MusicSphere 3rd consortium meeting in Katerini and Thessaloniki focused on the world’s first known keyboard musical instrument, the ancient Hydraulis.
The 3rd consortium meeting of the Horizon ECCCH MusicSphere project took place on the 2nd and 3rd of June 2026, hosted by LUTHIEROS and the International Hellenic University. The meeting focused on the Use Case I, the ancient musical instrument Hydraulis, which is considered to be the ancient predecessor of the modern pipe organs. Two productive and inspiring days in Katerini and Thessaloniki for the MusicSphere consortium, bringing together the project’s 12 partners to review the progress in the development of the 9 toolkits which MusicSphere is introducing to the ECCCH ecosystem, and plan the next steps.
The first day, hosted by LUTHIEROS, offered a unique opportunity to experience a sample of the organ heritage in the Greek landscape, during a visit to the Evangelical Church of Katerini, which hosts the biggest pipe organ in Greece in a church. The consortium was privileged to listen to the church organ performed by Mr. Adamidis, a distinguished Greek professor, musician and organist. Beyond the remarkable musical experience, the visit provided valuable insights into the acoustic dimensions and the conservation challenges of pipe organs, reminding us of the living heritage that lies behind the technologies MusicSphere is developing. The consortium then visited the Archaeological Museum of Dion, where the oldest surviving pipe organ ever discovered, the ancient Hydraulis of Dion, (1st c.BC) is exhibited. Excavated in Dion in 1992, the instrument remains one of the most important discoveries in the history of music and organ development. The first day of the meeting concluded with a visit to the SEIKILO Museum, where the partners had the opportunity to see the physical reconstruction of the Hydraulis carried out by the LUTHIEROS research team, and enjoy melodies performed on a modern reconstruction of an ancient lyre.
The second day, hosted by IHU, was dedicated to discussions on the progress of MusicSphere’s first use case. Partners presented ongoing developments and exchanged feedback on the different innovative tools being developed and integrated for UC1. These conversations highlighted the interdisciplinary nature of the project, where expertise from cultural heritage, musicology, computer science, 3D technologies, AI and immersive experiences comes together to address the complex research challenges of music heritage.
Overall, the meeting marked an important milestone for MusicSphere, strengthening the project’s commitment to advancing innovative tools for supporting the study, preservation and accessibility of musical heritage. The Hydraulis of Dion remains a powerful example of how the ancient past can inspire new approaches to heritage interpretation and music experience.
Special thanks to the Evangelical Church of Katerini and the Archaeological Museum of Dion for their warm welcome.
