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About the Pontic Lyra

 The Pontic lyra is a 3 stringed musical instrument played primarily by those whose origins lay in the Pontus region of north eastern Turkey, those who reside in the northern parts of Greece, and also people from many other parts of the world. It is also known as the Pontian lyra, Pontic fiddle or kemenche. It is without doubt the musical instrument which defines Pontic Greek culture, and has a very distinct melody unlike any other instrument. The Pontic lyra comprises a narrow box shaped body which includes a neck and a pegbox, and a soundboard which covers the body. The body is either made by hollowing out a single piece of wood, or by gluing pieces together. The best lyra are said to be made of extremely dense woods such as plum, mulberry and walnut. Cedar is sometimes also used. The soundboard is made of pine or spruce.

 Side view of a Pontic lyra

Lyra Players - Λυράρηδες

   Γιάννης Θεοφιλακτίδης  Yiannis Theofilaktidis

    Ανέστης Κεραμιδόπουλος  Anestis Keramidopoulos

  Μιλτιάδης Καραμανλίδης  Miltiadis Karamanlidis

   Γιώργος Κωνσταντινίδης  Yiorgos Konstantinidis

    Χριστίνα Κοτσαμποϊκίδης  Christina Kotsaboikidis

Γιάννης Μιχαηλίδης  John Mihailidis

    Παρασκευάς Παπαδόπουλος  Paraskevas Papadopoulos

   Κώστας Παπαδόπουλοσς Kostas Papadopoulos

     Νίκος Πετρίδης  Nikos Petridis

 Τριαντάφυλλος Τσαχουρίδης  Triantafillos Tsahouridis

    Γιώργος Τσιλφίδης  Yiorgos Tsilfidis

 Ιωάννης Τσορακλίδης  John Tsoraklidis

        Νίκος Ξανθόπουλος  Nick Xanthopoulos

         Γιάννης Ξανθόπουλος  Yiannis Xanthopoulos

 Γεώργος ΘεοφιλακτίδηςGeorge Theofilaktidis

Βασίλης ΛουκανίδηςVasili Loukanidis

  Γεώργος ΜιχαηλίδηςGeorge Michailidis

Γεώργος ΠαπαδόπουλοςGeorge Papadopoulos

  Θανάσσης ΠαπαδόπουλοςThanassis Papadopoulos

Κώστας ΤσιλφίδηςKostas Tsilfidis

ΜουσικοίMusicians

Αναστάσιος Ακριτίδης (Κιθάρα)Anastasios Akritidis (Guitar)

       Λεί Κλαϊν(Κιθάρα)Leigh Cline (Guitar)

     Κώστας Κωνσταντινίδης (Πλήκτρα) Kostas Konstantinidis (Keyboards)

   Θέμης Μισαηλίδης(Κιθάρα)Themis Misailidis (Guitar)

Κώστας Ναρλίδης (Μπουζούκι)Kostas Narlidis (Bouzouki)

   Θεόδωρος Παπαδόπουλος(Ντράμς)Theodoro Papadopoulos (Drums)

  Αντώνης Παπαδόπουλος(Ντράμς)Antonis Papadopoulos (Drums)

    Νίκος Ζαρομιτίδης(Ακορντεόν) Nikos Zaromitidis(Accordian)

Daouli Players -Νταουλτζήδες

Singers and Musicians - Tραγουδιστές και Μουσικοί