Athena Adamopoulos Pianist / Composer

Athena Adamopoulos began her piano study at the age 6,and won first prize in piano at the Cultural Heritage Competition at Queens College at the age of 8. She made her orchestral debut at the age of 9, with the Jupiter Symphony of New York. Thereafter, her performances include concerts with Peter Yarrow from Peter, Paul and Mary, the Little Orchestra Society at Lincoln Center, the Chopin Foundation of New York and at the United Nations. Athena has made appearances on CNN, ABC and NBC as well as international radio. She has been the pianist for the New York Youth Symphony and a member of their chamber music program for three years, playing in Carnegie Hall and Weill Recital Hall, and participating in master classes with Emmanuel Ax, Fred Sherry, Joel Krosnick, Ani Kavafian and Gilbert Kalish. For two years she was a member of the Perlman Music Program, a summer festival run by violinist Itzhak Perlman, performing at the Mostly Mozart Festival at Lincoln Center. In the Spring of 2001, the InterSchool Orchestras of New York premiered her composition, Everest, a symphonic piece commissioned for young instrumentalists. This summer, Athena attended the Aspen Music Festival where she performed solo and chamber music. While at Aspen, Athena's compositions were performed by music students from across the nation in a concert featuring her compositions. In late July, Athena was selected among nineteen other musicians from around the world to participate in a festival of master classes held by the Academie de Musique of Lausanne, Switzerland. Most recently, her piano trio was showcased at the Bridgehampton Chamber Music Festival, performed this past August by distinguished musicians, Andy Simionescu, violin, Mellissa Meale, cello and Jeremy Denk, piano. Athena studies composition with Dr. Eric Ewazen at the Juilliard School of Music, Pre-College Division, and piano with Dr. Marc Silverman of the Manhattan School of Music. Apart from music, Athena enjoys reading and writing fictional stories and poems, as well as playing soccer. For two consecutive years she has won a National Scholastic Medal for her writing.

Daniel Kirk-Foster Pianist / Composer

Daniel Kirk-Foster is active in New York City as a music director, pianist and organist. As a pianist, he has performed a wide range of contemporary music and has given US and World premiers of various living composers' works. He was soloist in the US premiere of John Cage's "Fourteen" and has premiered works by composers including Charles Wuorinen. Mr. Kirk-Foster is also active as a composer and has had his works performed by various ensembles and soloists. He received his Bachelors Degree from the North Carolina School of Arts and his Masters Degree from the Manhattan School of Music. Mr. Kirk-Foster has been the winner of several competitions, scholarships and awards. As a pianist, he was a winner of the Manhattan School Contemporary Ensemble Concerto Competition. As a winner of Artists International, he presented his New York Debut Recital in Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall. He was also the recipient of the Irwin Freindlich Award. He has performed with the Sarah Lawrence College Orchestra, the Manhattan School Contemporary Ensemble Orchestra, the Composers Concordance, The New Music Consort and in contemporary music festivals in Sacramento and Santa Fe. Mr. Kirk-Foster also recently performed Rachmaninoff's Rhapsody in Blue at Princeton University and he will be performing Rachmaninoff's Third Piano Concerto in this upcoming April. Mr. Kirk-Foster has performed on New York City's classical music station WQXR's "The Listening Room", and has been a featured guest artist by various organizations and arts councils. He has recorded on the CRI label and he was artist in residence at the National Academy of Design in New York City for four years. As an organist, he has performed organ concerts throughout the New York Metropolitan area in churches including St. Patrick's Cathedral and Park Avenue's Brick Church. He is the Director of Music and Organist of St. Nicholas of Tolentine Church in the Bronx where he directs three choirs. He has served on the Board of the New York City Chapter of the American Guild of Organists. Mr. Kirk-Foster is also a professional tenor and sings in most of New York City's professional choral groups such as The New York Virtuoso Singers, Musica Sacra, and Pro Arte amongst others.

Elektra Kurtis Violin

Elektra Kurtis is a violinist and composer of Greek origin, leader of world fusion group Ensemble Elektra and a string trio Chamber Ensembles. She graduated from Sibelius Academy of Music in Helsinki, Finland majoring in violin performance (in 1986) and from the School for Strings Suzuki Teachers Course in New York (in 1988). Ms. Kurtis has lived in Poland, Greece and Finland. Now a resident of New York City, she is a faculty at the Harlem School of the Arts and at Hoff Barthelsson School of Music, and works as a freelance violinist in the New York¹s tri state area. Elektra Kurtis has played with numerous symphony orchestras, most recently: Connecticut Grand Opera and Orchestra, Bronx Symphony Orchestra, New England Symphonic Ensemble and Harlem Festival Orchestra. She has also performed with such notable jazz and world artists as Lester Bowie, Gerry Mulligan, Paquito d'Rivera, Lionel Hampton, Max Roach, Ray Barreto, Simon Shaheen and Israel ³Cachao² Lopez. She has worked with contemporary composers such as Anthony Davis, John Zorn, Henry Threadgill and Craig Harris. In 1997 she has recorded with Steve Coleman. Most recently Ms. Kurtis played for Serena¹s Middle Eastern dance company production in New York City¹s Pantheon Theatre. Her CDs with ensemble Elektra: ²AFROdite¹s Smile² (2005) and ³The Book of Time² (2000) on Milo Records are available in Tower Records and on the Internet.

John Papadopoulos Pianist / Composer

Born in the suburbs of northern New Jersey, John Papadopoulos has the "big city" written all over him. He was born in Upper Montclair, NJ on March 19th,1983 from two very well educated and cultured parents. His parents came to this country from Greece with many ambitions for themselves and their son. Through them, John has gained a greater appreciation for the arts than almost any other child has of his age. He was constantly brought to museums, galleries, fairs, festivals, performances, and many other cultural events throughout his childhood. John had a great love for music and the arts from the very start. He started the piano at the age of 8 and started training vocally at the age of 12. He went on to pursue many courses in the arts at various universities. He is also an extremely important and active member of the National Thespian Society. He partakes very actively in the fall, winter, spring, and summer performances at his current high school, Verona high school, NJ. His performances include "A Chorus Line", "Damn Yankees", "The Music Man", "Annie", and several repertoires consisting of songs from "Rent". He has a true desire to perform and be on stage. This is evident by his numerous productions, many Manhattan auditions, and his constant compositions/improvisations for the piano. Despite John's tremendous musical ability, he finds time to play school and intramural sports such as soccer and track. He is also involved in many clubs and groups throughout his high school and church. He is a devoted Greek-Orthodox and fluent in the language at that. He cherishes his volunteer time spent with many paralyzed senior citizens at local hospitals. He has the gift to help and does so very frequently. John is not only an outstanding performer with excellent Greek values, but also an extraordinary student. He is at the top of his class, maintaining stunning grades in very difficult classes. He plans to enter college in a major city (preferably New York City) to continue his talents and his academic career.

Tania Papayannopoulou Piano

Tania Papayannopoulou, native of Greece, is a pianist and a music educator. She received her diploma in piano from the National Conservatory of Athens, Greece. Ms. Papayannopoulou has a Master of Arts in Music and Music Education, and a Master of Education in Music from Teachers College Columbia University. She has taught at the Hollingworth Preschool, and has been a teaching artist of the Creative Arts Laboratory at Teachers College. She has coordinated the Professional Applied Music Program and has taught piano in the Music Department at Teachers College. Ms. Papayannopoulou has been on the Faculty of the Eastern Conservatory of Music and Arts, the Piano School of New York City, and has taught at the Preparatory Division of Mannes College of Music. Ms. Papayannopoulou performs in New York with chamber ensembles, and is a vocal accompanist. She sings with the Metropolitan Singers of the Greek Choral Society, and the Russian Chamber Chorus of New York. Ms. Papayannopoulou currently teaches piano at her Studio in New York City and is pursuing a Graduate Degree in Music Psychotherapy at New York University while interning at the Institute of Music Therapy and Neurologic Function at Beth Abraham Health Services.

Eleni Sopasis Pianist / Composer

Eleni Sopasis, is a junior attending Walt Whitman High School of Performing Arts, Huntington, Long Island, NY. Her interest in the performing arts started at the age of 5 where she captivated her audience by playing Cretan Lyre and singing a Greek song. Inspired by world-renowned composer and pianist "Yanni" she started piano lessons at the age of 7 under many renowned instructors. In 1995 she participated in the Miss Preteen NY Beauty Pageant, attaining the NY Hostess title. She also competed in the talent competition playing her self-taught mandolin, which she composed a melodic parody, derived from Fiddler on the Roof, Frangosirgianní, Never on Sunday and Zorba. In the 1996 pageants, she achieved victory by winning again [NY Hostess] and the National Talent competitions playing "Moonlight Sonata" by Beethoven. This escalated her position to the National competitions held at Walt Disney Studios, Florida, and winning 2nd place in piano, 2nd place in acting and 3rd place in speech. In high school, Eleni participated in the N.Y.S.S.M.A. piano competitions receiving an "A" plus in the 6th category in 8th grade. She is a member of the Honorary Music Society, "Voices of Walt Whitman, Kickline Dancers, performing with the Sopasinas Hellenic dancers "The Hellenic Stars" and Idomeneas Cretan Dance Group. Eleni studied drama and theater at The Arena Theatrical Playhouse, [leading part of "Antigoni"], Airport Plaza Theater, The Hellenic American Cultural Academy of L.I. [H.A.C.A.] leading parts in bilingual "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" [witch], The Smart Ones, Greek Independence Day "1821", and Christmas Spectacular "Nazareth". At the H.A.C.A. she also obtains voice lessons. Even though Eleni is studying to become a criminal lawyer, her dream is to achieve stardom in music as an accomplished concert pianist and songwriter. In the last seven years, Eleni composed 6 intricate musical pieces, mesmerizing her audience with her expertise, elegant quality and enchanting sound of her music, playing her piano, mandolin, violin and her Cretan Lyre. Her piano performances include, Ronald McDonald [Greek Division], Honorary Awards H.A.C.A., Jerry Lewis Muscular Dystrophy, A.H.E.P.A., Huntington Library, Welcoming of the Evzones [The Presidential Guard of Greece] Former Archbishop Spyridon of the Greek Orthodox Church of America, Paul Sorvino's Asthma Benefit, and Metropolitan Repertory Ballet. All this has catapulted Eleni for tonight's performance at Cami Hall in New York City with the Hellenic Music Foundation.

Alexander Zographos Pianist / Composer

Eighteen year-old Alexander Zographos is a Graduate of the South Carolina Governor's School for the Arts and Humanities, Greenville, South Carolina. There, he studied piano with Mr. Sasha Starcevich and Dr. James Lent. Alexander has won many competitions, including first place in the 2000 Carolina Youth Symphony Concerto Competition, first place in the South Carolina Music Teachers Association (SCMTA) Piano Competition, Piano Division, in 2000-2001, first runner-up in the New Orleans Concerto Competition, and first place in the Clemson University Symphony Orchestra's Young Artist Concerto/Aria Competition. In addition, he was participant in the Pipe Organ Encounters in 1997 and 2000. Alexander, also a composer, won first place at the State level in the South Carolina Cultural Arts Competition. He has written several large works for orchestra, piano solo and organ. He plans to pursue his music at the college level in both performance and composition. He is the son of Lambros and Angelina Zographos and lives in Anderson, South Carolina.

Areta Zhulla Violin

Areta Zhulla is the daughter of Lefteri and Leonora Zhulla, natives of the ethnic Greek district of Dropolis in Northern Epirus and have been resident in Thessaloniki, Greece, for the past eight years. Born in 1986, Areta Zhulla started to play the violin at six and a half years of age with her father a teacher, who is a classically trained musician and a professor of violin at the Municipal Conservatory. Her father is also a third generation violinmaker and her mother is a violinmaker as well. Fourteen year old Areta has to her credit many performances and has given many recitals in Thessaloniki, Ioannina and Athens, as well as appearing on television and radio. At Katerini (Greece) she took part in the Festival Olympus at eleven years of age, performing the Mozart Violin Concerto in G Major with the Symphony Orchestra of Nis of Yogoslavia. Last May she received the first prize at the Panhellenic Competition in Athens, which was organized by the Ministry of Education. This gave her the opportunity to perform at the Megaron (Mousikes) Concert Hall in Athens. The Tassos Prassopoulos Foundation awarded a scholarship to Miss Areta Zhulla to study at Canada's National Arts Centre's "Young Artists Programme 2000" under the direction of Pinchas Zukerman internationally known violinist, violist, conductor and teacher, followed by attending the Perlman Music Program at Shelter Island, New York. In 2000, while at the Young Artists Programme, she performed the Bartok Duos in the Great Composers Festival at Canada's National Arts Center and with the Pearlman Music Program, she performed in the Mostly Mozart Festival at Lincoln Center in New York. She also appeared at the Hellenic Music Foundation's 2000 Inaugural Benefit Gala Concert, performing Zigeunerweis by Pablo de Sarasate. Areta, in spite of her young age, performs with maturity beyond her years with impeccable technique and musical sensitivity. She has been accepted at the Manhattan School of Music Pre-College Division and to the studio of Ms. Patinka Kopec. The Tassos Prassopoulos Foundation is dedicated to assisting promising young students of classical music from Greece in general, and from Epirus in particular. It is organized as a chartered, not-for-profit corporation under the terms of a bequest by the late Tassos Prassopoulos, himself a classically trained musician and a native of Pepeli, in the Dropolis district of Northern Epirus.

Lefteris Zhullas Violinist

Born in Vorio Ipiro, Greece, LEFTERIS ZHULLAS started playing the violin at the age of seven in Tiran and graduated from the Art and Music University for violin. During the academic period, and after, he was honored many times in his career as a soloist and a violin teacher. The last twelve years, he continued his career in Greece as a soloist and a Chamber Music player in Thessaloniki, Athens, Jiannena, Kavala, Edessa, and in Smyrna of Turkey, First Violin in the Symphony Orchestra of Thessaloniki, a violin teacher in the Concervatory of the State of Thessaloniki, Modern Conservatory of Thessaloniki, and Conservatory of the State of Caterini. His students were winners of the Pan Hellenic Competition for three years in a row, 1999, 2000, 2001. He was the teacher of his daughter, Areta Zhulla, until she was 14 years old, when she won the Prassopoulos Foundation Scholarship, the Manhattan School of Music full scholarship where she studied for two years, and The Juilliard School of Music full scholarship where she is presently studying with the famous violinist Itzhak Perlman.