There are many topics to discuss when speaking with Stav Thomopoulos, one of the most active members of the Greek Australian music scene, on a warm afternoon in Melbourne’s north.
This time our conversation had to do with a new initiative she’s launching, The Euterpe Collective, with violinist Kat Stevens, another key figure in the Greek Australian music scene.
“The Euterpe Collective is a network of women working professionally in Greek music. The goal is to create a support system, encourage collaborations, and offer younger women the opportunity to be mentored by more experienced musicians. Most importantly, we all learn from one another,” she said.
I asked her how the idea came about.
“Κat and I play in Nea Skoupa, a music trio that also features Wayne Simons. After one of our gigs, we realised that we were one of the very few groups where women made up the majority. That got us thinking about organising a casual meet-up where female musicians could come together and play Greek music.”
To some, this might seem unnecessary—after all, aren’t there many successful female musicians already?
“There are certain patterns that people might not even notice, but as a woman, I find them a bit odd” Stav explains. “Women are often in the minority in bands, and they’re usually seen as singers rather than instrumentalists. There are plenty of talented female musicians, but very few are part of bands.”
“I’m not saying there’s deliberate discrimination. It could be that female musicians don’t always feel comfortable in these settings. Whatever the reason, we believe it’s something that needs to change, and that’s exactly what we aim to do with this project.”
The inaugural meet-and-play (sic) session will take place this Saturday March 16, at Pontiaki Estia in Brunswick and Stav is optimistic about the turnout.
“We’ll be over 20 musicians from all walks of life there. This time, we’ll focus on Smyrneika songs, but the idea is to change the repertoire at each session.”
As for the requirements to join, Stav says there are only three.
“You need to be a woman, be able to read music—and bring good vibes. We want a safe and happy space for everyone, and that means each person plays a role in creating and preserving that environment.”
Hearing her talk about good vibes, I couldn’t help but admire how Stav always puts her hands up for new initiatives and projects.
“I really love music and I have met some amazing people in Australia that we have done great things together. And with the Euterpe Collective we really want to give the opportunity to more women to live this kind of experiences”.
