http://luthierincrete.blogspot.com/
The string instrument workshop, of Sifis Apostolakis, is located in Kritsa village
which is situated in the region of the ancient town of Aghios Nikolaos, called Lato.
Sifis Apostolakis named his workshop “Lato” too, as he feels that it is very important that
this craft of manufacturing string instruments is, ancient as well as traditional,
for the island of Crete, and Greece in general.
Being a musician himself, as well as a poet and painter, he decided to combine all of the fine arts
and apply them into the craft of construction of string instruments.
“It’s a magic art”, he explains, “since, the wood when carved, shows a whole hidden personality
that comes out with the sound of each instrument, and allows you to travel through tradition”.
His own tradition comes from his family, as he watched his father carving instruments in his free-time,
as well as his great-grandfather, who constructed small Cretan lyras, in the village of Kritsa.
In 2008, he finished studying at the unique School of Byzantine Arts, in Kastoria, Northern Greece,
under the supervision of Giannis Palaiodimopoulos, a well known teacher, and guitar-maker,
throughout Europe.
“The construction of musical instruments is very interesting for me, as you get the chance to study
the ancestry of the instruments we use today.
I am also very interested in making instruments of my own design,
resembling ancient Greek instruments, using natural materials such as leather and pumpkins.
For each different instrument, what is important for its sound,
is not only the wood you use and the techniques of construction, but the energy,
the patience and the “meraki”, as we call it in Greek, or love, for what you do.
Each instrument is a living being, that matures with time, and if you love it and care for it,
then your great-grandchildren may enjoy it too. The craft of carving traditional string instruments
requires time, patience and lots of concentration, it’s not something you either do by force
or to become rich….it’s the carrying on of a tradition that continues to exist through you,
because only then is it considered to be alive.”
In the workshop of Sifis Apostolakis, in Kritsa of Crete, Greece, you can order any string instrument,
such as folk guitars, lutes, oud, small and regular size Cretan lyras, Pontian lyras,
bouzoukis, baglamas, and bows for lyras.
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