Zakynthos - Greece Index

Zakynthos is one of the Ionian Islands in western Greece. Zakynthos is more than sea and beaches; it has a long historical and cultural background.

The use of musical instruments, at the beginning to accompany the military parades, made it possible for the islanders in the course of the centuries to intone ballads to accompany the folk feasts.

In spite of the Venetian influences (Zakynthos Serenade) and the Cretan ones (Arekia), since ancient times the islanders developed their one form of music that had their best moment with the institution
of the Zakynthos School of Music in 1815 and in the following years of choirs and music clubs.

In Zakynthos it is possible to find the musical tradition both in the ecclesiastical and folk music whose most famous expression is the sirtaki an ancient and lively ball accompanied by folk songs narrating about love and marriage.