Churmuzios Chartophylax

CHURMUZIOS CHARTOPHYLAX (Churmuzios the Archivist). b. ca. 1770; d. 1840. Born on the island of Chalkis, Churmuzios studied Byzantine music with Georgios of Crete*, Petros Byzantios* and Iakobos Peloponnesios* (Protopsaltes), but was also acquainted with Arabian-Persian music. From 1792 onwards Churmuzios seems to have been working as a musician, although he did not have a musical post within the patriarchal church, instead being employed as a chartophylax (archivist). Churmuzios sang in different churches in Constantinople and also at the Monastery of St. Catherine on Mount Sinai. Churmuzios, Chrysanthos of Madyta* and Gregorios Protopsaltes* (the ‘Three Teachers’) collaborated from 1814...