Zacharias Karounis–Performer, Composer, Actor
Zacharias Karounis was born on November 2nd, 1977, in Pakia in Lakonia. He graduated from the Theological School of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Department of Social Theology and Religion. At the same time, he studied, with a scholarship, Byzantine Music and Theory of European Music at the Athens Conservatory. He also attended classical singing lessons at the same conservatory with professor M. Nikakis.
Since 1998, he has developed an artistic activity as a singer. He participated as the Dance Leader in Aristophanes' comedy, "Frogs", from the National Theatre, directed by Costas Tsianos. In 1999, he participated in the show "Vira tis agyres", directed by Stamatis Fassoulis, from the National Theatre, performing the "Song of the Stranger" by Mikis Theodorakis. In the same year, he collaborated with the "Orchestra of Colours" of Manos Hadjidakis in the performance "Two Voices for Loxandra", performing Asia Minor songs.
In the summer of 2000, he collaborated with "Lykeio Hellenidon" in the show "Thalassa" in Herodio and in July 2001, he collaborated with Maria Faradouri in the concert "A Century of Greek Song" in Herodio. In 2002, he participated in concerts with Domna Samiou, as well as in a concert by Maria Faradouri ("Poetry set to music") at Irodeion, performing songs by Mikis Theodorakis, Manos Hadjidakis and Stavros Xarhakos. At the same time, Zacharias Karounis was engaged in the recording and interpretation of songs from the East (M. Asia, Cappadocia, Pontos, Turkey), while for two years, he sang rebetiko and folk songs in "Perivoli tou Ouranou" with Mario.
In the period 2003-2004, he collaborated with Tatiana Lygari in the theatre "The Train on the Roof", and in the musical theatre show "Yp' atmon", and in the summer of 2004, he took part in the musical show "Talent-The Symmetry of Harmony". In 2007 and 2008, he sang with Giorgos Dalaras and collaborated in the musical show "Everything from the Beginning", directed by Stamatis Fassoulis, at the "Pallas" theatre. On July 4th and 5th, 2007, he participated in the show "When it Happens Around" under the supervision of Panagiotis Kounadis at Irodeion. Also, in February 2008, he participated in the seven performances of "Like a Bewitched Song", which were dedicated to rebetiko songs and took place at the Athens Concert Hall.
From 2014 to 2015, Zacharias Karounis participated in the cataloguing programme of the musical manuscripts of the Patriarchal Library of Jerusalem, while he then turned his interest to theatre music. A milestone in his artistic career was his collaboration with the leading composer, Stavros Xarchakos, who initially included him in the musical performance "Aman Amen" and then entrusted him with the role of singer in the performance "To Megalo mas Chirko" by Iakovos Campanellis (a role first embodied by Nikos Xylouris). Then Zacharias Karounis took the role of the singer in the National Theatre performance, "The Neighborhood of Angels", directed by Kostas Tsianos, performing songs by Mikis Theodorakis.
In 2015-2016, he co-starred with Savina Giannatou and Yiannis Stankoglou in the show Jason and the Golden Fleece (directed by Sofia Spyratou, music by Nikos Kypourgos), performing the role of Orpheus. Also, in the winter of 2019, he starred as Makrygiannis on the Lyric Stage in Dimitris Maragopoulos's contemporary opera "From the Visions and Miracles of General Makrygiannis", performing the eponymous role.
For several years, Zacharias Karounis participated as a monophonist in the "Masters of Chanting Art" under the direction of Professor Grigorios Stathis, while he has also collaborated with the Department of Music Studies of the University of Athens for the recording and documentation of the Library's manuscript codices Konstantinou A. Psachos. In fact, he has been honoured by the Patriarchate of Alexandria with the Medal of the Lion of Saint Mark for his artistic contribution. Also, since 2016, he has been the artistic director of the "IONIA" Cultural Foundation, with which he organised and performed two central performances at the Athens Concert Hall and the Herodeum entitled: "Mikrasia We Were Leaving and We Were Talking about You".
Zacharias Karounis has five personal records to his credit: "12 Soloists, One Voice", "The Materials of Secrets", "From Zero", "Mission", and "Wild Animal Care Centre", as well as many participations in records established artists.