Thróisma: Our Stories

“Our Stories” is an event, initiated by the vocal ensemble Thróisma, in collaboration with Tante Nino.

Drawing inspiration from the “presence of the absence” of femininities in art, the project aims to start a conversation between artists based in Rotterdam. With special guests (to be announced)!

14:30: Doors open. Welcome drinks-snacks

15:00-16.30: Concert: "Thróisma vocal trio"

• Short break •

17:00-18:00: "Our Stories" open discussion (in English) about gender balance in art scene + Special Guests

Thróisma is a vocal group created by three Greek musicians — Yvonne Melissa, Vanessa Kourtesi, and Pinelopi Tseliou . The trio is exploring the rich textures of Greek polyphonic music, rebetiko and more contemporary sounds, making the project a culture blend.

The arrangements of the songs (rhythm and harmony) are adapted and performed with voices and occasionally the trio is also using instruments such as violin, guitar and loop station. Each of Throisma’s performance is a unique improvised experience. We encourage the audience to be part of the experience, making the show feel like a shared, intense journey. Thróisma isn’t just a project; it’s an exploration of what’s possible when you strip music down to its most essential form — the human voice.

Penélopi is a Greek jazz vocalist and composer, currently based in the Netherlands. She studied Jazz Vocals at the Modern Conservatory of Thessaloniki (professors: Vicky Almazidou, Grigoris Simadopoulos) and has participated in workshops with artists like Sheila Jordan, Camille Bertault, Milcho Leviev, and Aaron Goldberg.

Over the past six years, she has performed across Europe — in Greece, Bulgaria, Germany, the UK, and the Netherlands — collaborating with musicians such as Oleg Chaly, Thodoris Kotsifas, Yiannis Oikonomidis, Lena Platonos, Armel Dupas and more. She has recorded music with the artists: Peter Salchev (lifelines 2023), Kapten (What you get 2022). In 2023, she launched her original project “plastique”, featuring her own music.

Vanessa Kourtesi is a musician, singer, songwriter and educator originally from Athens and currently based in Rotterdam. One of her first musical influences is rebetiko and Greek traditional music. She has performed in many Athenian music scenes and collaborated with many musicians of the genre. Inspired by other musical traditions and feeling the need to explore music more and search for her artistic identity, in 2017 she studied at the World Music department of Codarts-University of the Arts in Rotterdam, specializing in singing and Eastern Mediterranean music.

The year 2021- 2022 she has been producing her first record with her own compositions "Spending time with Esther", part of her project "I am Esther" which was released in May 2022.

Yvonne Melissa is originally from Northern Greece and has been playing the violin since the age of six. She holds a diploma in classical violin, but since her teenage years she has been playing traditional Greek and rebetiko music.

She is currently studying in the World Music Department at CODARTS in Rotterdam, specializing in Turkish violin and composition.She regularly performs in the Netherlands, Belgium, and Greece, and teaches in workshops on Makam music and improvisation.