Music Syntagmata are found in the references of Aristotel’s “Politica”, in pseudo-Ploutarchos and in references for the theory and systematization of ancient greek music. They are cited as systems of studying modes. 

It is about a theoretical and practical system the foundation of which is Hellenic Harmonic Science, as it was introduced by Aristoxenos of Tarantum the Musician and the later music theorists.

As a definition, Music Syntagmata, appears in 2003 with the  foundation of  Specialization in Greek Traditional (folk) music of the Department of Music, Science and Art, of University of Macedonia and particularly in the class of professor Ilias Papadopoulos. Papadopoulos put in use the Theory of Music Syntagmata in order to create a system of analysis and studying of the Harmonic Material.

In these days, Music Syntagmata  are taught by Lefteris Passias, in the class “Melos of Trigenia” and the research and analysis continues as a part of his phD study.

Through the classes and the research as a whole, four Music Syntagmata were brought in use, and each one of them to be a part of a particular Armonic genus or chroa. Every Music Syntagma presents the seven parts of Harmonic Science (tone, intervals, systems, genuses, modes, changes, composition) in coordinates of intervals for every musician that would like to study them. Through understandable diagrams, which present in an easy way the systasis of modes, the relation of intervals between tones of the mode and the vocal movement, every musician could study them, could use many modes without having to know them “by heart”, to create his/her own modes and, last but not least, to use  them in his/her own music.  For every case of mode there is the relevant diagram which shows its full analysis. Furthermore, there is a descriptive analysis of every case and tips for using each of the examples. In this way, it is created a full frame of the harmonic material and the musician is free to use it. This research is for every musician that feels comfortable with his/her instrument (whichever instrument that would be, including his/her own voice). 

In this way, concepts like trichord, tetrachord, pentachord are  understood in theoretical and practical level, the musician is encouraged to use them, combine them in order to create his/her own harmonic material, which will use in his/her own improvisation/analysis/composition of this/her own music. 

In this workshop, the participants will have the opportunity to experiment and get familiar with the basic forms of improvisation with the proposed pedagogical tool. It is for music teachers, students and musicians who are familiar with their instrument and want to learn how a modal system is structured and studied. They will get diagrams and will be asked to participate in creating music in real-time or there is, also, the possibility to get in contact with the instructor and send him the compotitions after the workshop. There will also be a co-instructor, George Pappas, that will present examples of the modes that will be used in the workshop on his musical instruments (ude and lafta). 

This proposal is linked with the proposed oral announcement “Music Syntagmata – a new pedagogical tool for the hellenic modal system. 

• Εκπαίδευση εκπαιδευτικών
• Διδακτική μουσικών οργάνων και μουσικών συνόλων: φιλοσοφία, μεθοδολογίες και καλές πρακτικές

Lefteris Passias : Lefteris Passias was born on 1985 at Serres. He graduated Music School of Serres and he has the Music theory degrees. He is graduate of the Music Science and Art department of the Macedonia University in Composition and his master is on Poetics (art of composition – Melopoiia – Poetry in Traditional Music). Since Octomber 2017 Lefteris Passias is a phd student at the same department on Poetics. He also works as a professor of music in special education and he teaches Melos of Trigeneia at the Music Science and Art department of the Macedonia University. He has been rewarded many times for his music and paedagogical work and his phd research got shollarship by IKY.