Menelaos-Music

Menelaos Tzafetas was born in April 1980 in the city of Thessaloniki and grew up in Larisa, Greece.

He studied Civil Engineering in London, where in 2007 a friend showed him a video of a new and hard to find percussion instrument, the handpan, which was first constructed in Switzerland in 2001. Having influences and minor experimentations with electronic music, that particular sound seemed to be the one missing from all others until then, but in a more magical and real vibration.

In 2008 he returned to Greece and started working as a civil engineer while keeping in mind music composing and other special projects.
In 2010 he began the search for that special musical instrument that produces a sound that can be perceived as a harp, piano, santuri or guitar.
In June 2013, he acquired his first handpan and soon started working as a professional musician.

Following life, flow or non-flow of matters, three years later in April 2016, he released his first album titled ‘Mi Via’, which in Greek is translated as ‘non-violence’.
Having created compositions as a personal journey through people, moments and thoughts, he invites listeners to create their own images and most of all to begin their own journey. 

Menelaos’s collaborations so far include apart from other musicians, acrobats and storytellers. He has performed a number of one man shows and festivals and has also composed the musical score of the “Emerging Proud” (2017, UK) documentary, which was shown in selected theatres across the globe.

The past few years he has been working in the magical island of Santorini during the summer season, performing in hotels, wedding ceremonies and other special events while he is currently preparing his second studio album.