Culture Center

There are two choirs operating in the Municipality of Aristotelis: The Mixed Choir of Arnea, founded in November 1983 with the aim of developing choral music and preserving and rescuing the folk songs of the region.

In November 2023, the Arnaia Choir completed forty years of life and contribution to culture and tradition!
The undisputed architect and the greatest contributor to this journey is Maestro Vasilis E. Kokkaliaris, leader and director of the Choir since its founding in 1983. An emblematic figure whose contribution to the place is enormous and invaluable. Arnaia, Byzantine music, Municipal and Choral music owe him a lot.
Of course, the Choir did not emerge without a history of contribution, just as it did not remain at the forefront of musical events for so many years without the tireless contribution of many Arnaia residents. The milestones are many and important.
In 1968, the then mayor of Arnaia, Spyros Charistos, organized from among the existing members the first group of singers of the Arnaia tradition and recorded, with the help of the EIR and Takis Samaras, the traditional songs of Arnaia.
In 1980, during the term of office of Ioannis T. Kotsanis as president of the Arnaia E.E.E., a Choir was founded in Arnaia. The position of choirmaster was taken on voluntarily by Pantelis Zografos. In 1981, as general secretary of the Cultural Society, he actively participated and contributed decisively to the recording of the folk songs that was made in the technical office of the then president of the society, Asterios Karastergios.
Pantelis Zografos also played a leading role in the effort to release the songs of Arnaia recorded by Takis Samaras on cassettes. The cassettes are now in every home in Arnaia, and our folk songs are becoming the property of even those who did not know them, especially the young. In all the cultural events of the Cultural Center, which were then diverse and numerous, the musical background – before and after the events – was monopolized by the traditional songs of Arnaia. Their authentic performance began to be whispered even by those who did not know them before!
From 1983 until 2020, he was an active member of the choir in the tenors, while he served the choir’s goals and actions with passion and great love and participated in all its actions and appearances in Greece and abroad.
In 1990, together with the then Mayor Asterios Karastergios, the conductor Vasilis Kokkaliaris and Giorgos Roukas, they edited and starred in the selection of songs and musicians and prepared the material for the publication of the double music album of traditional songs which was finally – ready as material – published in 1992 during the term of mayor Asterios Zografos, with the title “Through the narrow alleys”.
Giorgos Roukas also starred in the publication of the top 8 CD Album “The Musical Heritage of Arnaia – Songs and Purposes of Our Country” which was made during the mayoralty of Christos Pachtas, in the context of the celebration of the Choir’s 30th anniversary.
The President of the Choir, for most of its 40 years, was Christos Serdaris. He was present in both the easy and the difficult times of the choir’s journey. In a large percentage, all of its successes and conquests have his own signature. The roof of the Philharmonic and the choir also bears his own stamp.
An important role in this journey was also played by Asterios Th. Karastergios, former Mayor of Arnaia during the period 1982-1990.
In 1980 and 1981 (as vice-president and president of the Greek National Choir Association) the Establishment of the first Choir as a department of the cultural department, with Pantelis Zografos as conductor, was proposed and decided. At the same time, on his own initiative – a recommendation to the Board of Directors, it was decided to record and make available to the residents the folk songs of Takis Samaras (the 1968 recording). At the same time, in his technical office, authentic folk songs were recorded on cassettes (without instrumental accompaniment) and preserved, sung by the last remaining singers of Arnaia.
In 1983, Vasilis Kokkaliaris was hired as a musician of the Philharmonic and conductor of the Choir. The new choir he created, with new members and ‘yeast’ from the Cultural choir, joined the Municipality and was called the Mixed Choir of the Municipality of Arnaia.
With personal interventions – and a free study by the technical office (Karastergios – Serdaris Siopis) – he managed to modify – at no cost to the Municipality – the study of the building of the current Kindergarten, which provided for a ground floor and

Amphitheater

The innovative part of the building is the amphitheater. Its uniqueness stems from its very characteristics:

It projects 3D videos with the help of special equipment
The material that is projected is high definition (HD – High Definition) and thus contains much more detail than conventional videos
It can also project 3D digital productions (animation)
The viewer wears special glasses to watch the videos
The amphitheater has a capacity of 78 seats
The screen is concave with a surface area of 50 sq.m. (10m wide by 5m high)
The sound system includes 11 speakers in total controlled by a six-channel amplifier system
5 of the speakers are located behind the screen, which has millions of small holes that allow the sound to pass through it to the audience
For the video projection, 4 projection systems (2 for each eye) are used that project simultaneously to create the excellent effect.

Exhibition space

On the ground floor there is the exhibition space that hosts periodic exhibitions of Mount Athos, paintings, sculptures, photography, thematic exhibitions on Aristotle and the Xerxes Canal and various other exhibitions.

Conference room

The conference room has 200 seats and hosts seminars, lectures and conferences.

Perfectly Completed

The reception area of the Cultural Center is adorned with a 38 sq m mural called “Perfectly Completed” by the painter Symeon Dermentzidis.

Choosing the title of this work was difficult, because the work is complex. As difficult as it was to conceive a work that would define local history, but at the same time encompass and transmit messages of Greek history with global and timeless radiance and brilliance, it was just as difficult to include them in its title. Aristotle – the meaning of his name – this historical and great philosophical personality also helped with this. Aristotle means “Perfect Purpose”. And because it is a dominant figure in this work, the artist gathered around it, and thus gave it the title “Excellently Done”. From “Arista” meaning “Perfect” and “Telein”, infinitive present tense of “Teleo-Teleo” or “Teleio”, from “Telos” meaning “Goal, Purpose, Achievement, Completion”. That is, to complete or achieve something in a perfect, excellent way. This happened in the “historical moment” -two centuries- that the work refers to. Both the military and the philosophical-cultural machine were proposed against an invasion -Persians- and thus the fatal thing was averted… Let “Arista Telein” be our guideline as individuals, as a family, as a community-municipality, as a society, as people.

Contact the Center

To contact us, send us an e-mail at axtada@dimosaristoteli.gr

Alternatively, you can contact us by phone at
2377021130 and by fax at 2377021132.

Aristoteli Municipality Cultural Center
P.O. Box 5842 – P.O. Box 63075 IerissosAmphitheater