VASILIS KOSTAS ENSEMBLE

music from Epirus, Greek
Boston, Massachusetts

Vasilis Kostas, a Grammy-nominated performer on the laouto (a long-necked, fretted lute with four paired strings), represents the next generation brought up in the musical traditions of Epirus, a region in northwest Greece known for music with strong melodic lines, mournful lyrics, and slow rhythms. Born and raised in Ioannina, Greece, Vasilis grew up listening to his grandfather sing each night—an early exposure that ignited his passion for this musical tradition. A key mentor in his journey has been Petroloukas Halkias, a living legend of the clarinet and master of the Epirotic tradition. Together, they have toured extensively across the U.S., Europe, and Greece, and recorded two acclaimed albums, The Soul of Epirus Volume I & II, which showcase their deep musical dialogue and commitment to evolving this rich tradition. 

The music of Epirus has an immense and expressive repertoire, blending joy and sorrow, paying tribute to people no longer alive or to those living in far-away lands, and celebrating life and nature. Its unique musical idioms stand apart from other Greek musical traditions, with instrumental and vocal pieces often based on pentatonic sounds and slow tempos. Central to Epirotic tradition are panegyria—multiday, music-filled religious festivals that gather communities to mourn, honor, and celebrate what remains. Traditional instrumentation features clarinet, violin, laouto, defi (frame drum), and vocals. The clarinet and violin, central melody instruments, lend the music its distinctive slides, inflections, and ability to powerfully evoke human emotion; while the laouto, traditionally an accompanying instrument, has become a solo voice in the hands of modern master Vasilis Kostas through the guidance of his mentor, Petroloukas Halkias. 

Vasilis Kostas first learned from his grandfather and local elders in Epirus. “I remember being five years old and my grandfather coming to our house at 9:00 p.m. and singing very old traditional songs from Epirus,” he recalls. “… When you have this routine every day, you get to know this music. You get to know the culture.” Vasilis took up the guitar to accompany his grandfather, later performing at weddings and local events. A move to the United States to study jazz guitar at Berklee College of Music unexpectedly brought him back to his roots: playing the laouto for a presentation of Greek music in Spain, he rediscovered his love for Epirotic music. 
Vasilis completed his master’s degree under his mentor, renowned pianist, Danilo Pérez, with whom he performed internationally and earned a Grammy nomination. At the same time, he studied closely with laouto master Christos Zotos in Athens, continuing the work of adapting laouto technique and transforming it into a leading voice within the ensemble. 

Vasilis is the first to introduce a course on the music of Epirus in the U.S.; his new course will begin at Hellenic College Holy Cross this September. At the Lowell Folk Festival, Vasilis will be joined by talented rising musicians performing Greek traditional music on voice, violin, and the laouto. 

Vasilis Kostas has a special connection to Lowell—his great-grandfather came to the United States around 1960 and landed in Lowell, where he spent the rest of this life with his wife and two sons.

Artist website and social media:

vasiliskostasmusic.com
facebook.com/vasiliskostasmusic
instagram.com/vasiliskostasmusic
YouTube Channel

Videos: