He is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Music Science & Art of the University of Macedonia with the subject “Greek Traditional Violin - Interpretation and Performance”. He also holds a PhD in the same department, as well as a graduate of the Faculty of Electrical & Computer Engineering of the National Technical University of Athens. His dissertation, on The Ornamantation in Greek Traditional Violinistic Art, has been published by Orfeos Publications (2013). Part of his research work has also been presented at international musicological conferences and published in relevant music journals and other scientific publications.
During the last twenty years, as a violin performer, he has made more than two and a half thousand live musical performances, in concert halls and festivals in Greece and abroad (Lebanon, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Finland, Luxembourg, France, Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Australia, New Zealand, Cyprus). He has also participated in dozens of TV and radio music shows, as well as in more than thirty recordings. He has been a member of the musical groups ‘Rebetien’, Trio ‘ZaPaTa’, Rebetiko Trio ‘Skoutas-Mitarakis-Zarias’ and ‘Frog String Quartet’.
His teaching work in higher education began in 2007, and today he supervises twenty-five undergraduate and postgraduate students. In this context, he has created the string archers' orchestra ‘Violione Orchestra’, whose aim is to study and present a wide repertoire from Greece, the Balkans and the Eastern Mediterranean.
Scientific publications:
- Zarias, I., Floraki, L. & Tsekouras, I. (2023). "Six musical skills: towards a practical methodology of teaching the traditional violin", Music Pedagogy, 21: 30-53
- Zarias, I. (2022). "Ways of Approaching and Organizing the Teaching of the Greek Traditional Violin", Music Education, 32
- Zarias, I. & Floraki, L. (2021). "The violin in Greek musical traditions (1900-2020): a tour of the map with sound and image as companions", www.tar.gr
- Zarias, I. & Kopanitsanos, K. (2019). "Marcos Melkon - The Musical Soul of the Eighth Avenue", Arménika, 100: 50-51
- Zarias, I. & Kopanitsanos, K. (2014). "Greek cafes in the USA in the early 20th century", Metronomos, 52: 69-71
- - Zarias, I. (2013). The Ornamantation in Greek Traditional Violinistic Art. Athens: Orfeos Publications
- Zarias, I. (2013). "Transcription of Ornamentation in Greek Traditional Music", Proceedings of the International Musicological Society (IMS) Regional Association for the Study of Music on the Balkans and the Department of Music Studies of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki [Thessaloniki, 6-10 June 2011].
- Zarias, I. (2012). "Introduction by Yannis Zarias on the life and artistic activity of Nitsa Tsitra", Cultivating the art of music in Greece in Europe (Proceedings of the International Conference of the Department of Music Science & Art, University of Macedonia). Athens.
- Zarias, I. (2012). "Introduction by Yannis Zarias on the life and artistic activity of Nitsa Tsitra", Cultivating the art of music in Greece in Europe (Proceedings of the International Conference of the Department of Music Science & Art, University of Macedonia). Athens.
- Zarias, I. (2010). "Nitsa Tsitra - Tribute by the Department of Music Science & Art of the University of Macedonia", Laikó Tragoudi, 27: 64-67
Personal discography:
- Violione Orchestra – Greek Traditional Miniatures (2024)
- Violione Orchestra – Violione Orchestra & Rebetiko Duo ‘Skoutas-Mitarakis’ (2023)
- Frog String Trio – Frog String Trio live at Museum – MGFMIFACE (2023)
- Rebetiko Trio ‘Skoutas-Mitarakis-Zarias’ – Rebetiko Trio Skoutas-Mitarakis-Zarias at MainWeltmusik Festival (2022)
- Rebetien–Rebetien (2019)
