Stage Performance Techniques, Bluescampuk 2023

Nassos Conqueso Multi Instrumentalist

In this episode I talk to the wonderful Nassos Conqueso about mixing contemporary and traditional music and the wonderful world of Greek instruments.

Nassos is a singer/songwriter, guitarist and multi-instrumentalist from Athens. Nassos released his single Under the Endless Sky in January of 2017 and two months later he released his debut album Love in Crisis.

He studied electric guitar and music theory with Pantelis Gertsos (guitarfor → MusicFor) until he passed the Associate Diploma of the London College of Music in Music Teaching (Upper Level). He also studied music harmony & modern composition with Nikos Panagiotakis, vocals & piano with Lia Hide and jazz harmony with George Argyropoulos at the Musical Praxis Conservatoire where he successfuly completed his Harmony Degree.

Occasionally, he had acoustic guitar and songwriting lessons with Max Milligan. He holds a Master's Degree - MMus in Songwriting - from Bath Spa University, under the tuition of Davey Ray Moor. He's currently working towards his PhD, under the supervision of Professor Amanda Bayley and Dr Matthew Sergeant. While his main instrument is the guitar, he enjoys playing other instruments, such as piano, baglamás, ukulele, blues harp, bass guitar, banjo, lap steel guitar, tzourás, stylophone, bouzouki... In any case, the sound is what matters the most!

At the same time, Nassos started working as an administrative assistant in the LCM and RGT examinations representative office in Greece, as well as for guitarfor. He has undertaken the promotion, online publishing, photo shooting, web design and he has contributed in organising concerts and seminars with musicians like Larry Goldings Trio, Kurt Rosenwinkel New Quartet, Larry Carlton, Adam Levy, Jonathan Kreisberg Quartet, Paul Gilbert, Al Di Meola, Andy McKee, to name but a few.

In January 2017, Nassos released his first single Under the Endless Sky, under the pseudonym Nassos Conqueso. In March 2017, he released his album Love in Crisis, which is also available in Compact Disc. He's responsible for music, lyrics, arrangement, production, vocals, piano, ukulele, baglamás, tzourás, harmonica, guitar, stylophone and programming. At the same time, he became the 6th member of Bound Affairs as an acoustic guitarist and keyboardist, until September of 2018.

Between 2019 and 2021, he represented Greece, along with two other artists, in the European Union's Introspection Music Experience project. His contribution involved the production of the song 'A Moveable Feast', as well as recording various instruments for the song 'Collateral'. Based on this experience he released the double-track single A Moveable Feast in October 2022, in the International Mental Health Day.

Check out http://www.nassosconqueso.com/

To support the podcast and get access to features about guitar playing and song writing visit https://www.patreon.com/vichyland

and also news for all the creative music that we do at Bluescamp UK and France visit www.bluescampuk.co.uk

For details of the Ikaro music charity visit www.ikaromusic.com

Big thanks to Josh Ferrara for the music