The Intro Music Lab, which opened on early September 2019 and finally completed in January 2020, produced not only four beautiful and inspiring songs, but also a very warm and inspirational collaboration between the participants.
After the final formation of the team, which consists of Azat Helvatzian and Christina Tsaliki as lyricists and Nassos Polyzoidis, John Bairaktaris and Katerina Pipili as performers, the creative phase began; the sessions, as well as the recordings were organized under the supervision of musician and artistic director, Christos Kladas.
The issue of mental health was addressed from the beginning, in order to guide the chosen participants; lyrics were entailed, melodies were composed, rhythmic patterns and harmonic sequences were synthesized accordingly, with mental health being the core of the artists’ expression. The artists worked during some sessions in couples, where they experimented extensively on musical styles and instrumentation.
During the closing session, each performer presented two songs and the final song list was formed:
- I Agapi Ola ta Nika (Music by Yiannis Bairaktaris/Lyrics by Azat Helvatzian)
- To Teras (Music by Yiannis Bairaktaris/Lyrics by Azat Helvatzian)
- It’s a Moveable Feast (Music by Nasos Polyzoidis/Lyrics by Christina Tsaliki)
- Collateral (Music by Katerina Pipili/Lyrics by Christina Tsaliki)
Finally, the song “I Agapi Ola ta Nika” (translated as “Love beats everything”) was selected as the one which will be accompanied by a video clip, mostly because of its cheerful tune, as well as its optimistic content. Moreover, the Greek lyrics are surely a distinctive asset, as part of an international project where voices from various countries will be heard.
The sessions, as well the recordings took place in the studio of National Music School, Ilioupolis, in Athens, Greece. Our multitalented musicians worked together for the production of all four songs; John played the bass, as well as the trombone, along with fellow musician George Arnaoutis who supported the team as a drummer; Nassos played the banjo and the ukulele, while Christos Kladas the saxophone. Such interaction empowers the aim for artistic expression and creative collaboration, while it reflects IME’s goal of creating a common space for diverse communities, initiating a dialogue and sharing their feelings through music.
