There are moments when music stops being simply a collection of sounds and becomes an emotion. Moments when a song awakens memories, a bouzouki takes the soul on a journey, and a child manages, within just a few minutes, to make hundreds of people fall silent, become emotional and eventually burst into prolonged applause.
That was the kind of moment experienced by those who attended the Bouzouki Symphony musical event, a special evening dedicated to beloved Greek melodies, memories, singing and celebration, organised and presented by Pantelis Krestas and his students.
And while the evening was full of beautiful surprises, one performance was discussed more than any other.
It was the appearance of a 12-year-old Greek Australian boy from Melbourne.
Johnny Simoglou stepped onto the stage, took his bouzouki in his hands and began to play as though he had been doing it all his life.
Without anxiety. Without stage fright. Without showing for a moment that he was performing in front of an audience of hundreds.
He played like a professional.
And the audience gave him a rapturous reception.
The evening’s artistic direction was overseen by musician, arranger and musical director Pantelis Krestas, who, as a bouzouki teacher, helps young musicians in Melbourne showcase their talent and love for the instrument.
Young performers took to the stage, displaying their skills as accomplished little virtuosos of the bouzouki and impressing the audience with their technique and musicality.
But Johnny managed to steal the show.
And not simply because he is only 12 years old.
It was because, when he picked up the bouzouki, it was clear that he was not merely playing notes. He was playing with soul.
When the “Zeibekiko of Evdokia” became a family affair
The evening’s defining moment came when Johnny was left alone on stage to perform the famous “Zeibekiko of Evdokia” on his bouzouki.
The notes filled the room.
And then something happened that no one had planned.
Johnny’s grandmother, Vicky Simoglou, rose from her seat and began to dance.
It was an authentic, spontaneous moment of Greek emotion.
Her grandson’s bouzouki inspired her to get up and dance, creating a moment that will remain unforgettable for their family.
The audience was moved.
The applause that followed was more than recognition of a talented child. It was a tribute to Greek music, family and the unique bond connecting generations of Greeks in the diaspora with the culture of their homeland.
From guitar and drums to the bouzouki
Johnny’s mother, Stella, spoke to Neos Kosmos about her son’s journey and how a child who had shown a particular aptitude for music from an early age eventually found his own path through the bouzouki.
“He showed an inclination towards music from a young age,” she explained.
He initially tried guitar and drums, but it was the bouzouki that ultimately won him over.
Seeing both his talent and his passion for the particular instrument, his parents decided to entrust his musical education to Pantelis Krestas.
And then, as they describe it, Johnny took off.
His participation in the activities of the Greek school run by Johnny Kostarakis, as well as community events and the Antipodes Festival, gave him opportunities to perform in front of audiences and gain valuable experience.
His work with Krestas and his participation in Bouzouki Symphony appear to have marked another important step in his musical journey.
As his mother explains, Krestas’ teaching and Johnny’s participation in the Bouzouki Symphony group have helped him reach “new musical heights”.
“He sticks with music”
Johnny has a brother and a sister who also pursued music before turning their attention to other interests.
He, however, has persevered.
And it seems the bouzouki is not simply a hobby for him.
It is a means of expression.
A way to communicate.
A way to have fun.
And a way to keep Greek musical tradition alive among Melbourne’s younger generations.
And it is not just the bouzouki.
Johnny also loves Greek dancing. He enjoys dancing, has a sense of humour and, as his proud father, Thanasis, puts it, he “has fun the Greek way”.
Perhaps that is ultimately the most beautiful part of his story.
Because Johnny is not simply learning to play a Greek musical instrument.
He is learning to live and experience Greece through music, thousands of kilometres away from his homeland.
And that evening, on the Bouzouki Symphony stage, he proved it in the most beautiful way.
A 12-year-old boy picked up a bouzouki.
And for a few minutes, he made an entire room feel Greece.
With the first notes, he captured the audience’s attention.
With his playing, he earned their admiration.
And when his grandmother rose to dance to the “Zeibekiko of Evdokia”, he gained something much greater: a moment that will remain forever in his family’s memory.
