Piano Concerto in…
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Traveling to Greece through film & music
The London Greek Film Festival has been taking place every year since 2008. This year, however, the festival will move online due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Under normal circumstances, the screenings would have taken place at the Theatro Technis, an independent theatre in Camden, North London. The festival, due from 13 to 16 May 2020, showcases feature, short and documentary films either by Greek film-makers (no matter where they are produced) or simply related to Greece. According to the organizers, the festival showcases ‘films from Greek Origin Individuals and Production Companies from all over the world, or International Individuals and Production Companies from all over the world, with film or…
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A wellbeing journey with Víkingur Ólafsson
I recently watched the Icelandic pianist Víkingur Ólafsson performing live from his new home in Reykjavík. In that video, Víkingur played three pieces by Bach, Rameau and Debussy, but also talked about the power of music to take us on a journey, to transport us to another place, and to stabilize emotional turmoil especially during times of crisis. Unfortunately, that video is no longer available on YouTube, so I’m sharing today other videos with Víkingur Ólafsson on the piano. The power of music to stabilize emotional turmoil during a crisis As both a musicophile and a Psychiatrist, I am in total agreement with Víkingur Ólafsson. In fact, I have previously…
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Celebrating the International Jazz Day
Hello! Today, it is the International Jazz Day. A few years ago, UNESCO designated April 30 as the International Jazz Day to highlight jazz and its diplomatic role of uniting people in all corners of the globe. The inaugural International Jazz Day took place in 2012 in New York, with celebrations also taking place in Paris and New Orleans. Since then, the International Jazz Day is hosted by a different city (and country) each year. Subsequent host cities include Istanbul, Osaka, Paris, Washington DC, Havana, Saint Petersburg and Sydney (together with Melbourne). This year, Cape Town has been designated the Global Host City for the International Jazz Day 2020. Due…