The BRONZES OF GOUMENISSA by Alexandros Zora for a unique appearance at the Mylos club on
Monday 20 February 2012.

Brass sounds, intensity, explosive rhythm is some of the elements of a brass band. Sounds, tension and rhythms that accompany and co-exist daily with life, the feasts, the tradition of central-western Macedonia.

Clarina, trumpets, trombones and tambourines are some of the instruments that make up this unique timbre, as it was shaped and developed from the beginning of the century in Macedonia, but especially in the city of Goumenissa, birthplace of hundreds of folk organists today.

The “Bronze of Goumenissa by Alexandros Zora” is the most famous band in the region with the passion and talent of the musicians that make it up, is a genuine and important exponent of the musical tradition of central-western Macedonia.

Alexander (Aleck) Zoras, born in 1966 in Goumenissa of Kilkis. He is a descendant of a large musical family of the region.

He started from a very young age with music accompanying his father Vozikis (Manoli) at various events such as weddings and festivals, where he took his first clarinet lessons.

His father is one of the old Goumenissa organists who switched from the zourna to the clarinet. Today he mainly plays the tambourine.

Alexandros Zoras teaches traditional clarinet in various schools and clubs. In addition to the clarinet, he also plays the accordion and various percussion instruments.

The emergence of brass instruments and their inclusion in traditional folk orchestras, both in the region of Central Western Macedonia and the wider Balkan area, set in the early 20th century. It is likely that it arose from the dissolution of the Turkish musical sections during the liberation of Macedonia in 1912. With their special color and explosive sound, they slowly displaced older instruments such as the zournas, the bagpipe, the flugeres and the horses and were established in the region.

In the area of ​​Goumenissa, although they were used later than in Western Macedonia, a larger tradition was created. A tradition passed down from generation to generation.

The city is the birthplace of hundreds of musicians and folk instrumentalists, various instruments such as clarinet, trumpets, trombones, euphony, saxophones drums, drums and gran casa. All of them form the core of various musical groups in various cultural events such as weddings, festivals etc.

The name Halkina of Goumenissa was first given to the band of Alexandros Zoras in a collaboration with Dimitra Galani in the middle of the decade 1990. Since then the band has established itself taking part in concerts with many well-known artists such as Manolis Mitsias, at musical events, in international and domestic festivals with dance groups.

The Bronzes of Alexandros Zoras with the Zoras family as the main core and in collaboration with various other musicians, they have appeared in important venues such as the Herodeion and the Concert Hall.

To 2004 the band of Alexandros Zora was nominated for the Arion music awards in the category of traditional music. They have recorded many productions and appeared on many television and radio shows.

 Source : culturenow.gr