During the Winter World Music Retreat Ross Daly and Petros Klampanis will perform in the old chapel of Vlatos. This little gem of acoustic experience was build as a chapel but never used as one. Build over 150 years ago this chapel has very thick, high walls and the builder used that same heavy way to create a domed roof but he forgot to support all this weight which made the roof collapse before the structure was ever finished. This was regarded by the villagers as a bad sign and they decided not to rebuild the roof and go back to their old church further down in the village. And so the structure laid bare for almost 150 years, until the cultural society decided to safe the building and put a new roof on it and so creating a space to store all the contents of the old school which is located next to it.
Three years ago the society decided to create a small museum with all the items stored in the chapel. When it was empty, it showed its incredible acoustics which prompted the villagers to create a music hall. Windows where repaired, a new floor was put in and a stage was build. For lights there were dozens of oil lamps put up. And so, more than 150 years after its first construction the chapel was filled with lights and music for the first time.
Now the cultural society of Vlatos uses the chapel to hold their already famous Vlatos Jazz festival. A weekly concerts by local and international artists that attracts visitor from all over the province of Chania. Below there is a playlist that shows you a selection of songs performed in the chapel.
