Celtic Conference in Classics 2019

Bettina Joy de Guzman

“Sing Goddess and Queen, Muse” (Ancient Greek Music performance). Paulo Quintela Theatre, Faculty of Humanities and Arts, Coimbra University. 5:30-6:30

Plenary Session 3, June 28, Friday. 

As the third and final Plenary Speaker in Celtic Conference in Classics, June 26-29 2019, Bettina Joy de Guzman performs Ancient Greek lyrics she has set to music on reconstructed lyre. The songs, as well as her poem “Lullabye of Thetis” center around the feminine characters of the Trojan War, especially that of Thetis, goddess of the sea, and mother of Achilles.

https://www.celticconferencesinclassics2019.com/conference-particulars

https://www.celticconferencesinclassics2019.com/

“Deathless”: Classical Literature, Music, and Education

Over the past few months, I have followed the twitter feed of Bettina Joy de Guzman and I have been just overwhelmed by her kindness, her enthusiasm for the ancient world, and her talent. She released most recent album Athanatos recently and is donating a percentage directly to students.

Below are excerpts from an email she sent me about it (reproduced with her permission). If you can, purchase the album. If you can’t, post something about it on social media.

[italics are my additions; non-Italic text is her own]

What can people expect from this album?

Homer. Sappho. Vergil. Ovid. Sumerian poetry. Myths. When goddesses wove heartbreak, hope, and life. Ancient lyre, voice, and drum evoke forgotten worlds, transporting back you to primal dreams of gods and mortals. (Performed and composed by Bettina Joy de Guzman. Featuring: Michael Levy, Nikos Xanthoulis, Thanasis Kleopas, Peter Hanna, and Roberto Catalano. Lyres by Luthieros Music Instruments.)

Tell me more!

17 songs in Ancient Greek, Latin, Sumerian.

Why?

1) epics and hymns were meant to be sung. 2) I want people to enjoy ancient poetry, explore ancient world with music. 3) Muses/music come to me, unsolicited. 4) I am sharing something different and unique. 5) undying, immortal MYTH.

The following are a Q and A she gave me

To read the full interview click the link below

https://sententiaeantiquae.com/2019/04/02/deathless-classical-literature-music-and-education/

Afternoon concert, Oct 6, Saturday, at Museum of Byzantine Culture, Thessaloniki.

• Epitaph of Seikilos— the oldest complete lyrics with Ancient Greek musical mutations, so far found— arranged by Nikos Xanthoulis. Ancient Greek. 

• Sappho fragment, Δεδυκε μεν α Σελάνα (The Moon Has Set), music by Nikos Xanthoulis. Ancient Greek.

• Cosmogony, from Ovid’s Metamorphoses. Composed and performed by Bettina Joy de Guzman, accompanied by Nikos Xanthoulis on lyra. Latin.