The Greek Australian music community is in shock following the tragic death of violinist Hector Cosmas. The talented musician was instrumental in the rebirth of rembetika music in Australia, and one of the driving forces of promoting Greek culture through the vehicle of music. Hector passed away in Greece from a heart attack, he was 44.

Born in Melbourne, Hector had a strong connection to rembetika and music of Asia Minor, where his background is from. Hector’s passion for the violin heightened as he got older and it was this passion that sparked his desire to transform the notion of rembetika music, and what it encompasses, here in Australia. He formed the Apodimi Compania in the mid-80’s and the group performed rembetika at the Retreat Hotel in Brunswick – an iconic period for Greek Australian culture, as it gave the community a chance to grab hold of their roots with both hands through music.

Long-time musical collaborator and close friend Tony Iliou told Neos Kosmos that he’s “absolutely gutted and very shocked” at the news his close friend passed away. As a young 20-year-old, Tony was introduced to playing rembetika through Hector and has since been mentored and guided by him to keep the scene alive in Australia.

“Hector was one of the most pivotal people in terms of the rembetika music scene, the Greek live music scene, here in Australia when there wasn’t much going on. And his knowledge of the music and his love and passion for the music was just second-to-none,” said Tony.

It was this passion and love for Greek music, the heart and soul of Greek culture, that directed his decision to move to Greece permanently in the late 90s to not only develop, explore and foster his musical skills, but also to pass on knowledge he gained to Australian audiences.

“Hector was brilliant in introducing young talent to music, people like a young Fotis Vergopoulos – Hector got him involved.

“He was great introducing younger musicians into the scene and he was very good at encouraging and mentoring,” says Iliou. “It had been almost a year since we last played together, but even then he was still full of advice and guidance.” Iliou had been preparing to perform shows in Sydney and Melbourne with Hector next month.

When speaking with the community over this tragic death, shock is the paramount emotion that people are feeling. From members of the music community, to people who watched him perform, to those that knew him well; nobody can believe that such a “beautiful soul” has been taken at such a young age.

“He was a brilliant performer very accomplished musician, he was brilliant – a master of his craft,” singer Anthea Sidiropoulos told Neos Kosmos, “that’s why people would clamber to play with him.

“He was a selfless musician always very giving in his time, always ready to offer his services, offer his time for music, to please – if anyone had a request he’d be the first to pick up the violin,” remembers Anthea.

When speaking of Hector, Anthea remembers a “bubbly and eager to please performer” who was a “young, beautiful, soul”,

“I was just on the phone with Tammy’s [Iliou – co-chair of Antipodes Festival] mum this morning and she remembers Hector playing the violin to Tammy’s tummy when she was pregnant, it’s these little things that make you feel sad.”

Hector is survived by his wife, Evi, and two daughters Phoebe and Daphne.