The music and dance performance titled "When I forget, I feel joyful" which took place at the Megaron - The Athens Concert Hall in October 2023, included "Songs of Emigration and Love from all over Epirus."

It involved 50 musicians from Epirus, mostly young in age, comprising a polyphonic ensemble and a large dance group from the Lyceum of Greek Women in Athens. All songs performed were traditional, as were the acoustic instruments used by the musicians.

Represented regions included Pogoni, Parakalamos, Zagori, Metsovo, Souli/Thesprotia, Syrrako-Kallarites from Tzoumerka, Konitsa, Metsovo, Ioannina, and Preveza.

Artistic Advisors for the performance: Lefteris Drandakis, Nikos Zekis, Tasos Plitsis
Production Managers: Technoptron - Artway
Videography - Editing: Giorgos Georgoulas

Organization: International Center of Epirus Music
Under the auspices of the Panepirotic Federation of Greece and with the support of the Region of Epirus.

The human pain of emigration, the "living separation," and uprooting from their homeland, experienced by the Epirotes over the last centuries, are narrated through numerous songs that are played and heard even today.

Some of these songs were included in the first part of the music and dance performance held at the Megaron - The Athens Concert Hall, organized by the "International Center of Epirotic Music," a non-profit organization based in Zagori.

The program encompasses three distinct yet interconnected voices that introduce us to the world of Epirotic sound: it starts with the "voice of nature," followed by the "voice of the human," and finally concludes with the "voice of musical instruments."

Following these are songs that reference the anxiety before departing, the caravans and ships that carried the emigrants, the pain of those left behind, the loneliness and nostalgia of the emigrants, their longing to return home, and ultimately, the joyous return.

The performance features fifty musicians and singers from Epirus and eighty-five dancers from the Lyceum of Greek Women in Athens. Most of them are young and have shown with great respect and passion their contribution to preserving the traditional music and dance heritage of Epirus. They were accompanied by "veteran" singers from various regions of Epirus. The polyphonic ensemble "Ιnoro" also participated.