CANTAlaloun
CANTAlaloun, the colourful, intercultural musical community on the island of Lesvos, has already been active for nine years. It was founded in 2016 by Mariza Vamvoukli. The identity of the group evolves continuously, influenced both by its coordinator as well as by the flow of many different members who join the choir. Polyphony is at the main core of this choir not only as a musical practice but also as a way of co-existing, where each "voice", opinion and expression is respected. CANTAlaloun counts many collaborations with artists from Greece and abroad. It has organised several singing, musical theatre and body percussion workshops.
Mariza Vamvoukli
Mariza Vamvoukli, graduated from the Department of Musicology at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. She completed MA degrees in Music Education and Community Music. She received an award from UNESCO for her educational contribution in the borderland. Community music and non-formal education is where she finds herself most fulfilled. Her main activities are intercultural children and adult choirs, which welcome immigrants and refugees and support their social inclusion through the universal language of music. She founded Polyphonica Aegean, an intercultural children's choir, CANTAlaloun, an intercultural adults' choir and Fractals, a vocal ensemble. She finds close collaboration with other musicians a very effective and inspiring tool of practice and a live model of active cooperation. She believes deeply that education is the forming of impressions on the soul.