Yassu! We are going a little bit Greek this March at Poetica Petit. We are thrilled to have Melbourne-based Cypriot-Australian poet Koraly Dimitriadis flying up to Sydney to launch her most recent poetry book She’s Not Normal!. And we are also thrilled to welcome multi-instrumentalist Michael Platyrrahos of Banda Politika to play us some traditional Cretan music. Plus the grand old open mic. Plus if the weather is fine we can hang out again on the verandah at sunset with drinks and cheese and figs and I’ll throw in some dolmades.

Bookings essential and spots are limited: https://www.woollahragallery.com.au/Whats-On/Events/Poetica-Petit-2024#

KORALY DIMITRIADIS

Koraly Dimitriadis is bestselling Cypriot-Australian poet of the poetry books Love and Fk Poems (also translated into Greek) and Just Give Me The Pills. Her debut short story collection THE MOTHER MUST DIE, is forthcoming with Puncher and Wattmann in 2024. She also makes films and theatre with her poems. In 2019 she was the recipient of the UNESCO City of Literature residency in Krakow for her debut fiction manuscript. Koraly’s opinion articles and essays have been published widely across Australia with international publications in The Washington Post, The Guardian and Aljazeera. www.koralydimitriadis.com

MICHAEL PLATYRRAHOS

Sydney-born Michael Platyrrahos was brought up in an environment where Cretan traditions played a major role. At age 10, he asked his father for a Cretan lyra as he admired famous Cretan musicians residing at his parents’ home during their tours in Australia. Words of advice from masters of Cretan folkloric music, such as, Spiros Sifogiorgakis and Kostas Mountakis have been deeply stored. With a few introductory lessons from Sydney compatriot Sofoklis Sfakianakis, Platyrrahos acquired the basic knowledge needed to continue to master the Cretan lyra. With Crete’s music and dance he evolved and continued to gather, ask and learn about the island’s folklore, traditions and customs.

Michael has played the lyra, viololyra, lyraki, Cretan & Steriano lute and mandolin at many multicultural and Greek Festivals in Sydney and at various concerts, private events, tavernas and restaurants through the Cretan Folkloric Company. He has also performed on Greek-Australian Television, SBS Radio, at the Sydney Opera House, at the Enmore Theatre, Camelot Lounge, and at Sydney Town Hall. He has travelled to all of Australia’s major cities and New Zealand’s with his lyra, and to Crete, taking part in many events and on Cretan radio. You can read more about Michael here: https://greekherald.com.au/culture/music/lyra-player-michael-platyrrahos-preserving-cretan-music-next-generation/