Estudiantina of Melbourne
Estudiantina of Melbourne revives the urban Greek music of the 1920s to 1940s, rebetiko, Smyrneika and amanedes, inspired by the historic estudiantina orchestras of Smyrna. Camille plays qānūn, nāy and zilia alongside violin, ʿūd, bouzouki, accordion and guitar.
The ensemble's heritage is as mixed as Melbourne itself, with Greek, Turkish, Jewish, Armenian and Lebanese threads, across the albums Journey to Rebetika and Ta Nisia.
Gallery
Past events
The music
The group has released two albums, Journey to Rebetika and Ta Nisia (The Islands), moving from faithful revival toward richer, more expansive arrangements that follow threads of migration, identity and belonging across the Greek diaspora. They perform across Melbourne's stages and festivals, from intimate rooms to large concert halls.
Watch & listen
Estudiantina keeps its own home online, with all the shows, music and the full lineup. Head over to estudiantinaofmelbourne.au ↗
Several of these projects share the same core musicians, and Camille plays in all of them. For festivals and venues that makes it easy, and cost-effective, to book two or three of these ensembles for a single event or weekend: one travelling crew, several distinct shows.