Courses
At the Intergalactic Music Academy, we offer courses that are creative, joyful, and deeply effective. Since 2005, these courses have been developed and refined by Lefteris Kordis, who began his teaching journey as professor at the New England Conservatory and continues today at Berklee College of Music. Over the years, he has guided hundreds of students from around the world.
Lefteris designs each course from a holistic perspective, engaging the body (muscle memory and energy flow), the intellect (analytical and theoretical understanding), and the instinct (intuition and spontaneous creativity). Drawing from diverse traditions and interdisciplinary practices, he invites students into a learning experience that is not only rigorous, but also exploratory, healing, and fun.
As he describes it:
“I aspire to be the teacher I always wanted to have.”
Intergalactic Harmony
A Cosmic Approach to Sound, Structure, and Creativity
Intergalactic Harmony is a multidimensional system of Functional, Non-Functional, Atonal, and Microtonal harmony—applied to improvisation, composition, and ear training.
Drawing inspiration from the universe, this concept uses cosmic imagery as a springboard for creating an interactive network of harmonic and melodic “color circuits.” Just like the universe itself, the system flows between the macro (atonal, expansive) and micro (functional, grounded) dimensions—encouraging a “quantum,” non-linear approach to navigating harmony.
In Intergalactic Harmony, sonic colors are systematically organized as if they were parts of a vast musical cosmos: Galaxies, parent solar systems, solar systems, planets, continents, and regions—each representing unique harmonic landscapes and emotional environments.
This framework invites musicians to move freely between tonalities, sonorities, and textures, cultivating a deep, intuitive understanding of harmony as both structure and color, science and poetry.
Inspired by Lefteris’s teachers Herb Pomeroy, Steve Lacy, Charlie Banacos, and George Russell.
Rhythm Trees
A Holistic Approach to Rhythm through Movement, Sound, and Imagination
Rhythm Trees is an immersive, hands-on course in rhythm training that integrates the body and the brain. Drawing from Afro, Indian, and Swing rhythmic traditions, students engage with our custom-made Rhythm Trees apps, movement-based practices, and kinesthetic learning through dance and Qigong.
This workshop-style course combines listening quizzes, aural and written transcription, live performance, selected readings, and creative rhythm composition. Students work with modular rhythm blocks—like rhythmic Legos—used to generate and perform spontaneous rhythmic phrases across a wide range of styles.
The learning process activates the body’s intelligence through stomping, singing, stick work, and engagement with the Dan Tien (2nd chakra)—laying the foundation for deep rhythmic awareness and flow. The goal is to internalize rhythm holistically, connecting instinct, intellect, and body energy.
Using play-along tracks and grooves from diverse traditions—Afro-Cuban Abakuá, Indian Bhajani, Brazilian Maracatu, New Orleans Funk (James Brown), hip-hop, and East Mediterranean/Balkan odd meters—students learn to feel, read, transcribe, and perform rhythms seamlessly and intuitively.
Inspired by Jerry Leake, Charlie Banacos, and Qigong.
Harmakam
Bridging East and West through Harmony and Imagination
Harmakam is an original course that explores the intersection of Western equal-tempered harmony and the microtonal modal traditions of the Eastern Mediterranean.
Using the Intergalactic Harmony framework, students navigate a creative and analytical journey that connects European harmonic theory with the rich modal systems of Greek, Turkish, Arabic, and Byzantine musical traditions. Rooted in the folk melodies of the Eastern Mediterranean, the course draws inspiration from Pythagorean theory, Byzantine echoi, Turkish makam, and Arabic maqam.
Students learn to create new harmonic environments by layering equal-tempered harmonies under microtonal melodies and improvisations (such as taxim and verso). This process encourages the discovery of unique chords, voicings, and harmonic functions that move beyond traditional Western norms.
Course Elements Include:
Advanced ear training focused on modal nuance and microtonality
Improvisation within and across tuning systems
Reharmonization of traditional folk melodies
Composition projects that explore unconventional harmonic landscapes
Students often describe Harmakam as a transformative experience—one that broadens their harmonic vocabulary, deepens their understanding of modal music, and inspires a new appreciation for the vibrant traditions of the Eastern Mediterranean.
Inspired by Lefteris’s performances with Mikis Theodorakis, Vasilis Saleas, Lefteris Bournias, Panayotis Lalezas
Instrumental Technique/ Physiology
Effortless Power, Longevity, and Expression at the Piano
This course offers a holistic and highly effective approach to piano technique and physiology, synthesizing methods drawn from a diverse range of sources—including the teachings of Charlie Banacos, Eva Stange (student of Paul Badura Skoda), and writings by Abby Whiteside and Dorothy Taubman—alongside principles from Tai Chi, Qigong, and Body & Brain Yoga (rooted in the ancient Korean Taoist practice of Sundo).
Since 2017, I have incorporated daily Body & Brain training into my own practice, and it has profoundly shaped the way I teach technique. These methods help students tap into a sense of effortless physical and spiritual power, enabling long, focused practice sessions without fatigue and supporting expressive, high-speed, and sustainable playing.
🎯 Core Objectives:
Cultivate effortless speed and expressive control
Strengthen the 2nd and 3rd chakras to support physical grounding and creative flow
Activate the chest and upper arm muscles to generate sound from the core
Utilize gravity, circular motion, and the natural motion of body joints (levers)
Minimize finger overuse, promoting fluid, integrated movement
Maintain optimal posture with proper alignment and bench height
This technique empowers pianists to play with greater freedom, strength, and longevity, while deepening their connection to the body as an expressive and energetic instrument.
Inspired by Banacos, Eva Stange (Skoda), Whiteside, Taubman, as well as Meditation, Yoga, Tai Chi, Qigong.
7 Steps to Eden: The Art of Transcription
A Holistic Path to Deep Musical Understanding
This course offers a transformative, multi-dimensional approach to transcription—guiding students through seven steps to fully internalize and embody a piece of music, whether composed or improvised.
Through a blend of ear training, analysis, performance, and creative response, students gain a deep, personal connection to the music they study.
🎶 Course Activities Include:
Singing and playing the transcription
Notation and graphic score creation
Analytical study of form, harmony, rhythm, and phrasing
Model improvisation and composition based on the source
Exploration of the piece’s historical and socio-political context
By the end of the course, students will have developed a rich, embodied understanding of music—not just as sound, but as culture, language, and lived experience.
Inspired by Allan Chase, Lennie Tristano, Ran Blake, and Folk musicians who learn and teach music by ear.
One Chord Journey
Exploring Infinite Worlds Within a Single Chord
In this immersive course, we explore the vast emotional and harmonic potential of over 70 chord qualities—from simple triads to rich 13th chords (Galaxy 7) and expansive 23rd chords (Galaxy 12).
Guided by the Intergalactic Harmony system, students journey through four creative dimensions:
🎧 Ear Training
🎼 Composition
🎹 Improvisation
🎬 Film Scoring
Each stage deepens the relationship between sound, color, and emotional resonance—revealing how a single chord can unlock entire galaxies of musical expression.
Inspired by Maurice Ravel, Charlie Banacos, and Herb Pomeroy
Carnaval das notas
Infinite Colors from a Few Simple Notes
This course dives into the transformative power of simplicity, revealing the rich creative potential hidden within just one, two, or three notes. Through an endless spectrum of non-functional harmonies and unexpected chord progressions, students explore how the smallest musical ideas can blossom into vibrant soundscapes.
Inspired by A.C. Jobim’s “One Note Samba,” John Lennon’s “Julia,” and insightful conversations with Charlie Banacos and Scott deOgburn, the course combines structured methods with aleatoric play. Activities include improvisation, composition, and interactive games using flashcards of keys and chord qualities.
Guided by the Intergalactic Harmony concept, students craft emotional and harmonic textures that span from the minimalist to the cosmic.
🎶 Even the simplest melody becomes a gateway to color, contrast, and transformation.
Inspired by Charlie Banacos and Scott deOgburn, A.C. Jobim’s “Samba de uma nota so” and John Lennon’s “Julia”
Shades of Outness
Expanding the Language of Tonality
Designed for composers and jazz improvisers, this course explores a vast spectrum of melodic cells and chordal structures that transcend traditional harmonic roles. Rather than following linear subdominant–dominant–tonic progressions, students learn to create dynamic, non-linear, and spatial harmonic environments.
Using the Intergalactic Harmony system as a core framework, the course provides tools to bend, blur, and reimagine tonal gravity—expanding both improvisational vocabulary and compositional depth.
🎶 Step beyond functional harmony and into new dimensions of sound, space, and expression.
Inspired by Lennie Tristano and Allen Forte’s Pitch Class Set Theory
Other courses
*NEW 2024* Ear Training for Composers
*NEW 2024* Basso Morpheo
The Post Bebop Era (1949-1961)
Music of Greece: From Homer to Xenakis
Text painting in Byzantine Hymns
Jazz Improvisation History, Analysis, and Performance
Schedule a free 30 minute lesson
Contact
Email
leftchordmusic@gmail.com
Phone
+1 (617) 840 9140