Founded: 2018

Rodi Music Orchestra accompanies Rodi Festival from its start, in December of 2018. The Orchestra consists of volunteers musicians, who are also members of the volunteer team of the Festival. Its goal is to provide the musical background for all Festival activities, not only when the Festival takes place, but also throughout the year. The idea of creating the Orchestra belongs to special education musician Lena Karagiannidou.

Rodi Music Orchestra consists of volunteering musicians, both professionals, and amateurs. The ultimate aim of the Orchestra is to be inclusive, comprising of people with or without disabilities alike.

Orchestra’s initial performances began at the 1^st Rodi Festival in 2018, accompanying the attendees, during the breaks of the events.

In the second year of its existence, in 2019, the Orchestra participated in the Festival’s night that was devoted to poetry and music. It was at this night that the poem titled «Erotas» («Love») made its first appearance. «Erotas» is written by the poet Fani Athanasiadou and its music is composed by George Tsapranis. Also, musicians and vocalists of the Orchestra accompanied the choir of the Junior High School of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing of Thessaloniki, who performed songs into Greek Sign Language (GSL). Finally, at the closing ceremony of the 2^nd Rodi Festival, the Song of The Festival was presented. The lyrics and the music of the (Festival’s) Song are written by Vasilia Stamouli.

In the spring of 2020, the Orchestra remained active by creating the quarantine edition music video of the Festival’s Song!

For the 3^rd Online Rodi Festival and the International Volunteer Day (5^th of December) the Orchestra created a music video of its performance of the Oscar award-winning song by Nicola Piovani “La Vita è bella” («Life is Beautiful»). The lyrics of the song translated in Greek by Lina Nikolakopoulou. The idea for this performance belongs to Vasilia Stamouli, who also orchestrated it, while Lena Karagiannidou was responsible for the making of the performance. Furthermore, the song was interpreted into Greek Sign Language (GSL) by Glykeria Gatgiou and the video was edited by the director Alexis Lazaridis. Last but not least, the video was comprised of visual messages from all the volunteers of Rodi Festival as well as visual messages from the people of KDAP Peraias – Prosvasi.

Moreover, in the same year, some members of the volunteers’ team created one more video of the song «What’s the thing that keeps us united» («Τι είναι αυτό που μας ενώνει») by Dragic Sasa and Filippos Pliatsikas.

On New Year’s Eve of 2021, the Orchestra sang online the Carols to send a message of hope and optimism for the coming year.

The Orchestra has already started preparing for its participation in the festivities of the 4^th iRodi Festival, which will occur between the 3^rd and the 10^th (from the 3^rd until the 10^th) of December 2021.

You can find news about the Rodi Music Orchestra and its activities on the social media of the Orchestra, on Facebook (Rodi Music Orchestra) and Instagram (RodiMusicOrchestra). 

The orchestra's logo was created, voluntarily, by Nikoleta Karga. Logo consists of the original brand of the festival from which gush notes and musical symbols.