Sokratis Sinopoulos
Lyra
Sokratis Sinopoulos (Athens, 1974) began playing the guitar at a young age and was a part of a children’s choir. He became interested in the Byzantine musical tradition and explored traditional folk music.
Since 1988, he has played the Cretan lyra. This three-stringed pear-shaped instrument originates from Constantinople – known today as Istanbul. Sokratis Sinopoulos joined his teacher Ross Daly’s ensemble, Labyrinthos. Since then, he has performed with numerous instrumentalists and singers, varying in genre from folk music to jazz. He has commissioned new works from various composers, thus stimulating a renewed insterest in his instrument.
He has performed at the Cello Biënnale Amsterdam several times already, in the ensemble with the Chemirani brothers and with Jean-Guihen Queyras.