Areti & Ioanna SPANOMARKOU

Ioanna Spanomarkou and Areti Spanomarkou (aka Spanomarkou) are multi-awarded composers, producers and scriptwriters, and Grammy voting members. They are also voting members of the World Soundtrack Awards. They started to compose music since their early age, with their own original music and imaginative lyrics. They are based in Greece and they have founded their own production company in 2018. They were born in the late '80s to a doctor, Magdalini, and an electronics engineer, Stefanos, in the center of Athens, Greece. They went to public school and simultaneously got their music degree in synthesizer after 10 years curriculum , before getting to university, where they studied economics (accounting , marketing and international trading). Once they got their degrees in economics, they presented their papers and researches in conferences and congresses. At the same time, they started their orchestra "Spanomarkou Orchestra", and continued composing , which resulted in releasing their first album in 2012 which got to be a best seller for 6 consecutive weeks to "Public", the biggest retail store chain in Greece. Since then, they have produced more than 188 songs, released 10 albums and 9 singles, and composed the scores for 2 stage plays. They have also participated to film soundtracks, for feature films that thrived in festivals, and one of them is popular in Netflix. They are both married to their university sweethearts, and they recently became mothers. Areti & Ioanna Spanomarkou, love the challenge of dealing with classical and modern trends of music, and they experiment mixing the patterns. However, Ioanna and Areti especially love Greek music and have created many folk and "rebetiko" compositions with bouzouki, as they believe they ought to keep alive the passionate flame of the Greek soul which is expressed through these special kinds of original Greek music. The two sisters have already received excellent reviews, and there are many references in the Greek press. Their music is inspiring people all around the world. Favourite sports: football, and diving at the edge of the coast, into the big waves splash. On April 10 2012: they released their CD-single titled "Ena" (One) by FM Records, independent Greek label, with 4 new songs, composition and lyrics by Ioanna and Areti. It became "Best Seller" for consequently 6 months in the CD-Singles category, in "Public Stores" one of the greatest retail stores in Greece and Eastern Europe. One of the songs included in this album, the song "Fititi-Fititi"(Student), became a huge success among the youth of Greece, especially the university and college students. On December 27, 2013: they released the full album titled "Dyo" (Two) by the same independent record label, with 12 new songs, composition and lyrics by Ioanna and Areti. Their songs are for once more performed by new on set, significantly talented singers, but also very famous Greek singers, and legends of Greek music. In this album, their songs are performed by 11 singers in total! The music compositions are played by renown musicians, and virtuosos of bouzouki, violin, and accordion. This album includes the song "Ime Eleftheri &Orea" (I'm Single And Beautiful), which reached the semi-finals of the International Songwriting Competiton 2012, in World Category. It also includes the song "Amethystos", a Greek sirtaki dance with bouzouki instrument, which got it to the Finals of the International Songwriting Competition 2012, and as also declared one of the Winners in Instrumental Category! They considered it as a huge honor, and it was highly presented by the press of Greece. They were invited in TV shows, several newspapers and magazines dedicated many articles about the success of Areti&Ioanna Spanomarkou songs in the ISC2012. In 2013, they released 1 more album, this time only digitally, again by FM Records independent label. It is a live recording of a session of their ensemble that Ioanna&Areti, they two composers and lyricists, direct and conduct, under the name "I&A Spanomarkou Orchestra" which consists of 7 musicians and 9 singers. The album is titled "Greek Movie Songs", the same as the theme of the session, which was dedicated to Greek Cinema, and it includes totally 40 live recorded songs! Their songs were included in 2013 in 4 more digital music collections of Greek music, and they were released and produced by their label, FM Records. One of these collections titled "Rough Guide to Zorbas The Greek", contains the ISC2012 winner song "Amethystos", and also one very interesting remix of their song "Amethystos" combined with "Zorbas Dance", the best known song of the legendary Greek composer, Mikis Theodorakis. The result of this remix which is contained in that digital collection, is titled "Amethystos Zorbas"! During 2015, Ioanna &Areti Spanomarkou wrote the soundtrack music for two movies, "The Locksmith" (by Director Miltos Christides, Released in December 2015, and has since then received multiple awards in international film festivals), and "Dream Of a Shadow" (by Director Nikita Ballas, which will be released in 2016, at cinema theaters in Greece and Australia). February 23rd, 2016: They released their new album titled "Hellas Politiki Kratoumeni" (Greece, a Political Prisoner) by FM Records label, with several new songs about the Greek Crisis! Two of the songs, are already nominated to the International Songwriting Competition 2015 (Nashville, USA), in World genre Category! Also, the whole album was awarded "Gold medal" & "Best of Show" honors, at Global Music Awards 2016, California, U.S.A. Spanomarkou sisters in 2017, invited by a charity event, they composed the hymn "The birth of hope" dedicated to Anti-cancer Society and it's actions. The flute in this music piece is recorded by re-known flutist of National Opera, Thodoris Mavrommatis. The cause and the event organizer which was the initiative for this hymn, was the president of Anticancer Society of Levadia, Mrs Stella Tapanli. In 2018 they released their digital live album "46 Legendary Songs: Mikis Theodorakis, by Spanomarkou Orchestra" performed by their orchestra. It is a collection of favorite and famous songs of the great composer Mikis Theodorakis, including songs from his discography, movies, theater, ballet and more. This album received rave reviews for its special performances, which come with respect, very close to the original releases of Mikis' songs. In 2018 another invitation to a charity event, was the initiative for the composition of the song "To Tragoudi Tis Stagonoulas" (Little Drop and Pegasus), referring to the same-titled book of Mrs Olga Papakyriakou, that focuses at voluntary blood donation, its importance to society and its contribution to the people in need, in the context of the general blood donation project, with which the author carries out voluntary blood donation actions throughout Greece. In the same year, Areti and Ioanna released a new OST soundtrack album entitled "A Christmas Carol" for the homonymous theatrical play directed by Konstantina Nikolaidi , with their own original music and lyrics for the story of Charles Dickens "A Christmas Carol" starring the all-knowing stunner Ebenezer Scrooge, who was presented at Diana Theater - Eleni Rantou, for the 2018 Christmas season. The play has a great success while almost all days were sold-out, and it will be presented again at 2019-2020 season. Ioanna & Areti have also composed 3 of the tracks included in film GREED (2019) which is released in 2020. In May 2020, they were announced as Finalists in Film Music Contest (FMC), in the category Theatre Music, for their original music for "A Christmas Carol" , presented in Athens during 2018-2020 season. In 2021 they released "Preocupado" with Grammy nominated singer Natalis Ruby, with Spanish lyrics written by Natalis and composition by Spanomarkou Sisters. Also, in 2021 they produced an album of Malay music called "Malay Vibes" , featuring soloist Faliq Auri. In summer 2021 they also released "Anemoskorpismata" and "Hymn of the Sirens", two different singles that are full of emotions and perfect for summer events. In 2022 they released "Dakri Kristalino" a pure Greek song, with bouzouki and the rembetiko voice of George Raptis, a famous Greek singer. They also released "Katilimenos" a latin-rock song, with uplifting elements and wonderful guitars ,and the song "Mi M'anagazis". In August of the same year, they released a rock album with their lyrics and music, featuring Portuguese singer Marcello Vieira and Scott Foster Harris, former singer of L.A. Guns. ---------- OST - Original Music Scores For Films -- The Locksmith - Short Film (Released Digitally in 2015) Dream of a Shadow - Feature Film ( released in Australia and Greece in 2016), Greed (2019) feature film released internationally. OST - Original Music Scores For Theatrical plays ------ A Christmas Carol (Charles Dickens) - Original Music Soundtrack for the theatrical play directed by Konstantina Nikolaidi, 2018, 2019, 2020 Discography (Released on CD, Amazon, iTunes, etc) ---- -Ena (One) - Music CD Album (2012) -Dyo (Two) - Music CD Album (2013) -40 Greek Movie Songs by Spanomarkou Orchestra - Live Album (2014) -Mikis Theodorakis: 90th Anniversary Concert by Spanomarkou Orchestra - Live Album (2015) -Hellas Politiki Kratoumeni (Greece, a Political Prisoner) - Music CD Album (2016) -The Birth Of Hope - Digital Single (2017) -Oi Nerantzies Anthizoun Dance Remix by DJ ChrisZ - Digital Single (2017) -46 Legendary Songs, Mikis Theodorakis by Spanomarkou Orchestra - (2018) Live Album -To Tragoudi Tis Stagonoulas - Single (2018) -A Christmas Carol - Music CD Album (2018) Participation at Digital Albums -Complete Guide to the Greatest Composers Vol1 -90 Years Mikis Theodorakis -Greek Wine - The Best Greek Music for the Best Greek Food -50 Shades of Bouzouki -Opa! Ouzo! Plaka and Acropolis -Greek Coffee and Frappe Music -Complete guide to Bouzouki Greek Music Video Productions -Fititi-Fititi -Sirtaki Amethystos (&Direction) -Akoma mia Mera (&Direction) -To Tragoudi tou Hreomenou (&Direction) -San Kaimi tis Mikrasias (&Direction) -Na Emne Enan Petoumenon (&Direction) -Afti i Gi Exei Foni (&Direction) Short Film Productions & Direction -Agapi (Love), a Jenny Vlachoni Poem -Autokatadisi (SelfDiving), a Jenny Vlachoni Poem -o Mikros Timpanistis (The Little Drummer), a Jenny Vlachoni Poem Music Plays (Production, Orchestra Direction and Arrangements) -"Rodo Amarando" (Eternal Rose) - First Premiere 2014, Chytirio Theater, Greece -"Stis Gitonias ton Ourano" (Under the Neighbourhood's Sky) - First Premiere 2015, Chytiro Theater, Greece -"Rembetico Tou Erota" - First Premiere 2017, Gallerie Dimiourgon Stage, Greece Music For Advertisement Song "Thelo Agapi ki Erota" - for the official TV Advertisement of ANT1 Television Channel ( Greece ), for the advertisement campaign FIFA World Basketball Finals 2014