Sokratis Sinopoulos
Lyra
Sokratis Sinopoulos, born in Athens, started playing the guitar at a young age and was part of a children's choir. He immersed himself in the Byzantine musical tradition and was occupied himself playing traditional folk music.
He has been playing the lyra since 1988. This pear-shaped three-stringed instrument originates from Constantinople – present-day Istanbul. Sokratis Sinopoulos joined his teacher Ross Daly's ensemble called Labyrinthos.
Since then, the lyra player has made music with many instrumentalists and singers, in genres ranging from folk music to jazz. He also commissioned new works from various composers, stimulating a renewed interest in his instrument.
In 1999 Sokratis Sinopoulos was awarded the UNESCO-Greece Melina Mercouri International Prize. In 2011, he founded the Sokratis Sinopoulos Quartet, which made a successful CD debut with Eight Winds.