The website domnasamiou.gr was created and is maintained by the Domna Samiou Greek Folk Music Association. The purpose of the website is to make known Domna Samiou’s contribution to the preservation and dissemination of Greek traditional music, both to the Greek and to the wider English-speaking public, and, generally, to whoever wishes to learn more about the Greek tradition.
The website was created in 2010. Seven years later, in 2017, the website was redesigned to better showcase Domna Samiou's Musical and Photographic Archive, and to incorporate developments in the wider Internet.
The first phase (2010)
For the realization of the original project, of utmost importance has been the generous donation of the ‘Stavros Niarchos Foundation’, which covered the website’s construction expenses as well as the external collaborators’ fees. Of equal importance has been the contribution of the Association’s members, who offered their services, according to their special knowledge and skills, for free. From the Association, offered their services and professional experience the following persons: Daphne Djaferis, Koula Giazitzoglou, Yulie Papatheodorou, Tassia Papanikolaou, Miranda Terzopoulou, and the external partner Ifigeneia Anastasiadi.
From the Association, also worked and offered their support the following: Myrto Bonatsou, Angeliki Chanoumi, Theofilos Gomatos, Pola Karantana, Yannis C. Lyras, Thanassis Tsaknakis, and the friend Yannis Garyfallou.
Their professional services and special knowledge and skills offered the following persons: Yula Bouli (office support services, data processing), Phoebe Papayiannidi (editing, translations), Alexander Seferiades (translations).
The external collaborators together with the members of the Association formed an effective, hard-working group. We thank them all.
The second phase (2016-2017)
The website was redesigned to become more functional, based on the technological advances and trends in the Internet, to better present Domna Samiou's work by publishing parts of her music and photographic archive and by showcase the Association's activities.
The discography section has been expanded: historic releases such as the 45 rpm discs Domna Samiou produced in the 1960s, her contributions in other artists' discographies, the collections she had planned but did not manage to release, etc.
The list of songs was enriched –and will continue to be enriched– by selected tracks from the Domna Samiou archives. The Association's plan is for the greater part of the field collections made by Domna Samiou from the 1960s to her death, constituting the practical expression of her concern for the preservation of Greek traditional music. Moreover, information on the rhythm and the accompanying dance were added to the tracks.
The website's pages are enriched by photographs from Domna Samiou's Photographic Archive that are not merely decorative elements, but with the addition of explanatory texts become resources for those engaged in the study of Greek tradition.
The main aim behind the new design is not just the thoroughness and reliability of the information, but also ease of navigation and the attractive presentation of each page.
For the redesign worked Tasia Papanikolaou (texts for songs and editing), Daphne Djaferis (general content, photographic and video material), Dimitris Zoakos (technical support), Maria Donoudi (comments for songs), Semina Borodimou (sound editing), Panagiota Katsara (library organisation), and Jasmina Stanojevic (office support services). Koula Giazitzoglou was in charge of designing and coordinating the project.
