Into the labyrinth: Unraveling Ariadne's thread, Cretan music identity and aesthetics

Abstract: Cretan music identity is shaped according to local and sociocultural conditions on the island of Crete, Greece. Cretans are an amalgam of many influences (specifically, Arabic, Turkish, Venetian, and, in more general terms, Middle Eastern and Mediterranean). To show that, I follow a multidisciplinary approach by looking into the history, the literature, and the arts on the island of Crete, as well as the impact they have had and still have on Cretan music.

In my study, individual performers and their performances are central. I judge my goal to show how Cretans express themselves through singing and dancing as very important, because both songs and dances are something common to all cultures and all individuals. Therefore, all people should sing and dance for a better understanding of the world. Particularly, I expect to contribute to a better understanding and knowledge of my Cretan culture, because song and dance are also ways of confirming cultural identity. In a sense, we are what we sing and what we dance.

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