the course
byzantine music
1995
NINTH HOUR
Easter of 1995 his first album titled “Ora Enati” was released, in which hymns from the Holy Week were included.
This album signals a new beginning of a recording course of art and faithful bonding of this top artist in relation with Byzantine Ecclesiastical music through a series of CDs containing Byzantine hymns. The album became platinum with over 400.000 sales.
He has released forty four albums with hymns up to the present, which they are containing the most important material of the Orthodox Byzantine Ecclesiastical Music.
Chronologically released albums:
1997
PASSION WEEK
Live concert he performed on Easter of 1996 at the Cathedral of Athens with hymns of the Holy Week.
1998
LIGHT FROM LIGHT
Hymns of Christmas, New Year and Epiphany.
1999
I WILL CHANT HYMNS TO MY GOD AS LONG AS I EXIST
Trilingual collective album
1998
PENTECOSTARION
Hymns of Easter, Ascension Day, Pentecost, Holy Spirit Day, Miracles of Jesus. In this project for the first time he performs the role of a narrator.
In 1998 with the album “Psalo ton Theo mou eos yparcho” and autonomously in 2003.
2006
BLOOD & WATER
Directed audio recording of the Passions of Christ.
From the hymn of praise and the Scripts through the centuries.
September 1996
2006
THE HEAVENS NARRATE…
Quadruple album
Indules the CDs
-“Ninth hour”
-“Light from Light”
-“The source of Life”
-“Penticostarion”
These CDs are accompanied by a rich bilingual booklet
32 pages, photographic material, concerts and letters from Hierarches from the artist’s archive.
2008
ARCHANGELS’ ODES
Includes two CDs with the best selected hymns of Ortodoxy and one CD with the concert performed at the Cathedral of God’s Sofia in Thessaloniki.
Summer 1996
2009
FOLLOWING IN THE TRACK OF A VOICE
A selection of the most successful recordings of the artist in comparison with his triple repertoire if his career, songs of Greek composers – Traditional songs – Ecclesiastical hymns, likewise and a CD with video, the video clips and tributes of these three repertoires.
Album 3 CDs & 1 DVD
2010
THE HOLY GOSPELS AND HYMNS OF ORTHODOXY
Directed audio recording of the texts of the Evangelists, under his direction, regarding the life the speech and the sacrifice of Christ, which right away people embraced very strongly this work and this important release arrives in thousands of homes, by placing it in the most successful work of the last decades, making it double platinum.
Tenfold album
2012
THE HOLY SCRIPTURES
From the texts of New Testament
2012 “AGIES GRAPHES from the texts of the New Testament” has been completed and released, a historic work. In this project the artist studies, records and directs the audio form the entire New Testament, for the first time in history. He creates a new prototype of this work through narrations, ancient instruments been played in the broader area of the Mediterranean, the period when Christ walked on the earth, traditional instruments, contemporary sounds of the latest technology and many hymns also which are highlighting the important events of the Scripture. He invites dozens of the top actors/actresses, musicians and vocalists and a great work of life arises for Petros Gaitanos which is decompressed in 21 CDs and 24 hours of listening! This project was created with the intense work of four years of studying and recording, with the participation of fifty artists and technicians. With the motive of this project it travels throughout the Holy Land and been photographed in the historic places there. This work notes a great success.
2015
SAINT PAISIOS FROM THE HOLY MOUNT ATHOS
Τalking with the Elder Listening to the Saint
His biography - His Speeches & Ηis hymns
An innovative, directed audio recording, directed by him, about the life, the speeches and the hymns of Agios Paisios the Agioritis, which are recorded for the first time.
The album becames platinum.
6 CDs album
2016
THE HAIL MARY PRAYER
Double album with the historic service. The album became platinum!
2016
THE AKATHIST HYMN
Double album with the historic services. The album became platinum!
2016
THE SUPPLICATORY CANON TO VIRGIN MARY
Double album with the historic service. The album became platinum.
2017
TEACHINGS & HYMNS OF ORTHODOXY
Double album with especially selected Agiopaterikous scripts of Mount Athos and Orthodox Ecclesiastical Hymns.
This project stands on the speeches of Agios Paisios o Agioritis
Platinum
2018
THREE DAYS
The Mundane Death
Christ’s Descent into Hades
The Resurrection
He meets with the important clarinetist from Epirus, Petroloukas Chalkias and creates this work of 2 CDs. This prototype of recording focuses in the three days when Christ was at Hades with material from the eternal hymns of praise of Orthodoxy, from the Old & New Testaments, also from Paternal, Apostolic and poetic ecclesiastical eternal scriptures, such as public poetry performing traditional dirges from the Asian Minor and Epirus. Work and audio directed by him.
The reward of his successful journey through his recordings and expressions in regards of Byzantine music, is the award from the Blessed Archbishop Ieronymos B’ of Athens and entire Greece on April 10, 2009, for his many gold and platinum albums that have been released with hymns up to that date which have been reached over 2.000.000 in sales as of the present.
Petros Gaitanos breaks the sales record with his albums with hymns for the first time in the music history with thousands of Greeks for the most part and non Greeks as well are tuning in his expression and the artistic creations of this important Greek performer, who is inspiring and becomes an example to thousands of people, young and old in Greece and around the world as well.
Up to now he has released 47 albums of Byzantine music and spiritual content in general.
He is the artist who gave his presence to discography and reignited the interest of the people in relation with the Byzantine music and he remapped it in Orthodoxy!
He became the pioneer of this expression by motivated others and became an example for others to follow.
Many hymns of the Orthodox Church have been characterised and featured with his voice and his expression and some of them are: the exaltations of Holy Friday and all the hymns of Holy Week, the hymn of “Agne Parthene Despoina”, by Saint Nektarios, psalms of David, hymns of Panagia in particular “The Hymn of Love” from the first Scripture to the Corinthians by Apostle Paul, a very successful hymn with the voice of this unique performer and honoring him by placing him in a special place of people’s heart. At the same time he becomes the major performer of this eternal expression, which for the first time it notes a big success and tolerance from the Panhellenic and other countries of Orthodoxy as well.
Petros Gaitanos has traveled around the globe by giving concerts with hymns starting from Constantinople. He was invited twice by the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew in 1996 & 1997 who characterised Petros as “chapter of the Greek culture” and “role model to the youth”.
Some of the most important concerts he performed with hymns:
18/10/1995 Herodes Atticus Theatre. Byzantine hymns and Axion Esti by Mikis Theodorakis and Odysseas Elytis.
3/4/1996 At the Cathedral of Athens, with the hymns of the Holy Week under the auspices of the blessed Archbishop of Athens and entire Greece, Serafim and the municipality of Athens.
4/18/1995 Holy Tuesday at the Athens Music Hall with hymns of the Holy Week.
12/5/1995 At the Aristotelian University of Thessaloniki in honor of the Archbishop Iakovos of the United States.
Holy Week 1997, he performs a series of concerts titled “Ta Theia Pathi”, at the most popular church of Saint Pandeleimon’s on Acharnes street, Athens, the largest church in the Balkans, where 8.000 people attended.
7/4/2001 Concert with hymns at the church of God’s Sofia in Thessaloniki where 10.000 people attended.
Due to the large people attendance the streets in the center of the city were closed!
May 26, 2001 Mystras, Greece
December 24, 2001 Thessaloniki Music Hall
September 30, 2002 Saint Demetrios Church in Thessaloniki
September 11, 2003 Patmos, Cave of Saint John the Theologian
March 22, 2010 Cathedral of Piraeus with the saxophones orchestra of Piraeus
July 1, 2013 Nicosia Cyprus, Church oh Saint Lazarus
April 10, 2015 Holy Week, Transfiguration of Christ Church in Corona Queens, NYC
April 29, 2016 Holy Friday, Argos, Greece. Agios Petros square, meeting point for the Epitaphs of all churches of Argos.
2004. He tours in the United States in collaboration with Cretan contributors and the Panamerican association of Cretans performing a concert titled “The Church of Crete through the centuries”. With great success and in full theaters with the audience been surprised with the performance and the presence of the Greek artist in a series of high scaled concerts.
He travels to Jerusalem to do the filming for four documentaries in the exact locations of the passions of Christ in collaboration with the National Greek TV. The documentaries have been seen by millions of people noting a huge television viewing, meanwhile this historic filming and the performing of this important artist have been repeated continuously for the next years, maintaining the same success.
Dedications were given to him by the National TVs of Romania and the Czech Republic as the most represented artist of the hymns of Orthodoxy.
He is the first and only hymns performer of the Christian Orthodoxy who performed concerts of Byzantine hymns with the interpretation of the Sign language.
Besides the concerts he gave under the blessings of His Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew A’ his presence and his art were present in collaboration and the blessings of the following hierarchs as well: Blessed Patriarch Petros the Z’ from Africa, likewise the Blessed Patriarch Theodore, the Blessed Archbishop Iakovos of the United States, the Blessed Archbishops Chrystodoulos and Serafim of Athens and entire Greece, the Blessed Metropolitan Pandeleimon B’ of Thessaloniki, the Metropolitan Sotirios of Canada, the Archbishop Savvas of Poland, and of course Archbishop Ieronymos B’ of Athens and entire Greece and many other hierarchs of Orthodoxy from the Metropolitans of the Greek and Cypriot Church also the Church of Crete.
With the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew B’ in Constantinople
With the Blessed Patriarch Theodore B’ of Africa
With the Metropolitan Sotirios of Canada
With the Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Kitiou
With the Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Patras
With the past Patriarch Eirinaios of Jerusalem, Israel
With the blessed Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens and entire Greece
He has performed many concerts in hundreds of churches and on the most important holy places of Orthodoxy under the auspices of the ecclesiastical masters with the presence of large audiences.
The expression and the recording in the performing of the hymns became a school that offers a different opinion in the performing of the spiritual material and in the broader expression of hymnology through the centuries.
Hymns concerts through the time
- Holy Tuesday, April 18, 1995, Athens Music Hall
- October 18, 1995, Herodium
- December 5, 1995, University of Thessaloniki in the presence of Archbishop Jacob of America
- December 20, 1995 – 3 January 1996, “Aegli monument ”, Thessaloniki
- January 4, 1996, Constaninople with the presence of the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew
- April 3, 1996, Metropolitan Church of Athens under the patronage of the Archbishop of Athens and all
- Greece, Seraphem
- October 4, 1996, Cathedral Church of God’s Wisdom, Csanthi
- January 5, 1997, Constaninople, with the presence of the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew
- April 6, 1997, Athens College
- April 7, 1997, Holy Church of St Nicolaos, Chalandri
- April 12, 1997, Holy Church of the Annunciation, Aspropyrgos
- April 14, 1997, Holy Church of St Panteleymonas, Acharnes, Athens
- April 16, 1997, Metropolitan Church of Lamia
- April 20,1997, Municipal Theatre of Rhodes
- May 2, 1997, Holy Church of the Great Archangels, Kalamata
- May 14, 1997, Ceremonial Hall of the University of Thessaloniki
- June 2, 1997, Holy Church of St Paraschevi, Megara
- June 4, 1997, Cathedral Church of Ano Liossia, Athens
- June 6, 1997, Holy Church of St Gheorghios, Elephsina
- June 8, 1997, Pnyka, Athens
- June 9, 1997, Ceremonial Hall of the University of Thessaloniki
- June 28, 1997, Ancient Theatre of Philippi, Kavala
- July 27, 1997, Holy Church of the Holy Trinity, Loutraki
- August 1, 1997, Schoolyard of the Elementary School of Sami, Cephalonia
- September 25, 1997, Panaghia Kommeni, Rhodes
- December 8-9, 1997,Municipal Theatre of Piraeus
- December 15, 1997, Theatre of Northern Greece, Thessaloniki
- April 10, 1998, Municipal Theatre of Aspropyrgos
- April 11, 1998, Holy Church of St Vlassios, Csylokastro
- April 12, 1998, Holy Church of St Tryphonas, Pallini, Attica
- December 7, 1998, Ceremonial Hall of the University of Thessaloniki
- December 18, 1998, University of Athens
- April 2, 1999, Holy Church of St Dimitrios, Thessaloniki
- April 3, 1999, Holy Church of St Vassilios, Tripoli
- July 27, 1999, Ancient ruins of the Acropolis Avdiron, Csanthi
- December 12, 1999, Aristotelous Square, Millennium Thessaloniki
- April 21, 2000, Holy Church of the Annunciation of Virgin Mary, Aphantou, Rhodes
- April 22, 2000, Holy Church of St Paraschevi, Chalkida
- July 30, 2000, Holy Church of the Holy Trinity, Loutraki
- December 27, 2000, Music Hall of Thessaloniki
- April 7, 2001, Holy Church of God’s Wisdom, Thessaloniki
- May 26, 2001, Mystras
- December 24, 2001, Music Hall of Thessaloniki
- April 27, 2002, Holy Church of the Archangels, Kalamata
- April 30, 2002, Holy Church of the Presentation of Virgin Mary, Vari , Attiki
- September 30, 2002, Holy Church of St Dimitrios, Thessaloniki
- February 25, 2003, Music Hall of Thessaloniki
- April 16, 2003, Cathedral Church of Alecsandroupolis
- April 17, 2003, Holy Church of St Paraschevi, Ag. Paraschevi, Athens
- April 19, 2003, Holy Church of the Annunciation of Virgin Mary, Tinos
- May 2, 2003, Sani, Chalkidiki
- August 15, 2003, Holy Church of the Assumption, Hydra
- September 11, 2003, Cave of St Ioannis Theologos, Patmos
- October 31, 2003, Aristotelean University of Thessaloniki, cultural event to honour the former Patriarch of Africa, Peter the 7th
- December 21, 2003, Cultural Centre “Daes”, Amaroussio, Athens
- April 2, 2004, Public Cinematheatre
- April 3, 2004, Holy Church of St George, Menidi, Attica
- May 22-23-24, 2004, Theatre of Holy Monastery of the Lazareens, Thessaloniki, performance called “From the Theogony to the Conquest of Trapezounda”
- May 29, 2004, Mystras
- June 4, 2004, Garden Theatre, Thessaloniki, performance “From the Theogony to the Conquest of Trapezounda”
- June 16, 2004, Ancient Market of Amathounda, Lemessos, Cyprus
- July 27, 2004, Castle of Platamon, cultural event for the Abbot of the Holy Monastery of Meghisti Lavra of St John the Baptist
- August 7, 2004, Castle of Gherakio, Laconia
- August 17, 2004, Holy Monastery of Virgin Mary, Macrysia, Helia
- Tour in the United States called “The Church of Crete through the centuries” :
- November 20, 2004, Detroit
- November 21, 2004, San Francisco
- November 26, 2004, New Jersey
- November 27, 2004, Church of St Bartholomew, Manhattan, New York
- November 28, 2004, Miami
- March 24, 2005, Calambaca, Meteora
- April 6, 2005, Holy Church of the Source of Life, Daphne, Attica
- April 8, 2005, Zappeon
- April 11-12, 2005, Toronto, Canada
- April 18, 2005, Holy Church of St Paul, Cavala
- April 21, 2005, Holy Church of the Annunciation of Virgin Mary, Tinos
- April 23, 2005, Holy Church of the Assumption of Virgin Mary, Coropi, Attica
- August 16, 2005, Holy Monastery of Virgin Mary, Macrysia, Helia
- October 22, 2005, Rachi, Pieria
- April 14 200, 6 Holy Church of Saints Theodoroi Anavissos Attica
- July 2006, Holy Church of Virgin Mary Giatrisa Loutraki korinthos
- August 13 2006, Ancient Olympia Makrisia
- December 29 2006, Holy Church of Saint Andrew, Patra
- March 3 2007, Montreal, Canada, Palace reception hall, Laval, Canada
- March 4 2007, Ottawa, Canada, Community center of Greece, Canada
- March 10 2007, Toronto, Canada, Metropolitan center, Canada
- March 11 2007, London, Canada, Hellenic community center, Canada
- March 16 2007, Vancouver, Canada, Hellenic community center, Canada
- March 18 2007, San Francisco, Palace of Fine Arts Theatre, USA
- March 28 2007, Thrace, theatre of the law university, Komotini
- April 27 2007, Alexandria Africa, in the Gardens of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Africa
- December 2007, Megara Attica
- April 16 2008, theatre of studies, Archangel, Nikosia
- April 19 2008, Athens Collage, Pan-Hellenic association of giving blood
- April 20 2008, Corfu, municipal theatre, with the choir of Corfu
- April 21 2008, Corfu, municipal theatre, with the choir of Corfu
- December 14 2008, Holy Church of Saint Irene, Athens, Galatsi,
- April 5 2009, Holy Church of Saint George, Paralimni Ammohostos, Cyprus
- April 8 2009, Bookstore Kyriakidis
- April 9 2009, Athens Music Hall
- April 10 2009, Holy Church of Saint Constantinos, Glifada Attica
- April 13 2009, Radio City theater, Thessaloniki
- April 14 2009, Radio City theater, Thessaloniki
- April 15 2009, Radio City theater, Thessaloniki
- March 16, 2010, Municipal theatre of Strovolos, Nicosia, Cyprus
- March 22, 2010, Metropolitan Church of Piraeus, with the Saxophone orchestra of Piraeus
- March 23, 2010, Municipal theatre of Spata Attica
- March 27, 2010, Metropolitan Church of Serres
- May 29 2010, Mystras
- December 12 2010, Holy Church of Saint Constantinos and Saint Helen, Saint Constantinos, Fthiotida, central Greece
- April 18 2011, Municipal theatre, with the choir of Corfu, Corfu
- August 13 2012, Holy Church of Saint Vasilios, Ancient Olympia
- April 21 2013, Holy Church of Saint Constantinos, Ilioupoli Attica
- April 26 2013, Holy Church of Virgin Mary’s Annunciation, Erythres Attica
- April 27 2013, Holy Church of Jesus’ Transfiguration, Vilia Attica
- May 16 2013, Xanthi, Thrace, Holy Monastery of Saint Irene
- July 1 2013, Holy Church of St Lazarus, Cyprus, Larnaka
- April 7 2014, Holy Church of St Paraschevi, Ag. Paraschevi, Attica, Nea Penteli
- April 9 2014, University of Patra’s, Patra, Achaia
- July 1 2014, Holy Church of St Lazarus, Cyprus, Larnaka
- December 14 2014, Holy Church of St George Athens
- March 22 2015, Holy Church of St George Athens
- April 7 2015, Holy Tuesday, Transfiguration of Christ Greek Orthodox Church
- April 10 2015, Holy Friday, Transfiguration of Christ Greek Orthodox Church
- April 11 2015, Holy Saturday, Transfiguration of Christ Greek Orthodox Church
- November 15 2015, Cultural Hall of Greek Orthodox Church Argyroupoli Athens
- April 3 2016, Cultural Hall of Greek Orthodox Church Argyroupoli Athens
- April 18 2016, Holy Church of Holy Trinity Petroupoli Athens
- April 23 2016, Holy Church of St George Nighrita Serres, North Greece
- April 29 2016, Holy Friday, Central square of Argos city Pelloponisos
- September 29 2016, Holy Metropolis of Larisa & Tirnavou
- November 13 2016, Holy Church of Holy Trinity Petroupoli Athens
- December 10 2016, Holy Church of Saint Nektarios , Voula Athens
- December 22 2016, Holy Church of Saint Anastasia, Thessaloniki
- January 22 2017, Cultural Hall of Greek Orthodox Church Argyroupoli Athens
- March 19 2017, Cultural Hall of Greek Orthodox Church Argyroupoli Athens
- April 14 2017, Holy Friday, Central square of Argos city Pelloponisos
- October 15 2017, Cultural Hall of Greek Orthodox Church Argyroupoli Athens
- November 19 2017, Cultural Hall of Greek Orthodox Church Argyroupoli Athens
- February 4 2018, Cultural Hall of Chania Crete