Neroponti was released almost six years since Alkinoos’ last album with original songs. His classical studies, at home and in Russia, as well as his constant relocation in different towns and villages in Greece, kept him away from the studio. Despite that, he continued touring and composing. “Neroponti” is his most mature work. Here, he combines symphony orchestras with Balkan brass, ska with choirs, string quartets with Middle-Eastern references, Byzantine music with folk ballads and traditional instruments with electric band. The lyrics move from political protest to humorous comments and from simple things to the basic questions of existence. The album was welcomed by some critics as the most important Greek album of the decade. Sofia Radio Symphony Orchestra, some of the greatest Greek soloists, “En fonais” choir, “Plotinos Rhodokanatis” Byzantine choir and highly regarded soprano Sonia Theodoridou joined in to create Alkinoos’ most “complete” album.

Lyrics in English

Album Songs:

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Lyrics, music, arrangement: Alkinoos Ioannidis
Creative production: Vangelis Lappas
Production management: Roll Out Vision Services
Production: Universal Music

The album was recorded in “Studio Sierra” and “Studio Esthitikis", from October 31, until February 26, 2009
The mixing took place in “Studio Sierra”.

Sound engineering and mixing: Vangelis Lappas.
Sound engineer assistant: Mihalis Sioutis

Digital mastering: Adam Ayan, Gateway Mastering Studios, inc.

Cover art: Antis Ioannidis
Graphic editing: Antis Ioannidis, Antonis Kapiris
Photography: Emilia Petropoulou

Publication date: March 9, 2009

Members of the vocal ensemble «En phonais» who took part in the recording:
Soprani: Agapi Papamitsou, Lito Messini, Katerina Zahopoulou, Maria Roumani
Alti: Stella Lessi, Tzina Markouli, Maria Zavitsa, Anastasia Eden
Tenori: Vassilis Kotsikogiannis, Panagiotis Stathopoulos, Panos Lampridis, Nikitas Gritzalis
Bassi: Alexis Roupaliotis, Spyros Dimoulis, Ilias Kapantais, Alexandros Stoupakis

Members of the “Ichogenesi” music school children’s choir who took part in the recording:
Xenia Christodoulou, Irini Maragaki, Kyriaki Nafplioti, Annita Alexandropoulou, Alexandra Pitsouni,
Konstantinos Pappas, Filippos Pappas, Vasilis Vasilopoulos, Michalis Theoharis, Iro Theohari, Maria Soundia,
Anna Vogiatzi, Maria Laskou, Crysiida-Maria Tzortzi

The vocal ensembles form part of the cultural initiative “Odos Technon”

Guitar equipment: «Kagmakis» and “Guitar accessories”

Flutes-recorders: Küng Blockflöten(Schaffhausen,Switzerland)

Very special thanks to:

Michalis Sioutis, Christos Othonos, Simon Hill, Paschalis Mouchtaridis, Yiorgos Mouchtaridis, Kostas Vamvoukas, Konstantina Christou, Panagiotis Petronikolos, Vasilis Drouga, Yiorgos Nikolakopoulos, Michalis Diakogiorgis, Vivi Kokkinou, Yiorgos Hatzipieris, Nikos Karapiperi, Dimitris Lalbantis, Manolis Paschalakis, Katerina Paschalidou, Poly Kyriakou, Takis Mitsidis, Apostolos Naoumis, Stathis Vasdekis, Maria Skoularidou, Emilia Petropoulou, Andreas Lordos, Gene Pritzker, Michael Riesman, Andreas Moustoukis, Andreas Kameris, Yiorgos Kountouris, Dimitris Gialamas, Anna Archontaki, Angeliki Vasilakou, Koulis Theodorou, Irena Alexieva, Elena Tserovska, Marilena Ioannidou.

Vangelis Lappas. For everything.

Christos Zorbas for his design and supervision work at «Studio Esthitikis».

All the musicians and singers who took part in the recordings.

Sonia Theodoridou for her beauty, kindness and courtesy.

My teachers Boris Tishchenko, Arkady Agababov, Anatoli Milka. Спасибо.

My father Antis Ioannidis for the cover art and his serene presence.

The songs were written in Nicosia, N. Artaki of Evia, N. Ionia of Volos, St. Petersburg, Partheni of Arcadia and Attica, between 2005 and 2008. “Success!” (referring to the possibility of my -or my colleagues’- career taking a more commercial turn) was written in Athens in 1995.

The album is wholeheartedly dedicated to Xanthippi and to our children.