Stuttgart-born Dimitris Basis is no stranger to the plight of diasporan Greeks. His own parents lived and worked in Germany during his most formative years, before they returned to their small village at Cherso, near Kilkis in Northern Greece, when he was aged eight. By nine, he was chanting the liturgy at his local church before deciding to study Byzantine music just three years later.
No stranger to Australia, he is back for the celebration of the Bicentennial of the Greek Revolution, for a series of concerts to honour Greek Independence which include uplifting songs by Mikis Theodorakis, Manos Hadjidakis, Vassilis Tsitsanis and Stavros Xarhakos.