The Panteion University Choir was founded in October of 2014, initially as a project of the Communications, Media and Culture department of our University. It was created by assistant professor Charikleia Tsokani, and conductor and singing teacher Yiannis Vryzakis. The goal was to establish a polyphonic music group within the University, comprised of students who did not have any prior music education, without auditions and with no barriers on the basis of musical ability. The dynamic created among the chorist students, as well as the meticulous manner of working, quickly transformed the group into a contemporary Mixed Choir, which now represents Panteion University, doing standalone live performances, musical tributes, while also cooperating with other creative or scientific institutions, both within and outside the sphere of the University.
The Choir has had numerous distinguished appearances. During the Christmas season of 2016, the Choir participated in the original theatrical musical piece “A Horsey Name”, a loose adaptation of the short story of the same name by Anton Chekhov, directed by N. Diamantis, choreographed by Angeliki Sigourou, and with music by M. Zacheilas. The production was performed in the Russian Cultural and Scientific Centre of Athens. In 2017, the Choir took part in an extensive tribute to the music of the October revolution, on the occasion of its 100-year anniversary. After being invited by political and cultural institutions, the Choir took part in the International Conference for the October Revolution, hosted by the University of Peloponnese on October 23rd 2017, as well as in the exposition “Memory and Revolution – Contemporary Greek Visual Artists” hosted by the Athens School of Fine Arts, on February 12th 2018. In March of 2018 the Choir performed G. Minas’ composition “Iroes Chronoi”, based on K. Karyotakis’ poetry (‘Iroiki Trilogia/Heroic Trilogy’, 1927) in an arrangement for voice and percussion. In October of 2018, working together with the Berlin based Greek-German choir Polyphonia, whose repertoire is exclusively in Greek, they paidtribute to Greek music through a series of performances in Athens and in rural Greece. During the Easter season of 2019, the Choir presented G. Faure’s Requiem, in collaboration with renowned soloists and other artists (Marilena Striftobola-Soprano, Dimosthenis Stavrianos-Baritone, orchestral ensemble Musica Raeda/Dimitris Dimitriadis) at the Anglican Church of Athens and at the conference centre of Metamorfosi. In July of 2019, they participated in a choral duet with the university choir Charite Berlin at Panteion University, while on Christmas of the same year, they co-performed G.F. Handel’s Messiah (Oratorio, Christmas Portion) with soloists Sofia Papadimitropoulou (Soprano), Filippos Modinos (Tenor), Dimosthenis Stavrianos (Baritone), as well as the orchestral ensemble Sinfonietta Hellenica/G.Galanis. The performances were held at the Anglican Church of Athens and at the Metamorfosi conference centre. During the nationwide restrictions due to the pandemic, the choir continued their work within the permitted guidelines and conducted a virtual concert of Mikis Theodorakis’ repertoire in partnership with the Polyphonia Berlin choir. They also collaborated with the HBC Modern Music Orchestra in a radio production and professional recording of Christmas carols composed by upcoming new artists. The final work was broadcast on the radio programs Second Program and Foni Tis Ellados on Christmas 2020.
Yiannis Vryzakis has been the conductor of Panteion University Choir since 2014.