Elisa Vellia is an author, a compositor and a singer.
“Between the Mediterranean and the Atlantic, between her native land, Greece, and her adopted land, Brittany, Elisa Vellia weaves her own musical universe.”
Corfu
Born on the island of Corfu, she grew up in the heart of Greece, nourished by the music of her country. When she was 8, her family left the island and settled in Athens. As a child she studied piano and classical music. Then she discovered, with the guitar and vocal music, the blues, folk ballads, improvisation and composition. At 15 she was playing regularly in folk clubs of Athens. At 21, seeking new experiences, she left Greece for London .
London
It was here that, completely by chance, in the tunnels of the London underground, she discovered the sound of the Celtic harp. It was a discovery that was to change her life as a musician. She soon began to work with well-known Irish and Scottish harpists. She took part in the recording of two albums of Scottish music.
Brittany
Continuing her musical journey she found herself in Brittany, where she discovered, beside the ocean, an ideal place to express her music, a music which knows no national boundaries.
Sedrenn
It was at this time that she founded with Cristine Merienne the duo Sedrenn, which rapidly became popular. They recorded two CDs. Their success led them across France and abroad for numerous concerts.
The thief of secrets
But Elisa felt more and more strongly the need to express herself in her native language. She had already explored the different musical aspects of Greece. Her first solo disk “The thief of secrets”, a brilliant alchemy of Celtic harp and Greek voice, was produced in 2005 by Chant du Monde/ Harmonia Mundi and won the distinction of best selling record, World 2006, for Chant du Monde.
Ahnaria
Her second album “AHNARIA” was recorded in Athens in 2007. She was accompanied by Breton and Greek musicians. The inspiration and emotion of Elisa’s texts fill the listener with the scents of heady perfumes from the Near East.
“AHNARIA”, which means “footprints” in Greek, reflects the oral tradition transmitted from mother to daughter, the desire and pleasure of travel, but also departure, nostalgia, and attachment. Elisa Vellia is currently preparing her new concert “The two seas”, to be presented on the main stage at the Cornwall Festival in Quimper this summer of 2009.