Stamatis Spanoudakis

Stamatis Spanoudakis
Birth nameStamatis Spanoudakis
Born (1948-12-11) 11 December 1948 (age 76)
Athens, Greece
GenresInstrumental, religious, soundtracks and songs
Occupation(s)Composer, lyricist, arranger, producer and performer
Instrument(s)Vocals, keyboards, piano, electric and acoustic guitars, bass, bouzouki and drums
Years active1971–present
LabelsPhilips, Seagull, ΕΜΙ, Lyra, MINOS EMI, CBS/Sony Music, Polydor, Warner Music, Stam Studio
Websitewww.stamatisspanoudakis.com

Stamatis Spanoudakis (Greek: Σταμάτης Σπανουδάκης; born 11 December 1948 in Athens, Greece) is a modern Greek classical composer. In his early career, he studied classical guitar. He shifted to rock music, but then continued classical studies at the Würzburg State Conservatory (now the Hochschule für Musik) with Bertold Hummel and later in Athens with Konstantinos Kydoniatis. Later, he studied Byzantine music. He has worked with various Greek singers, composing the music and writing the lyrics for a large number of hit songs (I akti, Pame gi’alles polities, Lathos epohi, Simera, Efiges noris, Zoi klemmeni, Kalimera ti kanis). With his religious works, he has provided a very different perspective of contemporary byzantine music (Kyrie ton Dynameon, Efta Paraklisis, Imera Triti, Earini Ora). He has also composed numerous soundtracks (Colours of Iris, Angel, Sudden Love, Stone Years, All in a road, Brides). Since 1994, he has exclusively composed instrumental music, such as music that embraces Greece's history and religion (Alexandros, John’s Tear, Marble King, For Smyrni, A Piece of My Soul, Moments Gone, Alexandros II, Rejoice my sea).

Biography

Stamatis Spanoudakis hails from an esteemed Greek family in Athens. His early fascination with music led him to pursue classical studies, specializing in guitar and theory. In the 1960s and 1970s, he immersed himself in the rock and pop scene, playing bass guitar and keyboards in various bands across Athens, Paris, and London. During this time, he also recorded his first albums.

Returning to his classical roots, Spanoudakis resumed his composition studies under the guidance of Professor Bertold Hummel in Würzburg and Professor Konstantinos Kydoniatis in Athens. A subsequent exploration of Byzantine music ignited his passion for Greek songwriting and instrumental compositions.

Today, Spanoudakis strives to seamlessly integrate his diverse musical influences—rock, classical, and Byzantine—into his work. He has penned numerous hit songs for renowned Greek musicians and composed scores for successful films, theater productions, and television programs in Greece, Germany, and Italy. With a discography exceeding sixty albums, his contributions to the music industry are extensive.

Since 1995, Spanoudakis has focused on instrumental music inspired by Greek historical and religious themes, garnering significant popularity in Greece. He currently resides in a suburb of Athens with his wife, Dori, and their four dogs. In his personal studio, Spanoudakis records, composes, arranges, produces, performs, and engineers his musical endeavors.[1]

Discography

Album/CD title Published by Year
Beautiful Lies

Songs with Stamatis Spanoudakis

Philips 1971
Looking Back

Songs with Stamatis Spanoudakis

Seagull 1974
Promitheus

Original soundtrack from the film by Kostas Feris

Seagull 1974
Colours of iris

Original soundtrack from the film by Nikos Panayiotopoulos

Seagull 1975
To the first musician

A religious record with Stamatis and a vocal group of friends

Seagull 1977
Let's listen together

Stories for children. Texts by Maria Goumenopoulou. Nαrrαted by Kostas Giannikos

Seagull 1977
Nestor's company

Children's songs, with Nestor, Dori, Eva and Stamatis

Seagull 1977
Nestor's dream

Children's songs, with Nestor, Dori and Stamatis

Seagull 1978
Maran atha

Stamatis's first instrumental record

Seagull 1978
Songs of love

Songs with Dimitris Tamposis and friends

Seagull 1979
The garden with the statues

Music from the TV series of Pantelis Voulgaris

ΕΜΙ 1980
The story teller

Music from the TV series of Nikos Pilavios

Seagull 1980
The story teller ΙΙ

Music from the TV series of Nikos Pilavios

Seagull 1981
Lord of the powers

A religious record with Giannis Koutras and Eleni Vitali

Lyra 1981
Angel

Original soundtrack from the film by Giorgos Katakouzinos

Lyra 1981
Dies Irae

A religious record with Michalis Dimitriades and Electra

Lyra 1982
Sudden love

Original soundtrack from the film by Giorgos Tsemperopoulos

MINOS EMI 1983
Something is happening here

The first collaboration of Stamatis with Vassilis Saleas. With Giannis Ekmektsoglou on electric guitar and Chiko on drums. .

MINOS EMI 1984
Seven prayers

A religious record with Eleni Vitali and children's choir

MINOS EMI 1985
Senza tempo

Songs with Demi Roussos

Warner Music 1985
Stone years

Original soundtrack from the film by Pantelis Voulgaris

Lyra 1985
Contrabando

Songs with Eleutheria Arvanitaki. This was his first whole album, for a singer

Lyra 1987
Absences

Original soundtrack from the film by Giorgos Katakouzinos

Lyra 1987
On the way

Songs with Stamatis Spanoudakis

Lyra 1987
And we came into the years

Songs with Eleni Vitali

Columbia/ Sony Music 1988
Two steps from the sand

Songs with Alkistis Protopsalti

Polygram 1989
Tanirama

Songs with Eleutheria Arvanitaki

Polygram 1989
Ping Pong

A rock record, with electric and acoustic guitars, synths and drums.

Polygram 1989
Striker Number 9

Original soundtrack from the film by Pantelis Voulgaris Striker no 9

CBS 1989
Third Day

A religious record with Manolis Mitsias and Vassilis Saleas

CBS 1990
The dilemma

Songs with Petros Gaitanos

Polygram 1990
Bye bye

Original soundtrack from the film by Giorgos Tsemperopoulos

Columbia/ Sony Music 1991
I'm fine, thank you

Songs with Manolis Mitsias

Sony Music 1991
Thalassa

.

Sony Music 1992
Touch

Songs with Giannis Parios

Minos EMI 1992
Where do you go when you sleep

Songs with Dori Spanoudakis

MINOS EMI 1992
Iris / Promitheus / Maran atha

3 of the earlier instrumental and soundtracks, together in one record

Stam Studio 1994
With words

A compilation of hit songs

Stam Studio 1994
Alexandros (The myth of the east, the dream of the west)

This album tells the tale of Alexander the Great

Stam Studio 1994
Moments gone

.

Stam Studio 1995
Holy Hour

An album filled with melodies of the Greek orthodox religious hymns as well as originals by the artist. With Vassilis Saleas and Lefteris Zervas

Stam Studio 1995
John's Tear

Music for the revelation of St. John

Stam Studio 1996
Moments gone II

Contemporary musical arrangements

Stam Studio 1996
The Marble King

A musical impression of Constantine Palaiologos, the last martyr Emperor of Constantinople. A tribute to Agia Sofia and the fall of his beloved city in 1453.

Stam Studio 1998
All In A Journey

Original soundtrack of the film by Pantelis Voulgaris. It includes the saxophone and Greek lyra, accompanied by piano and contrabass.

Stam Studio 1998
Facing the audience

A live performance of the best of Spanoudakis's works, performed by a string orchestra, a choir and an elite of soloists of traditional Greek instruments

Stam Studio 1998
Nineteenhundredandninetynine

A musical journey honoring the year before the millennium

Stam Studio 1999
Before the exhibition

A compilation of Stamatis's music made for artist's Vasiliki exhibition in Paris

Stam Studio 2000
Moments gone III

.

Stam Studio 2000
For Smyrni

The artist's musical perception of events that took place in Smyrni in the early twentieth century

Stam Studio 2001
The Essential Collection

The absolute "Best of" Stamatis Spanoudakis's works. Digitally remastered all on a double CD album.

Stam Studio 2002
Piece of my soul

A combination of children's voices and mixed teenage choir with Spyros Lambrou choir

Stam Studio 2003
Music for films

A compilation of film themes

Stam Studio 2004
Brides

Original soundtrack of the film "Brides". Directed by Pantelis Voulgaris and produced by Martin Scorsese. Includes traditional instruments and Byzantine voices.

Stam Studio 2004
Live at the Royal Albert Hall

Some of the best pieces of Stamatis Spanoudakis, performed live at the Royal Albert Hall by the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra and the London Symphony Choir.

Stam Studio 2006
Alexandros II (Paths you never walked)

Performed by ERT Symphony Orchestra and Choir and Stamatis's band

Lyra 2009
Live in China

Live recording in Beijing. Performed live by ERT Symphony Orchestra and Choir and Stamatis's band.

Stam Studio 2009
Je veux toujours être avec toi

Various tracks with Dori Spanoudakis, in french

Stam Studio 2011
Rejoice my sea

A blend of melodies children's voices, classical and ambient orchestrations, guitars, pianos and violins.

Stam Studio 2013
Bathed in the sun

.

Stam Studio 2016

References

  1. ^ "Bio etc". Stamatis Spanoudakis. Retrieved 2024-08-28.