Born to Greek parents in Plovdiv in 1863, Bulgaria, Polykratis died in 1926 in Athens.
In 1884 Polikratis got his Diploma in Philosophy, at the University of Athens. In parallel with his Philosophical studies, he also studied music at the Conservatory of Athens with Prof. Alexander Katakouzinos.
After his studies in Greece, Polikratis went to Germany to further his studies in both Philosophy and Music. Two years later he returned to Athens, Greece, where he worked in several Private and Public Schools.
Many of his literary works were published in newspapers and magazines.
He composed many songs, some Operas and many hymns for the Orthodox Church and the Mass of St. John Chrysostomus.
In 1897 Polikratis created the Choir of St. George Karytsis which he conducted until the 23rd of October 1913, when he withdrew and conducted another Church Choir in St. Dionysius.
In 1920 he created and conducted another Choir in the Cathedral of Athens, until his death in 1926.

<< BACK

Spathis was born in 1883 and died on March 2nd 1943 in Athens. He was the son of doctor Spyros Spathis who was the conductor of the Choir of the Orthodox Church of St. Stephan in Paris. Spathis moved to Paris and at the age of fourteen, after passing examinations, he was accepted to the Conservatory of Paris. He studied the violin with Profs. Bren and Bartellier and composition with Profs. Larous and Laviniaque. As a student, he was also chief Violinist in the Orchestra of the Opera House of Paris. In 1906 Spathis was awarded the highest distinctions. He toured London, Belgium, Marseilles, Spain and America with his music. For 12 years Spathis was the 2nd conductor in various music theaters in Paris and from 1914 up to 1928 he was the conductor of the Choir of the Orthodox Church in Marseilles. In 1925 he came to Athens and conducted three concerts of the Philharmonic Orchestra. In 1929 he returned to Greece and settled in Athens. On June 9th of the same year, Spathis took over the Choir of St. George Karytsis and conducted it for many years. Simultaneously, he also was Master of the Music Department of the University of Athens until his death in 1943.

<< BACK

Glikofridis was born in 1893 and died in Athens in December 1944. From the age of 8 he began playing the guitar and the mandolin in the orchestra of Nicola Kokkinos who was his music teacher. Glikofridis continued his studies in Music at the Conservatory of Athens, where he was awarded his Diploma in 1922. He was a member of the "Chorus of Athens" and in 1923 he created and conducted the "Greek Choir". Glikofridis was an excellent composer of songs, hymns of the Orthodox Church, folk songs and others. Many of his contemporary colleagues and singers called him "the Schubert of Greece". He composed Operettas, music for comedies and musical accompaniments for ancient Greek tragedies. He worked hard to promote polyphonic church music in the Greek Orthodox Church. During the last months of 1943, Glikofridis became director of the Choir of St. George Karytsis and conducted it until his death in December of 1944. One of his aims was to chant a different Mass from the many masses which had been composed by various Greek composers.

<< BACK

Alexander Theophilopoulos was born on the 21st of April, 1904, and died on March 19th, 1993, in Athens, Greece. At the age of fourteen he was a member of the Choir of St. Dionysius in Athens, conducted by Dionissios Vertelis, who advised him to attend Singing and Music lessons at the Conservatory of Athens. From 1920 up to 1932 he sang with several Church Choirs because he was a greatly prized tenor. In 1932 Theophilopoulos joined the Choir of St. George Karytsis, conducted by Theodore Spathis, and remained until his death on March 19th 1993, completing 61 years with the same Choir. He got his singing Diploma in 1938. Although he had not gotten his Diploma yet in 1936, he was a member of "The Greek Melodrama". His first role was Radames in "Aida" by Verdi, a role which due to his success, Theophilopoulos performed many times that period. From 1936 to 1946 he sings on the Radio, gives recitals in many Greek towns and sings in the Opera House of Athens. In 1945-1946 Theophilopoulos goes to the South African Union. There, he gives recitals in many towns and sings on the Radio in Johannesburg, Pretoria, Durban, Cape Town, East London and port Elisabeth.

<< BACK