BIOGRAPHY

Sifis Tsourdalakis son of Socrates and Anna Tsourdalakis was born in Melbourne – Australian in July 1975. He grew up in a Cretan family environment were his parents gave him his first Cretan musical experiences. His father descends from the Village of Melambes – Agiou Vasiliou from the Province of Rethymno migrated to Australia in 1965 and his mother from the village Asi Gonia – Apokoronou from the Province of Hania also migrated in 1965. From a very young age Sufis possessed the Cretan DNA that was required to create a great love for the music of his parents birth land. His Grandfather Tsourdalantonis was a great musician of his time from 1912 onwards, not to mention Sifis uncles Kostas and Giorgos played the Cretan instrument as well as a number of Sifis cousins giving Sifis the opportunity to continue the Family musical tradition. His father Sokratis a co founder of the Rethimnian Association of Melbourne “ ARKADI “ in 1972 and secretary for over 10 years was responsible for the invitation and the hosting of Traditional Cretan Musicians from Crete giving Sifis the opportunity to grow up to the tunes of these great Cretan masters. It was these tunes that grew inside Sifis heart expanding his love for the Cretan Music. It wasn’t until 1979 were Sifis was 4 years old were Giorgos Papadakis a companied by Manolis Kaklis saw the young kids talent and on his departure from Melbourne gifted Sifis his Cretan Lyra, at which he used later to advance his talent.

Ever since, he the Lyra like a holy cross were he began to create a name for himself. In 1991 as a teenager he visited Crete having the opportunity to mix it with the best and make inroads into his embryonic musical career. In 1995 he visited Crete again this time giving him the opportunity to step up into the bigger league and making numerous appearances on the local TV programs ad not to mention several private events.
Returning to Melbourne the following year he founded the Cretan Folk music Company which comprised of three other Greek Australian musicians Andreas Vardakis ( lute ), Antonis Iliou ( lute ) and Kostas Kirkotsios ( Guitar ). With his band he visited all the cities in the Oceania region playing at Concerts, Festivals, Dinner Dances, Exhibitions, Weddings etc.

Several that should be noted are his participation in the :

It should be noted that Sifis and the Cretan Folk music Company were constantly been invited by member associations of the Cretan Federation of Australia & New Zealand.

It wasn’t after several years of constant presence in the public arena, increasing his popularity that he decided to record his first album in 1999 with the other Members of the Cretan Folk music Company titled “ KPHTH MOY “. Following that in 2001 he recorded his first Album in Crete titled “ Pembo stin Kriti to oneiro” with newly found counterpart Kyriakos Stavrianoudakis and the friendly contribution of great singer Elena Gianakaki.
It wasn’t until 2004 that he recorded and released his third album titled “ Mousika Taxidia “ again with the support of Kyrikos Stavrianoudakis upon his return to Australia after a 3 year stint in Crete.

Sifis is a permanent resident of Crete since 2000 having played together with some of the bigger names in the Cretan Musical Industry, including, Stelios Stamatogianakis, Giorgos Karagiorgis, Giorgos Pantermakis, Stratis Mamalakis, Giannis Aggelakis, Manolis Verdinakis, Giorgos Koukakis, Andreas Meladakis, Dimitris Skoulas, Loukas Mandakakis, Soula Daskalomarkakis, Giannis Katakis, Giorgo Xylouris, Giorgo Psaroudakis, Manolis Hamogiorgakis, Kyriakos Stavrianoudakis, Stelios Iliakis and also one of the great masters MANOLIS KAKLIS.