Lyre concert

Theodore Koumartzis & Lina Palera - traditional Greek melodies

Theodore Koumartzis is a renowned lyre player and the visionary behind the pioneering SEIKILO Museum of Ancient Music in Thessaloniki. As an integral member of the LUTHIEROS family of luthiers, he has had the opportunity to collaborate with the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and the Hellenic Open University to research and develop several ancient musical instruments. He has performed at many prestigious universities and institutions in China (Museum of Konghou), Canada (University of British Columbia, University of Victoria, Vancouver Public Library), and the United States (Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix, Arizona). In June 2025, he performed at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, bringing the sound of the ancient lyre to the UN for the first time.

Theodore’s multifaceted musical journey also includes founding two bands: the folk-fusion ensemble Rebetiko Project and the ancient world music group Pausis, with both projects releasing several albums over the past decade and performing live around the world, including in Sicily, Istanbul, Nicosia, Bonn, Vancouver, and at the National Archaeological Museum of Greece, among others.

Lina Palera is a world-renowned lyre player and certified music instructor with teaching experience in music schools in the UK, Greece, and abroad, working with both adults and children. She travels extensively across Greece and internationally, giving live performances at museums, festivals, educational institutions, conferences, and other venues.

Lina has completed extensive musical studies and holds degrees in harmony, counterpoint, and jazz vocals from the Thessaloniki Contemporary Conservatory (Greece), as well as postgraduate studies (PGCE in Music) at Middlesex University (UK). She is a certified string instrumentalist with 12 years of classical guitar training prior to specializing in the ancient lyre. As a lyre player, Lina has performed in concert halls, museums, and international conferences, including the Museum of Byzantine Culture (Thessaloniki), the International Book Fair (Greece), the Museum of Ancient Greek Musical Instruments (Athens), and Musikmesse Frankfurt (Germany).