Nikos Theodoridis, Moderator

Creative free time, non formal and informal learning, community music, life long learning constitute some of the topics that during the last decades have drawn the attention of music researchers. The reason is that more and more people of every age group choose to dedicate a substantial part of their free time in musical practices in different contexts. Observing the community fabric, there are groups and individuals that for years, express in their own ways the above cultural needs, taking initiatives that coil interested people. This symposium is dedicated to an exceptional case for the city of Thessaloniki and Northern Greece: Kroustophono and its facilitator Christos Erkekoglou. For 25 years Kroustophono functioned as a core of music creation, learning and communication given its vivid presence in the community. Keywords for the multi-year activities of Kroustophono are: collectivity, experimenting, extraversion, and social consciousness raising. Kroustophono is a “multi-group” attempt that had the luck to acquire along time, pioneer Christos Erkekoglou, an untiring flag, a personality with very distinguished characteristics, as teacher, director, coordinator, and facilitator. 
On the one hand the Symposium will focus on the framework of Kroustophono’s activities and on the other hand on examining the characteristics of Christos Erkekoglou, and his roles, methods of teaching, and directing music ensembles (Miralis, 2013). More specifically, we will focus on the philosophical – music pedagogic principles of Kroustophono and the motivations of the participants (Stamou & Custodero, 2007), the pathways of communicating in and out of the groups as well as the impact that Kroustophono had to the lives of the members and the city public. Parallel to this, the importance of vibrant personalities and similar examples will be discussed widely, in the light of shaping the cultural life of a given place.

Studying Christos Erkekoglou’s work it becomes obvious that either when he worked consciously or intuitively he implemented cornerstone principles and practices that regard important musical and extra-musical themes. The repertoire of the Street Band shows that music is not approached as a universal language but it is utilized as a global phenomenon with dynamic interaction with the community (Elliott, 1989).
The emphasis during teaching or the performances of the Street Band to the artistic experience, accordingly with the standards of non formal adult education (Kokkos et al., 2011), as well as to emotion, show the deep belief of the facilitator Christos Erkekoglou that these elements help participants to develop creatively and to doubt the stereotypes and the values of the dominant culture. Other critical aspects are the importance of socialization and the care for the group’s potential (Kallio et al. 2021).

Yannis Miralis - Factors influencing the participation of adult amateur musicians in community ensembles

This presentation will examine participation of adult amateur musicians in community large ensembles (i.e., orchestras, choirs, wind bands). It will focus on demographic characteristics of members, motivation for participation in such ensembles and levels of musical engagement. Moreover, implications for music educators and community leaders will be shared and recommendations for promoting lifelong learning, socialization and inclusion through music.

Nikos Theodoridis & Polyvios Androutsos - Christos Erkekoglou through the eyes of his students and collaborators, as can be viewed from their answers to a questionnaire survey

May Kokkidou & Marianna Erkekoglou - Neighbourhoods and squares: the Kroustophono’s Street Band and its teacher-facilitator

Anastasia Grigoriadou - Christos of Kroustophono: musician and facilitator of solidarity

• Σύνδεση της μουσικής εκπαίδευσης με την καθημερινή ζωή
• Μουσική εκπαίδευση και κυρίαρχη κουλτούρα
• Μουσικές εμπειρίες, δια βίου μουσική μάθηση και ευζωία
• Μουσική αγωγή, κοινωνική δικαιοσύνη και ανθρώπινα δικαιώματα
• Η μουσική διδασκαλία-μάθηση σε τυπικά, μη τυπικά και άτυπα περιβάλλοντα
• Πολύτεχνες παραστάσεις στο σχολείο, στο ωδείο και στην κοινότητα

Polyvios Androutsos (Ph.D.) is a Music Education Specialist & Researcher. He has published numerous papers and articles in Greek and international music education journals, two books, and is also co-author of the 8th and 9th grade music textbooks for general public schools. He has given lectures and held seminars and workshops in Greece and abroad and has taught music in special, primary and secondary schools, as well as music education courses at the Department of Music Science and Arts of Macedonia University, and at the Department of Early Childhood Education at the Technological Educational Institute of Thessaloniki. Currently he serves as Music Education Specialist at the School of Primary Education of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. He is a founding member of the Greek Society for Music Education, where he served as president (1997-2003, 2006-2007), as vice-president (2003-2006), and from June 2007 as Honorary President. 

Anastasia Grigoriadou, journalist, ERT3 9.58’s radio producer

Marianna Erkekoglou  is a music educator, musician of African and traditional percussion, new director of Kroustophono, Kroustophono’s Street Band and Africaound’s ensemble facilitator.

Nikos Theodoridis (PhD in music education) is a graduate of the Department of Kindergarten Education and the Economy Department of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. He teaches Music and Music Education in the School of Early Childhood Education of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki as Special Teaching Fellow. He has taught Music and Music education in the School of Education of the University of West Macedonia. He has also worked in kindergartens and primary schools as well as in teachers’ education programs and has held respective seminars. He has composed a lot of children songs. He has created a music curriculum for preschool education and is the author of a book and co-author of two books, as a member of the Artistic-Pedagogic Group “Elate na Paiksoume”. He is a founding member of the GSME, where he has been member of the Board of Directors (2009-2012), and of Kroustophono.

May Kokkidou (MEd, PhD, post-PhD) was born in Thessaloniki. She is a music education specialist and researcher. She teaches as adjunct lecturer in the Post-Graduate Programs “Music Pedagogy” (European University Cyprus) and “Music & Society” (University of Macedonia). She is author of many books: “European Music Curricula”, “From kindergarten to early adulthood – Findings from a longitudinal study”, “Music Didactics”, “Music Video”, and “Music Definition and Music Education.” Her recent works focus on the areas of the music curricula studies, semiotics of music, philosophy of music education, and the multi-modal music perception.

Yiannis Miralis is Associate Professor of Music Education and Saxophone at European University Cyprus. His areas of interest are world music pedagogy, instrumental music education, wind ensemble conducting and history of Cypriot music education. Miralis has a rich teaching experience in schools and universities in Cyprus and the USA. He has presented workshops and papers in various conferences in the areas of music education, ethnomusicology and saxophone and his articles appear in music journals in Cyprus and the USA. Miralis is a board member of ECMTA and chair of the Forum for Instrumental and Vocal Teaching of ISME. He has extensive performing experience as a chamber saxophonist.