OURANIA LAMPROPOULOU / SOFIA LABROPOULOU / MARTIN MALLAUM

Unbounded Sounds 2026
concert
Fri. 6. November, 19:30

OURANIA LAMPROPOULOU Santouri / SOFIA LABROPOULOU Kanun / MARTIN MALLAUN Zither

The second concert of the Unbounded Sounds Music Series 2026 brings together three exceptional musicians: Ourania Lampropoulou, Sofia Labropoulou, and Martin Mallaun.

In this rare trio formation, three plucked instruments meet in a shared sonic space shaped by modal thinking, resonance, and cyclical rhythm. Emerging from distinct musical traditions, their dialogue unfolds through folk music, improvisation, and contemporary practices.

Each artist redefines the possibilities of their instrument, transforming tradition into a living and evolving language.

Location: ORF – Radiokulturhaus (Studio 3) (Argentinierstraße 30A, 1040 Wien)
Accessibility: The venue is wheelchair accessible.

workshop
Sat. 7. November, 12:00 - 18:00

OURANIA LAMPROPOULOU & SOFIA LABROPOULOU Interwar Rebetiko: Between Modality and Tonality

Rebetiko music of the interwar period unfolds at a delicate crossroads. Deeply rooted in modal thinking, it preserves this identity even when shaped within a tonal framework. It is precisely this subtle tension, between modality and tempered tuning, that gives this specific style its vibrant, expressive character.

In this practice-oriented workshop, we will explore this richness primarily through the repertoire of Smyrna-style Rebetiko (Smyrnéiko), placing it in dialogue with the Piraeus tradition (Piréotiko). Through this comparison, we will observe how different musical logics coexist and transform.

A central focus will be the interaction between non-tempered and tempered instruments, and the ways in which modal systems adapt to equal temperament without losing their expressive depth. Participants will engage with melodic development, ornamentation, and intonation, with particular attention to micro-intervals and the subtle interplay between instruments.

The workshop emphasizes deep listening and collective music-making. Rather than approaching the material through heavy theoretical frameworks, it opens a shared space to refine the ear, shape the sound, and embody the style—experiencing Rebetiko as a living, breathing practice.

Location: mica – music austria (Stiftgasse 29, 1070 Wien)
Duration: 6 hours
Time: 12:00 – 18:00 (with pause)
Participation fee: 80 euros
Language: English
Accessibility: The workshop room is wheelchair accessible

Open to instrumentalists and singers of all levels.

About the artists

Ourania Lampropoulou

Santur player, composer, arranger, conductor, and educator

“Ourania Lampropoulou brings to life the expressive depth and rhythmic vitality of folk songs and dances with remarkable precision and sensitivity”  Micheline Servin, Les Temps modernes

Ourania Lampropoulou
© Orestis Dikaios

Ourania Lampropoulou is a virtuoso of the santouri (Greek cymbalum). Being a leading figure of her instrument from a young age, she works as an extension of her teacher and master of Greek santοuri, Tasos Diakogiorgis. 

As a professional musician since 1998, she collaborates with traditional, ancient, contemporary and world music groups, as well as with renowned symphony orchestras and ensembles (for many years she was a member of the Mikis Theodorakis Orchestra and collaborator of Domna Samiou). 

Since 2010, lives in Paris, where she works as a conductor, arranger and performer. As a specialist of traditional Greek music, she has taught at the Department of Folk Music (University of Epirus), the Department of Music Science and Art (University of Macedonia), the National Conservatory in Athens and the Philharmonie de Paris, as well as at international master classes (Philharmonie de Paris, Academy of Banska Bystrica-Slovakia, Academy of Minsk-Bielorussia).

Ourania Lampropoulou is a versatile composer whose creations are deeply inspired by oral tradition. She has composed notable works such as “From Constantinople to Istanbul,” a piece for solo santouri, and “Variations on ‘À la claire fontaine,” a commission from the Philharmonie de Paris for orchestra and children’s choir. Her piece “The Oath of the Dead Brother,” for santouri, percussion, vocal, and live electronics, was commissioned by the International Center for Nomadic Music, while “The Epic of Vassilios Digenis Akritas” was created for the cultural Olympiad on behalf of the Cacoyannis Foundation. Ourania Lampropoulou also works in stage music, enriching theatrical experiences through compositions that incorporate narrative elements. Her work reflects a variety of styles and influences while staying true to her roots.

In 2021, she defended a PhD in “Aesthetics, Sciences and Technologies of the Arts – Speciality Music” at the University of Paris VIII entitled: “The Rebetiko of Piraeus: Implications of Makam in the inter-war period”.

Sofia Labropoulou

Kanun player, composer, improviser and artistic director of Unbounded Sounds

“Her composing, playing and selection of featured artists show that she masters her instrument, but does not put it in front. Her compositions give space for the story to develop and for others to shine.” Bojan Djordjevic – WMCE

© vegeldaniel.com

Sofia Labropoulou is a kanun player, composer, and improviser who has developed a distinct sound by masterfully blending the worlds of East Mediterranean folk, classical Ottoman, Western Medieval, experimental, and contemporary music.

Classically trained in piano and classical percussion from the age of eight, she fell instantly in love with the kanun almost a decade later. After earning her diploma in Byzantine music, she moved to Istanbul in 2003 to pursue her passion for the kanun and study Ottoman music.

As a soloist, she collaborates with renowned composers, musicians, and orchestras from around the world, composes music, and leads kanun and Greek folk music masterclasses internationally.

Her first personal album, Sisyphus (Odradek Records), was released in December 2020, and she is currently completing her first solo kanun album, Spiral.

She is based in Vienna, and she is the founder and artistic director of the Unbounded Sounds music series.

Martin Mallaun

Zither player, composer, improviser

“He is without a doubt one of the most versatile Austrian artists currently working in the field of experimental music. Whether in improvisation, electronic music, baroque lute music, alpine folk music, or contemporary music, the Tyrol-born performer is always searching for new forms of sonic and stylistic expression on the zither.” (Via mica–music austria)

Martin_Mallaun
© Reinhard Winkler

In addition to zither studies at the Tyrolean State Conservatory, Martin Mallaun majored in botany at the University of Innsbruck. For the past several years he has been working intensively to expand the zither repertoire. A large number of new pieces, ranging from solo to orchestral works, have been composed for and premiered by him. On this path he has been fortunate to have such companions as the accordionist Viviane Chassot, the zither trio GREIFER, the violinist Barbara Lüneburg, and the improvisation trio Tricky Bridges.

Martin Mallaun performs concerts internationally and makes guest appearances at such renowned festivals as the Edinburgh International Festival (UK), Munich Biennale (Germany), and Klangspuren Schwaz (Austria). In addition to his work as a freelance musician, he teaches at the Tyrol Music School Association. As a botanist he has been researching the effects of climate change on the vegetation of Alpine ecosystems as part of the GLORIA research project since 2001.