In 1993, he founded the School of Folk Music Tradition in a presentation with a press conference at the Titania Hotel with Vicky Moscholiou, Lefteris Papadopoulos and Theodoros Polykandriotis on the panel. The School is the continuation of the effort to encourage his father’s dream to establish the Folk School.
The founder of the Bouzouki Music Ensemble “THE NEXT”, Thanasis Polykandriotis, has developed successful methods and effective teaching programs over the last twenty-seven years with bibliography, study guide and teaching materials submitted to the Ministry of Culture. He has collaborated with the University of Western Macedonia, the TEI of Arta in the Department of Folk and Traditional Music, the Conservatories of F. Nakas, N. Skalkotas, Art of G. Fakanas, D. Tournavitis N. Penteli, Music Center of Piraeus, the Municipal Conservatory of Ioannina Acharnon and Kranidi and has supplied Greek music with young musicians well trained on the popular streets the history, technique and evolution of the instrument.
In the summer of 1999 he published his first book, a modern method for the bouzouki entitled “It’s easy to learn bouzouki” by the music publications Filippos Nakas.
In the years 2001-2002, 2002-2003 he taught Music Skills and Music Ensembles at the TEI of Epirus in Arta, at the Department of Folk and Traditional Music of the School of Music Technology. Also in 2014 – 2015 he taught again at TL & P.M.
For the academic years 2005 to 2008 he was a Specialist at the Lecturer level at the University of Western Macedonia in Florina in the department of kindergarten teachers.
From 2005 to 2014 he participates in a working group of the Ministry of Culture for the completion of a framework that concerns traditional folk music and its instruments. After the completion of the works, a file was submitted to the Ministry of Culture as only one ministerial decision is needed for the inclusion of 27 Greek folk traditional instruments in education.
His books “Thanasis Polykandriotis for bouzouki with tablatura” and “Thanasis Polykandriotis for piano, harmonium, guitar” are also published by F. Nakas.
In May 2009, from F. Nakas Publications, Thanasis Polykandriotis presents his 4th book “Folk Harmony”.
This is the first book that tries to fill a big gap that exists in the Greek music literature regarding the methods for the harmonization of public roads and was immediately certified by the Ministry of Education. It is addressed to a wide range of musicians, Greeks and foreigners, – since the book is bilingual – who want to get to know our folk and traditional music. The book also contains a CD, in which the composer’s own recordings are recorded in sound.
In October 2012, on the initiative of Thanasis Polykandriotis, for the first time in Greece, a two-day conference was organized at the Michael Cacogiannis Foundation and with a very large participation on the pre-eminent solo instrument of the Greek music landscape, the bouzouki and its contribution to Folk Song. His 5th book entitled “Concerto for bouzouki and orchestra No. 1” was presented there, which contains the imprint of the performance of the bouzouki with the symphony orchestra.
In January 2014, the second Conference was held with the main demand of securing a state degree in bouzouki teaching. At the Conference, the speech of the Chief Musician and President of the Athens Conservatory Nikos Tsouchlos was special, who announced for the first time the teaching of the bouzouki at the Athens Conservatory by Thanasis Polykandriotis, thrilling the audience.
There he presented his 6th book entitled “My exercises” which contains 2 CDs, harmonious and skillful exercises and taximia (improvisations) from the composer’s discography as well as music pieces that were not published.
Thanasis Polykandriotis has held dozens of seminars on bouzouki in Music Schools, Conservatories and Universities in Greece and abroad.
Thanasis Polykandriotis is the inspirer and coordinator of a team of scientists for the recognition of the Greek bouzouki as an intangible cultural heritage at UNESCO.
Since 2014 he has been the head of the department of folk music, bouzouki and related folk instruments of the Athens Conservatory, while since September 2018 he has been in charge of the traditional music department of the Conservatory of the Athens College – Psychiko College.
