NAME: Nikolaos Stefanopoulos (Dirlas) of Konstantinos and Irene – son of Konstantinos N. Stefanopoulos (1900-1978) and grandson of Nicolaos G. Stefanopoulos (1865-1957)
PLACE OF BIRTH: Tholaria Amorgos
PLACE OF DEATH: Athens
PLACE OF RESIDENCE: Amorgos
SPOUSE / MAIDEN NAME: Maria (Marouli) of Georgios Smyrnis / Smyrni
PROFESSION: Shoemaker, Musician
INSTRUMENT: Violin, Singer
BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE
Nikolaos Stefanopoulos was born on December 15, 1941 in Tholaria, Amorgos, and died on October 20, 2024. He remained in his birthplace throughout his life.
He was married to Maria Smyrni with whom he had one child.
He began learning the violin at the age of 16 under the guidance of an the Amorgian violinist, George L. Stefanidis from Lagada, known by the nickname “Taranaki.” He studied with him for four and a half years, mastering not only the art of the violin but also that of the shoemaker. For much of his life he worked as a shoemaker himself, serving the communities of Tholaria and the surrounding villages, while at the same time establishing himself as a prominent local musician, participating in hundreds of local musical events.
Nikolaos Stefanopoulos’ involvement with music was a part of a long family tradition. His father, Konstantinos N. Stefanopoulos (1900-1978), played the violin, his grandfather, Nikolaos G. Stefanopoulos (1865-1957), known by the nickname “Anestis,” played the lyre and his grandfather’s brother, Polychronis Stefanopoulos, played the tubi (a small percussion instrument).
Remaining throughout his life exclusively on Amorgos, Nikolaos Stefanopoulos’ art was deeply rooted in the musical and cultural traditions of the island. It is characteristic that his violin technique, the particular timbre, and the reserved doric style of his playing have remained unchanged over the years. His existing recordings are a valuable source of information about this “earlier” style which he consistently represented and consciously advocated throughout his life.
In the context of the creation of the Digital Audiovisual Folk Music Archive Amorgos and its Islands, Nikolaos Stephanopoulos participated in a series of commissioned audiovisual recordings where all the traditional tunes and songs of Amorgos were recorded.