Dritsas Thanasis

Born in Athens 1960. Studied medicine in the University of Athens, qualified as an MD (1984). Specialized in Cardiology, he worked as registrar in the Dept. of Cardiology at Guy’s Hospital London (1987-1990). He worked as Research Fellow in Cardiology (1990-1994) at Hammersmith Hospital, Royal Postgraduate Medical, London. He has published scientific papers in high citation impact factor journals (Lancet, Journal of American College of Cardiology, American Journal of Cardiology, British Heart Journal, Pacing and Clinical Electrophysiology etc) on subjects like cardiac arrhythmia, pacing, and cardiomyopathies.

In addition to medicine he has studied harmony, counterpoint and composition in Athens with professors K. Kydoniates and G. Ioannides and also took seminars on composition in UK. He has composed works for piano, chamber music, songs on modern Greek poetry, music for movie documentaries and also for full symphony orchestra. His works have been presented in live concerts and recorded by National Radio 3, performed by groups of musicians members of the Orchestra of Colours (founded by M. Hadjidakis) and the National Symphony Orchestra of Greek Radio-Television (ERT). In Greece he was the first to introduce music as a clinical therapeutic tool in hospital practice (at the Onassic Cardiac Surgery Center) and he researches on music-medicine studying the hemodynamic and neuroendocrine effects of music in cardiac patients. He made a radio production (1999-2001) for Greek National Radio 3 under the title The Magic Flute during which he commented and presented music on the subject of the healing power of music. He is a member of the Hellenic Society of Cardiology, Fellow of the European Society of Cardiology (FESC), member of the American Association of Music Therapy (AMTA), International Society of Music in Medicine (ISMM). He has released the following CDs with his music: STRING IMAGES (chamber music for flute and strings, MUSICA VIVA 2002, Athens), HYDATOGRAFIES-WATER COLORS (chamber music for 1-8 instruments, PROTASIS MUSIC, Athens 2004), TWO CHILDREN STORIES FOR NARRATOR AND CHAMBER ORCHESTRA (LYRA, Athens 2005). He has also produced CDs with work related to music therapy applications like THERAPEUTIC SOUNDS OF THE WORLD (a selection of pieces from classical and ethnic music indicated for the treatment of stress) produced by the well known Greek newspaper Eleutherotypia and MORFEAS-A sleep CD (Info Health eds, Athens 2005) in which the colaboration with the American anesthesiologist Dr. Fred Schwartz produced womb sounds and music which are utilized in order to introduce relaxation and sleep. He is also the author of a book titled MUSIC AS MEDICINE (Athens, 2003, eds. Info Health, Greek edition) in which all aspects of music therapy and music medicine are presented and discussed with emphasis on clinical applications of music in modern medicine. He is also the editor of the books MUSICAL ACTIVITIES AS THERAPEUTIC TOOL (eds. National Institute of Research, Athens 2003) and ART AS THERAPY (Eds. National Institute of Research, Athens 2004).

Back