About
Smaoineamh na seinnteoirí basúcaí agus na gcumadóirí ón Ghréig agus ó Éirinn Nikos Petsakos agus Martin Coyle is ea Hellas Ensemble. Cuireadh le chéile é le linn comhoibriú leis an údar, iriseoir agus duine a bhfuil an-dúil aige sa Ghréig, Bruce Clarke, a raibh de chéimíocht annamh aige le deireanas gur bhronn rialtas na Gréige Ordú an Fhéinics air. Dúirt Bruce, nuair a bhí sé ag caint ar Seamus Heaney agus an Ghréig in Seamus Heaney Homeplace, gur shíl sé go léireodh Sonnets from Hellas le Seamus Heaney grá an fhile ar an Ghréig agus a tionchar ar a scríbhneoireacht. Chuir sé forrán ar Nikos Petsakos agus Martin Coyle, a bhí ag comhoibriú ar cheol ag tarraingt ó chultúir agus ó thraidisiúin na hÉireann agus na Gréige araon. Le chéile thoisigh siad a chumadh píosaí a léireodh spiorad na ndánta ina sonraí tochmhara agus ina n-íomhánna beoga go léir.
Ó thoisigh an grúpa tá sé i ndiaidh forbairt thar am, ina bpríomhcheoltóirí ag an Irish Wings Festival, Paxos, go dtí stáitse Amharclann na Mainistreach, Baile Átha Cliath, agus ag seinm ag seó díolta amach i gcomhar le Ceolfhoireann Uladh. Anois, den chéad uair, tá siad ag tabhairt an tseó trí Ghaeilge go Doire, le léamha ó Dhubhán Ó Longáin, agus le hionchur ceoil ó cheoltóirí traidisiúnta Gaelacha thar ceann an Acadaimh Ceoil agus an Ghrúpa Bhig Ceoil.
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Hellas Ensemble is the brainchild of the Greek and Irish bouzouki players and composers, Nikos Petsakos and Martin Coyle. It was formed during a collaboration with the Northern Irish author, journalist and Hellenophile, Bruce Clark, who, for his services to Greece, has recently had the rare distinction of being awarded the Order of the Phoenix by the Greek government. Bruce, speaking on Seamus Heaney and Greece at the Seamus Heaney HomePlace, thought that Seamus Heaney's 'Sonnets from Hellas' would illustrate the poet's love of Greece and its influence on his writing. He approached Nikos Petsakos and Martin Coyle, who had been collaborating on music drawing from the cultures and traditions of both Ireland and Greece. Together they set about composing pieces which would reflect the spirit of the poems in all their moving detail and vivid imagery.
Since the inception of the ensemble it has evolved over time, headlining at Irish Wings Festival, Paxos, to the stage of the Abby Theatre, Dublin and performing a sold out collaborative show with The Ulster Orchestra. Now, for the first time, they're bringing the show through Irish to Derry with readings from Dubhán Ó Longáin, and with musical input from young traditional Irish musicians representing Acadamh Ceoil and Grúpa Beag Ceoil.
