Katia Zallas-Rosati President/Founder

Katia Zallas' career spans countless appearances on TV and Radio, in recitals, oratorios and opera under the auspices of CBC Radio Canada, L'Opera de Quebec, and the ERT National Radio Network in Greece. She has appeared with the McGill Orchestra in Montreal, with the Apollo Opera on WQXR with Bob Sherman, and the Pan American Orchestra in New York City, in recitals at Lincoln Center, and has performed almost all the major roles of the standard operatic repertoire, including Lucia in B.Britten's The Rape of Lucretia, Gilda in Rigoletto, Lucia in Lucia di Lamermoor, Manon by Jules Massenet, Elvira in Ernani, Mimi in La Boheme, Ilia in The Idomeneo, Countess in Le Nozze di Figaro, Cio-Cio-San in Madama Butterfly, Marcellina in Fidelio, Norma, and Semiramide, among others. Born in Thessaloniki, Greece, Ms. Zallas received her musical education at the Conservatoire de Musique de Quebec, the McGill Faculty of Music in Montreal, and at Hunter College in New York City. She is the recipient of a diploma "Laureate" with Distinction in Vocal Art from L'Academie de Musique de Quebec, and has won several first prizes in Canadian National music festivals and competitions. She is also the recipient of a Bachelor of Music Degree (cum laude) in Vocal Performance from Hunter College and her vocal coach is the renowned professor and author Shirlee Emmons. A warm lyric soprano with a deep musicality, a devotion to text and languages, and an inner sensitivity and intensity which she communicates to her audience, Ms. Zallas commands a repertoire in several languages, varied to include operettas, ballads, folk and popular songs and Broadway musicals. As a songwriter, she has composed a group of ballads some of which are featured in her debut CD album, titled "Espoirs et Souvenirs" (Hopes and Memories) including the song Oh! Mother Mine! I Love You So! which is also available as a cassette and CD Single. She is also featured in the CD albums "Romantic Greek Nights", "Great Musical Hits of Greece" and Immortal Greek Melodies, produced by the Hellenic Music Foundation. Ms. Zallas' other compositions include a) the original hymn "Ellada mou Iperifani" in honor of the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece b) The Song of Love (To tragoudi tis Agapis), c) Feelings (Esthisis) and d) Hopes (Elpides). She is also the co-author of the article The Truth of Bel Canto. Ms. Zallas resides in New York City, gives private lessons in vocal technique voice in her spare time, she is on the Board of Directors of the Archdiocesan Hellenic Cultural Center, member of the Cultural Committee of The Federation of Hellenic Societies of Greater New York, member of St. Catherine's Church choir of Astoria, Queens and the president and founder of the Hellenic Music Foundation. "Lovely silvery quality in this voice... This demonstrates a flexibility of the voice which was most pleasing, for the brilliant warm tone of the voice was maintained throughout..." L'Action, Quebec, Canada "A brilliant, warm, and musical soprano voice..." The Montreal Star, Montreal, Canada "This is a voice of superior quality with a phenomenal top voice, and a natural bent toward the bel canto..." Shirlee Emmons, Hunter College, New York City

Yannis Xylas Vice President/Co-Founder

Yannis Xylas was born and raised in Thessaloniki, Greece. He studied piano with Nikos Astrinidis and received his Diploma with Honors from the Macedonian Conservatory of Music. He has performed extensively in Greece, mainly in concerts for Two Pianos, premiering W. Bolcom's Recuerdos in Greece, among other works, a concert that was televised. He was also rehearsal pianist and assistant chorus master for the Lyrical Opera Chorus of Thessaloniki for six years. He currently resides in New York and has been associated with MidAmerica Productions (American premieres of Theodorakis' opera Electra, Ermione by Rossini, Agamemnon by Taneyev, Medée by Cherubini and Opera Aegean), Opera Orchestra of New York, New York Grand Opera and Lubo Opera (American premiere of Kalman's 1928 Operetta Die Herzogin von Chicago) as rehearsal pianist, chorus master and assistant conductor. In 1999 he made his Lincoln Center (Avery Fischer Hall) debut in New York in the triple capacity of performer, orchestrator and artistic director in a concert featuring Greek classical music. He also appeared in Washington's Kennedy Center in a similar concert, bringing Greek music to the Center for the first time. Mr. Xylas performed extensively in the USA, Greece, India and Spain, collaborating with singers, instrumentalists and orchestras, mastering an extensive repertoire of opera, oratorio, operetta, lied and specializing in rarely performed music and Greek classical music. As an organist, he has played the great organs of St. Patrick's Cathedral and St. Bartholomew's. He is also vice president of the Hellenic Music Foundation and a freelance orchestrator. He has recently performed with the Pan American Symphony Orchestra the Double Piano Concerto BWV1060 by J.S. Bach and the 2nd Piano Concerto and Le Carnaval des Animaux by C. Saint-Saëns. Last, but not least, he holds a Geology Degree from the Aristotelean University of Thessaloniki and a Graduate Gemologist Diploma. He is also featured in the International Biographical Center's "Who is Who in the 21st Century".

Yeoryia Megremis Secretary

Yeoryia Megremis possesses a rare voice: a true contralto with the ringing upper extension to do full justice to the great mezzo-soprano roles as well. The unique quality of this Greek-American artist has been recognized ever since her student days. After graduating from the University of Indiana with a major in opera, she won first prize in vocal and operatic studies at the Athens Conservatory in Greece. Upon her return to the United States, Yeoryia Megremis was a winner of the Metropolitan Opera Regional Auditions and made a successful New York debut at Carnegie Recital Hall. Since then, she has been acclaimed on both sides of the ocean not only for the extraordinary richness of her voice, but also for her powerful acting and remarkable versatility in a wide variety of roles. She has achieved special success for her performances of Azucena in Il Trovatore, Amneris in Aida, and the Principessa in Cilea's Adriana Lecouvreur. Connecticut's The Advocate wrote:"Yeoryia Megremis was the star of the evening, with a perfectly focused contralto, making her performance of the old gypsy woman, Azucena, a brilliant one. In addition to her superb vocal technique, her dramatic interpretation sent shivers down the spine", and the Daily Record of Northwest, New Jersey wrote: "A vigorous young singer, Yeoryia Megremis had the agility of a Navajo medicine woman. She sang Azucena to perfection". "Yeoryia Megremis brought welcome power and good stage presence to her role as the Principessa", wrote Bill Zakariasen of New York Daily News. In addition to her operatic appearances, she is heard frequently in oratorio, where she has a large repertory at her command, ranging from Bach to Mahler, and has received great acclaim for her performance of the Verdi Requiem in New York's Avery Fisher Hall. Ms. Megremis sang the role of the Princess in the Lubo Opera's Premiere Production of Kalman's operetta The Dutchess of Chicago and La Principessa in Suor Angelica with the Genesis Opera and the Verismo Opera of New Jersey. Ms. Megremis is also the Music Manager of the Long Island Opera, Secretary of the Hellenic Music Foundation and is affiliated with the Siena Program in Italy.

Franco Rosati Treasurer

Since his early childhood, Franco Rosati has shown an interest in music, acting and dancing. He appeared in an Off-Broadway Show "A Doll House" was a Ford model, did TV commercials and extensive print and catalogue work, performed at the Childrens' Cabaret in NYC, and appeared on Saturday Night Live. He attended The New York Military Academy for 7 years and after graduating in 1998 with high honors as Captain, he enrolled at Adelphi University where he is currently pursuing a degree in Business Management and will be graduating in the Spring of 2004. Born in New York City, Franco was exposed to classical music since he was two weeks old, having been born into a musical family [his father an Italian impresatio and his mother a Greek opera singer]. He became interested in classical music and decided to study voice after listening to his mother perform a duet of the beautiful Christmas song Gesù Bambino at Crystal Palace in Astoria, NY, the night of December 19th, 1999. He was so overwhelmed with emotion that night that he promised himself that within one year he would be singing the same song with his mother. His dream came true when, after 27 singing lessons with the renowned voice teacher and author Shirlee Emmons, Franco was able to make his debut, singing the same duet with his mother at the Inauguration of The Hellenic Music Foundation on December 9th, 2000 at Saint Peter's Church in Manhattan. Among Franco's many other hobbies and interests, singing remains his main hobby and is proud to have had as his godfather the late legendary Spanish tenor Alfredo Kraus and as his godmother the renowned voice teacher Rita Patane. Franco is the Treasurer of The Hellenic Music Foundation and the son of Katia Zallas-Rosati, president and founder of The Hellenic Music Foundation, a non-profit, tax-exempt organization, promoting the full spectrum of the musical heritage of Greece, worldwide.

Constantine Gajdjis Music Director

Constantin is the Choir Director of St. Catherine's Greek Orthodox Church in Astoria, NY and Music Director in the Board of Directors of the Hellenic Music Foundation. He is a graduate of the High School of Music and Art, where he majored in music and studied piano and violin. He also studied voice at the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music. He holds a B.A. Degree from Queens College and a Master's Degree from New York University. He spent a sabbatical year in Greece where he was a member of the chorus of "Pieridon Mouson" which toured Greece under a cultural program sponsored by the Greek government. Constantine arranges most of the music sung by St. Catherine's Choir and likes to incorporate into the Liturgy the Byzantine Chants he is currently studying. He is a strong advocate of keeping both choral and Byzantine music in the church, and appeals to our youth to join their church¹s choir and maintain this wonderful tradition. He is a strong believer in promoting and preserving the Greek musical heritage part of which is expressed in the CD albums "Romantic Greek Nights" and "Great Musical Hits of Greece" produced by the Hellenic Music Foundation.