100 Violins Create the Stunning ‘Balos Quarantine’

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Gregory Pappas

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100 Violins Create the Stunning ‘Balos Quarantine’

Every day creative people are finding ways to be productive— and stay creative— during mandatory social distancing measures in place around the world.

But staying away from each other didn’t prevent 100 talented string instrumentalists under the direction of Giannis Zarias to “come together” digitally.

What did they do? Create a stunningly enchanting rendition of the popular Greek island tune, the Balos, which is also a traditional dance of many Greek islands.

The musicians came from various orchestras in Greece with each one shooting his or her own part. The credits and names of the participants are included in the YouTube video, which was edited by Panos Iliopoulos.

Iliopoulos provided masterful edits, even colorizing each section as it plays its particular part of song. Meanwhile, the other violin sections remain frozen and transform into black and white.

Similar videos are popping up on social media with talented singers, musicians— even Greek Orthodox Church choirs— creating “coronavirus” versions of songs and hymns.

In Crete, a team of musicians created their own, original ballad about the COVID-19 pandemic and how it’s changed people’s lives. That video went viral several weeks ago and continues to circulate.

The Balos video has been viewed and shared on social media tens of thousands of times, making it one of the most viral Greek-related quarantine videos of the pandemic.

Give it a listen. Click the link below. But before you do, close your eyes and picture yourself on a Greek island. The music might just transform you there in your mind.

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