A Piano Concert Among Greece’s Blooming Peach Trees

Greek musician Manos Milonakis has drawn inspiration for his piano compositions from the stunningly lovely blooming peach trees in Veroia, northern Greece, for the past years.

In that time, the spectacular groves of peach trees in bloom have become “a second home” to Milonakis, who lives in Thessaloniki, as told Greek Reporter recently.

Inspired by the blossoms, which blanket the entire countryside in a cloud of pink, Milonakis wrote and performed his composition “Celestial” on the spot, amongst the peach trees of Veroia at a friend’s orchard.

Even the filming of the pianist’s song “Celestial” connects to nature, as the one-shot take and the circular movement of the camera resembles the planet’s orbit.

Pianist Milonakis draws inspiration for piano pieces from Greek nature

Milonakis stresses that the role of nature in his work is not what many may think — “You can compose an equally beautiful piece looking at the greatest sunset or at an empty ashtray,” the musician explained to Greek Reporter.

Instead of having such a direct impact of the quality of his work, Milonakis believes that nature serves a more holistic, general role in the composition process, as time in beautiful landscapes can help artists relax and free their mind, allowing them to be open to new musical possibilities.

It is through this process that Milonakis created his work “Celestial,” which he composed on the piano with help from the magnificent pink-tinged atmosphere created by the stunning peach blossoms dangling from the trees around him.

Due to the transformative, creative aspect of Greece’s natural landscape, Milonakis hopes to create more compositions outdoors, which has become what he calls “the safest shelter,” in the wake of the pandemic.

The blooming peach trees of northern Greece

Every spring, the Greek region of Imathia turns into a spectacular quilt of hot pink and vivid green due to the blossoms of its famed peach trees that line the entire plain, located in central Macedonia.

Everyone on Earth has seen the splendor of the flowering cherry trees of Japan, which give such delicate beauty to the landscape every spring there.

But the huge carpets of pink blossoms from peach orchards in Greece, which transform the region into a pink and peach-colored wonderland, are equally as stunning, and are among the world’s best-kept secrets.

The sight, seen especially well from the foothills of Mount Vermio, equals or surpasses any other springtime floral display anywhere in the world.

“What we see before us each March is an endless pink carpet of flowering peach trees,’’ says Zisis Patsikas, president of the Veria Tourism Club, speaking with AMNA.