The necessity of performing and promoting Hellenic Classical Music works in North America, urged Hellenic-Canadian opera singers Maria Diamantis and Dimitris Ilias to found Chroma Musika.

In the 10 years of its existence the company has organized a plethora of concerts, seminars and recordings ranging from ancient Greek music to contemporary Greek composers. Chroma Musika provides employment opportunities to many Quebec musicians while at the same time maintaining its ties with Greece by inviting renowned musicians for concerts and recordings.

 

Its discography includes 4 CDs including the award-winning Piangerò. The past 5 years Chroma Musika has turned its attention to children, recording children’s operas and musicals in collaboration with famous publishing houses from Greece like Kedros Publishers and Filippos Nakas Music House. In the CDs that accompany the children’s books, participate Quebec children of Greek origin who have passed auditions for their intonation and their ability with Greek pronunciation.

 

These productions have been very successful: The Selfish Giant became a best-seller (3d edition), The Little Fugitives and the House in the Forest was launched in the Montreal City Hall in collaboration with the cities of Athens-Montreal and Laval, and The Carnival of Miracles and Monsters was prefaced by the Honourable Stephen Harper- Prime Minister of Canada. The biggest reward for Chroma Musika’s Artistic Directors is the large participation of Quebec children of Hellenic origin in the Chroma Musika Chorus and the unique experiences they have singing with famous symphonic orchestras of Montreal, learning everything from the recording process of a CD and the illustration of its accompanying book to exploring the fantastic world of Hellenic music and literature.

 

The children are selected from 13 different schools of Montreal and Laval. The majority however come from the Socrates Elementary School of the Hellenic Community of Montreal which has been a strong supporter of Chroma Musikas’ activities.

The knowledge and vast experience about Hellenic classical music of the directors of Chroma Musika inevitably passes from the young choristers to their parents and grand-parents. Through the kids, 3 generations of Canadians of Greek origin discover the wealth of Hellenic music. At every rehearsal the kids parents leave murmuring the tunes that their children had just rehearsed.