The polyphonic group Chaonia was founded in 1996. Its name is related to the country name Chaones, where the polyphonic songs of the Epirus region are preserved. These songs are the main focus of the ensemble, although they also sing other Greek or Greek-speaking polyphonic songs. The group has appeared in hundreds of concerts all over the country, from the biggest cities to the smallest border villages, as well as on television, cinema and theatre. The group has participated in numerous festivals and events in different countries (France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Bulgaria, Albania, and Spain) and has collaborated with a lot of famous artists. Members of the ensemble are regular teachers of polyphonic masterclasses in Greece and abroad. Chaonia has been awarded for its efforts to preserve polyphonic songs. Its members, Alexandros Lampridis and Aliki Gkana, are the leaders (“kiratzides”) of the Polyphonic Caravan, an institution that was recently inscribed on UNESCO’s Register of Good Safeguarding Practices in the field of the intangible cultural heritage (2020), It is the first Greek initiative in this Register and one of 29 activities in the world on this list.
A song from the Chaonia repertoire: