Domna Samiou died at night while being treated at Amalia Fleming Hospital, suffering from leukemia. Born in 1928, to refugee parents from Asia Minor, she leaves behind a rich work in the field of traditional music. He sang until he was struck by leukemia and was honored with many awards. The highlight was the medal with which he was honored by the President of the Hellenic Republic, Kostis Stefanopoulos, in 2005.
Who was Domna Samiou?
Domna Samiou was born on October 12, 1928 in Kaisariani, Athens. Her parents came from Baidiri, a village in the region of Izmir. At the age of 13 she had her first didactic contact with Byzantine and folk music, apprenticed to Simon Karas, at the "Association for the Dissemination of National Music", while also attending the Night High School. Through the choir, her relationship with the National Radio Foundation began, where she was hired in 1954, at the Department of National Music.
In 1963 she begins her travels in the countryside for on-site recordings and collecting music material for her personal archive with her own machines. In 1971 he resigned from the Radio and since then he started appearing next to Dionysis Savvopoulos, singing traditional songs with him.
She became known to Hellenes abroad almost immediately, with her songs circulating in many European countries, America and Australia. Until the last years, he continued to support the traditional song and to organize concerts with other artists. In 1981 he founded the "Artistic Association of Folk Music Domna Samiou" with the aim of saving and disseminating Greek traditional music.
Since 1994 he has been teaching folk singing lessons for adults at the Museum of Greek Folk Instruments in Athens. There are also many initiatives that she has developed and her contribution to the improvement of children's music education in primary education has been practical and selfless.
Source: iKypros.com