Dimitri Psonis was born in 1961 in Athens, Greece. He started his career at the age of 11 with classical guitar, but several more instruments soon followed. At the age of 18, with his master, Tasos Diakoyorgis, he began learning the santoor, and studied composition with composer and conductor Yannis Ioanidis. Later, he moved to the conservatories in Madrid and Amsterdam to continue his studies in – among other disciplines – percussion, marimba, vibraphone and music teaching.

He has been involved in the soundtracks for numerous films, including ‘The Kite Runner’ in 2007, whose film score was nominated for an Oscar, among other awards. As one of the best santoor players in the world, he regularly works with Jordi Savall and his Hespèrion XXI ensemble, as well as with other groups dedicated to early music.

Santoor The santoor (hammered dulcimer) is a relative of the psalterium and has the shape of an isosceles trapezium. The name santoor is derived from the ancient Greek word psalterion. It belongs to a family of instruments that stretches from Western Europe across the Near East and as far as China. The string courses of the santoor are attached to the sides of the trapezoid-shaped case, and three or four strings are used to make each note. The santoor is played using small wooden hammers.

Morisca The morisca is a plucked instrument with three strings. It has an oval or club-shaped body and is a member of the guitar family.