Curriculum Vitae

Yiannis Balafoutis originates from AItoloakarnania and was born in Patras in 1964. From a young age he loved music and with it he goes on.

He plays Ney, clarinet and kaval. These three traditional wind instruments are, along with singing, the way of his expression through the musical act.

He started as a teenager in his first steps with the traditional clarinet, having teachers that were traditional organ players in his area. (Nikos Hatzis, George Drolas). At the same time, he studied physics at the University of Patras, from where he graduated.

He was taught ney and theoretical Greek music and music modes for a number of years at the Municipal Conservatory of Patras, by Christos Tsiamoulis.

In the Kaval he is self-taught.

He holds a degree in Byzantine music, taking lessons from the chanter Dimitris Galanis.

Founding member of the former band Earini Zygia(spring libra) that was performing music from the field of Greek and Eastern music tradition.

Now he plays traditional wind instruments and sings in the musical group of Greek Traditional Music: ¨Tis Gis Anasa¨

But he also offers and shares his music when he's asked.

At the same time, he deals with the creation of music and the creative meeting with musicians of other cultures and sound colors for the production of an original musical work.

He teaches traditional wind instruments (traditional clarinet, ney, kaval) as well as traditional Greek song.

He has taught ney at the Municipal Conservatory of Patras, traditional wind instruments at the school of the Holy Metropolis of Patras, at the Music Schools of Patras and Vartholomio, at the Toniko Athens Conservatory, at the Protypo Conservatory of Aigio and Byzantine music at the Music Schools of Kalamata and Zakynthos.

He has published two books. "Makam" which describes musical modes through works of classical literature of Eastern music and "Tis Gis Anasa" in which someone can find Central Greece and Peloponessos traditional songs in European Notation.

In 2009 the company Polytropon released the cd with his own musical compositions entitled "Yerma". This album is in the Lillian Voudouri Music Library of the Athens Concert Hall.