The hall of St Dimitrios Church in Moonee Ponds was filled to capacity on Saturday, as Melbourne’s Greek community came together for a heartfelt tribute to the late clarinet legend Petro Loukas Chalkias.
The sold-out event, running from 7pm to11pm, was a stirring act of remembrance and cultural continuity, organised entirely by younger members of the community determined to keep alive the distinctive musical soul of Epirus.
The idea originated with educator Anthi Tzani, herself of Epirot descent, who shared her vision with musician Giannis Kostarakis and Dean Kalimniou, Secretary of the Panepirotic Federation of Australia. Together, they sought to honour a musician whose artistry shaped modern Greek music, exploring his legacy through the timeless themes of Epirot song, exile and longing, love and memory, life and death, endurance and nostalgia.
After a warm welcome from Tzani, the presentation was led entirely by the community’s younger generation. Acting as hosts, Eleni Kalimniou, Alexandra Kalimniou, Alexios Kalimnios and Mary Stamatiou guided the audience on a journey through Chalkias’s life and music. Their poise and passion moved the audience, embodying the event’s central message: tradition is not a relic of the past but a living, evolving force carried forward by youth.
The sound of Epirus in Melbourne
The musical program, performed by the ensemble Demotika under Kostarakis’s direction, with narration by Kalimniou, enthralled the audience.
Performers Paddy Montgomery (violin, vocals), Athanasios Kostarakis (clarinet, vocals), Giannis Kostarakis (tambourine, vocals), Antonis Iliou (laouto, vocals), Nikolaos Kapralos (guitar, vocals) and Dean Kalimniou (violin) filled the hall with the haunting, meditative soundscape of Epirus. Though not all of Epirot heritage, their deep emotional connection to the music was unmistakable.
Slides and video presentations traced Chalkias’s extraordinary journey, reminding all present of his warmth, humanity and global influence as a musician who carried the soul of Epirus to audiences around the world. The visuals drew extended applause and visible emotion.
The dance ensemble of the Greek Orthodox Community of Melbourne, under Nikos Papaefthymiou, added rhythm and colour with traditional Epirot dances that brought the music to life.
Supported by the parish of St Dimitrios and its priest Father Ioannis Frangos, alongside the Panepirotic Federation of Australia, the event also recognised the parallel contributions of musical families such as the Fakos and Karkanakis clans, continuing Chalkias’s tradition on Australian soil.
Like Chalkias himself, who carried the sound of Epirus to the world, they too have kept its spirit alive in the hearts of new generations.
Ultimately, the evening was more than a commemoration, it was a declaration that the future of tradition lies in the hands of the young.
