Karoussos Fanis

Born in Heraklion, Crete in 1977 with roots from Constantinople and Smyrna. He became involved with the santouri during his studies at the A.T.E.I. of Music Technology of Rethymno, initially studying the Greek traditional repertoire and that of Asia Minor. He then sought and reintroduced the santouri to the Cretan repertoire through local actions and collaborations with the most notable artists of the Cretan tradition today.

He moved and lived in Paris from 2008-2016, creating the Paka Paka Corporation, spreading the santouri and the Greek musical tradition, and participated in numerous other projects such as Orchestres DEMOS *French El Systema adaption, Parthenon Academie de Danse, Louvre Private Orchestras, Ensemble Mediteranean de National Conservatoire de Musique, National Festival de Histoire de l'Arte, Institute des Cultures du Monde Paris.

He has worked with musicians such as Xylouris White, Rona Hartner (Gadjo Dilo), Loco Mondo, Babel Orchestra, Sandrine Maunlesane, Isabelle Couroy. Since 2010 he has been collaborating with the Cite de la Musique Paris and the Demos orchestras of the Philharmonie de Paris as a soloist, arranger and pedagogue. Now permanently based in Crete, he teaches the santouri, composes, and continues to create new groups and participate in new projects. In 2022 he created the interactive workshop for children "What is Music" which visits schools and local cultural organizations, and in 2025 the study and creation group around music technology "Grab the Sound" which operates in Heraklion, Crete.