Fani Aidali-Sapountzi Advisory Board

Mrs. Fani Aidali-Sapountzi (deceased) studied piano, voice and harmony in the National Conservatory of Thessaloniki and the Athens Conservatory and got her diploma with honors and Gold medal in 1934. Manolis Kalomoiris, who established the Greek National Music School, recognized the passion in her voice and entrusted her with the title role in AIDA that was performed under his baton in Thessaloniki, Volos and Athens. These performances were a triumph and even more so the subsequent engagements in Alexandria and Cairo, Egypt where she also performed in Kalomoiris' opera Der Ring der Mutter (the ring of the mother). After the Egypt tour, she went to Austria to participate in an international voice competition in Vienna, Austria, where she won first prize as well as scholarships to continue her studies in Vienna and Berlin. Thereafter, she was hired by the Volksoper in Berlin where she sung the leading soprano roles in Trovatore, Madama Butterfly, La Boheme, Mignon, Louisa Miller, Giovanna dçrco, Der Rosenkavalier, Faust, La Traviata and The Magic Flute. She also appeared in Frankfurt and Hamburg, collecting always rave reviews. She remained in Germany till the Second World War, during which she decided to break her contractual obligations and return to Greece rather than staying in Germany. In 1941 she was hired by the Greek National Lyric Opera as a guest singer and in 1946 she was hired with a full contract. She remained there till 1959 singing the leading roles in Cavalleria Rusticana, Dame Pique, La Forza del Destino, Le Nozze di Figaro, Tosca, Les Contes D'Hoffman, Aida, Alceste at the Irodeion under the Acropolis, and Exotic Waters by Kalomoiris. In 1960 she returned to Thessaloniki where she was employed as a voice teacher in the National Conservatory. Many of her students are enjoying successful careers in Greece and in Europe. Just before retiring she gave a final appearance in IL TROVATORE and as the soprano soloist in Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, conducted by Solon Michailidis. Mrs. Aidali-Sapountzi excelled also in oratorio. Her repertoire included the Requiem by Mozart, the Mattheus Johannes Passion by Bach, the Greek Oratorios St. Demetrius by Astrinidis and St. Paul by Petridis. She has also appeared in many recitals throughout Greece as well as in many Radio Stations in Berlin, Athens and Thessaloniki.

Nicolas Astrinidis Advisory Board

The composer, pianist and conductor Nicolas Astrinidis was born in Akkerman (Bessarabia) in Rumania in 1921. He began his musical studies (piano and theory) at a relatively young age, and continued, in 1939, at the Bucharest Conservatoire, simultaneously studying Chemistry at the University there. The events of World War II forced him to take refuge in the Middle East, where he enlisted in the Royal Greek Air Force as a volunteer and served on the Libyan front for two years. Having been wounded and awarded a Medal for Outstanding Deeds, he was transferred in 1943 to Cairo, where he began his artistic career by giving 80 concerts for the Allied troops; he also won the First Prize, both as a composer and pianist of his Cypriot Rhapsody, in the Eisteddfod Festival in 1944, and he conducted his first major symphonic work, Oedipus Rex, at the Cairo Opera the following year. In 1947 Astrinidis settled in Paris where he completed his formal musical studies at the Schola Cantorum, gaining Diplomas in Piano Virtuosity and Composition. From 1948 onwards he undertook numerous tours throughout the world, giving more than 2500 concerts either as soloist, or in collaboration with other artists, such as the violinists Christian Ferras and Henryk Szeryng. Most of the period 1959-1962 he spent in Martinique, in the French Antilles, where he co-directed and taught in the Conservatoire he and violinist Colette Frantz had founded on a commission from the French Government; he also founded and conducted the Chamber Orchestra of the French Antilles. In 1965 he settled in Thessaloniki and became the Artistic and Musical Director of the Philharmonic and Mixed Choir of the Municipality of Thessaloniki, a position which he held until 1985. Since then, he has made an outstanding contribution to the musical life of the city by representing his major symphonic works in the Demetria festivals; by giving many first performances of important works (very often transcribed by himself); by engaging foreign artists of world repute to give concerts there; and by playing a leading part in the efforts towards the creation of an Opera House in Thessaloniki. Since 1970 he has made many appearances in Rumania and Bulgaria in his triple capacity. He was a member of the Artistic Board of the State Theatre of Northern Greece and he founded the Chamber Opera of Northern Greece. Since 1979 he conducts the Mandolinata of Thessaloniki and from 1980 he has been Director of the Macedonian Conservatoire. He is a member of the Union of Greek Composers (Athens), the Society of Authors, Composers, and Editors of Music (Paris), and the International Society of Contemporary Music (Paris), and he has been awarded the Golden Cross of the Order of George I. His compositions include major symphonic works; oratorios: Saint Demetrios (1962), Cyril and Methodios (1966), and The Psalms (1968), choral: 1821 Symphony (1971, symphonic poems: The Passion of Shiva (1948), The Tower of Solitude (1950), and The Masque of the Red Death (1951), symphonic prelude: Saint Demetrios (1953), symphonic novel: In Christ in the Castle (1991), Concert Variations (1955) for piano and orchestra, and Hellenic: Concert-Rhapsody (1979) for violin and orchestra; also chamber music: Concert Sonata (1988) for cello and piano, Hellenic: Concert-Rhapsody (1955) for violin and piano, Two Pieces in Greek Style (1947) for flute/violin and piano, Caprice in Balkan Mode (1946) for cello and piano; piano works: Cypriot Rhapsody (1944), Greek Dance (1947), Two Preludes (1948), Variations, like a Fantasy, and Toccata (1952); incidental music: Oedipus Rex (1945), The Physician in Spite of Himself (1964), The Tartuffe (1967), The House of Bernarda Alba (1970), Ajax (1973), Pax (1982); and songs: Three Melodies (1947), Three Greek Folk Songs (1947), Anxiety (1951), Greek Nights (1983). His compositions have been performed in many places, and several have been published by Ricordi Americana and the Greek Ministry of Culture and Sciences. A new initiative towards publication has been recently undertaken by the Macedonian Conservatoire, which is also responsible for the production and release of two records containing his most important piano and chamber music works. His compositions have been the subject of recent special presentations and they have also attracted musicological interest and became the subject of a special monograph at the Department of Musical Studies of the Aristoteles University of Thessaloniki. As a composer, Astrinidis has been influenced by two major sources: French music (especially French Impressionism) and Greek folklore, whereas Greece in general occupies the central place in his oeuvre. The main features of his musical idiom are a rich chromaticism and modality, a brilliant orchestration, and a preference for extended forms based on free development techniques with a strong thematic unity: in one word, Astrinidis is a genuine symphonic composer. His compositional work is characterized by its high originality in musical ideas and concepts, its mastery of the technical aspects of composition, and its distinctively Greek character. It is this combination of individualistic authenticity and generic Greek character that makes it truly representative of Modern Greek musical culture, and Astrinidis himself one of the most original contemporary Greek composers.

William Evers

Theodore Lambrinos Advisory Board

Theodore Lambrinos's career encompasses nearly 60 major baritone roles and he has performed with opera companies throughout the United States and internationally. His powerful voice and compelling stage presence make him one of the finest Verdi baritones appearing before the public today. Early in his career he made his Metropolitan Opera debut as the Herald in Lohengrin, and returned in 1995 to sing the title role in Rigoletto. "His gripping performance brought down the house" and he was hailed as the "Metropolitan Opera's A-Team." (New Jersey Star Ledger). Mr. Lambrinos has also been involved in the new Metropolitan Opera productions covering the leading baritone roles in Stiffelio, Simon Boccanegra, La Forza del Destino and Andrea Chenier. In the 1999-2000 season, Mr. Lambrinos brought his gripping interpretation of Rigoletto for the historical first-ever performance of opera in Hanoi, Vietnam. He, then, sang the role of Barnaba in La Gioconda with Arizona Opera, and Renato in Un Ballo in Maschera with Nevada Opera. This was followed by an extensive tour throughout France and Spain with the Teatro Lirica d'Europa as Rigoletto, and he appeared with this company in Denmark as Amonasro in Aida and in the title role of Nabucco in 2000. In the 1997 season Mr. Lambrinos was heard at the Metropolitan Opera as Amonasro with Sharon Sweet in Aida. He then traveled to Beinjing, China where he received ovations for his "compelling and faithful portrayal" of the title role in Rigoletto (China Daily), which "clearly demonstrated why the famous baritone performs regularly throughout the world." He then sang Germont in La Traviata, with the Arizona Opera, High Priest in Samson and Delilah with Nevada Opera, and 30 performances of Nabucco, La Traviata, and Aida throughout France, Spain and Switzerland, followed by Carl Orff's Carmina Burana in France with the National Bulgarian Opera. Recent seasons have included the role of Roger in the New York premiere of Verdi's Jerusalem at Carnegie Hall. For the New York Grand Opera's Verdi Festival in Central Park, Mr. Lambrinos sang Egberto in Aroldo, the title roles in Macbeth, Nabucco and Oberto, Don Carlo in Ernani, the 1854 version of Simon Boccanegra and the original uncut version of La Forza del Destino. For Opera Quebec he sang Aida and Nabucco, and Scarpia in Tosca throughout France with the National Bulgarian Opera. Mr. Lambrinos performed the role of Emile de Beque in South Pacific in over 50 performances in Auckland, New Zealand and was invited to return in the title role in Don Giovanni. He was heard, on May 26, 1999, at Avery Fisher Hall in the "A Salute to the Hellenic Spirit" and has traveled extensively throughout the Middle East and Far East performing in opera productions and orchestral concerts throughout China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Korea, Thailand, India, Kuwait, Egypt, Pakistan, Malaysia, and Africa. A nativc of Brooklyn, New York, Mr. Lambrinos began his professional career as soloist with the famed Don Cossacks on their North American tour and gained extensive stage experience performing in musicals and on and Off-Broadway. Immediately after winning the Gladys Axman Taylor Award from the Metropolitan Opera National Auditions, he made his professional operatic debut as Lt. Redburn in the New York premiere of Billy Budd at Carnegie Hall, conducted by Sir Georg Solti.

Viviane Marie Mordo Advisory Board

Viviane Marie Mordo, soprano, made her debut in Amsterdam as Amelia in Simon Boccanegra and sung four seasons with the Australian Opera Company. She has made numerous concert appearances throughout Australia, Italy and the United States. Her leading roles include Amelia (Simon Boccanegra), Violetta (La Traviata) Lucia (Lucia di Lammermoor), Leonora (Il Trovatore), Tosca, and Mimi (La Boheme). A finalist at the Metropolitan Opera Regional Auditions and La Scala Scholarship in Sydney, Australia, she was awarded the Australian Opera Auditions Scholarship, received the "Circole Culturale Parma Lyrica" Verdi Vocal Award and has performed in numerous concerts under the direction of Tito Gobbi. She studied with renowned teachers, coaches, conductors, and stage directors including Richard Bonynge, Sir Charles Mackerras, Sir John Pritchard, Carlo Felice Cillario, Tito Capobianco, Vittorio Patane, John Copley, Tito Gobbi, and Maestro Aldo DiTullio in New York. Ms. Mordo, of Greek-Australian descent, together with Ms. Megremis and Ms. Zallas, premiered with the Pan American Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Maestro Joseph Lliso, and performed excerpts from the song cycle "Love and Death in the Chalice of Wine" by Nikos Astrinidis. She has also performed in "A Musical Salute to the Hellenic Spirit" at Avery Fisher Hall, Lincoln Center.

Andreas S. Savva Advisory Board

Andreas S. Savva, Phd, Founder, Chairman & CEO of ARC Tech, and Managing Director of the New York City office, was born in Limassol Cyprus in 1960. After serving his small Island Nation as a Sergeant General in the Cypriot National Guard, he migrated to the United States where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Queens College of the City University of New York, majoring in Computer Science & Mathematics. He continued his post graduate education at Queens College and New York Institute of Technology and a few years later, he was awarded a PhD degree from the University of Wexford. He began his career in 1986 from the Academia as a lecturer at several Technical Colleges Business Schools in New York City. At the same time, his career in Information technology included consulting assignments with major financial institutions such as NatWest Bank & Fleet Bank, and Major Telecommunications Companies such as MCI & NYNEX. He also worked as a SystemÕs Engineering Manager at the Estee Lauder Group of Companies, and he is currently offering his services as a Senior Project Leader at the IS/Applications Engineering Department of ABC Television Network. He is the founder and CEO of ARC Technologies, an Information Technology Partnership that started as a small part-time company and is rabidly expanding to a global enterprise with satellite offices in New York City, London, UK, and in Cyprus. While building his more than 17 years experience in the IT Industry, he attended or participated in numerous seminars, professional gatherings, and corporate training, where he was certified in many subjects by industry leading companies, such as: Microsoft, IBM, PowerSoft, Oracle, and Sybase. He is a passionate community leader serving on the Board of Directors of several community, political, and/or charitable organizations, but his zeal of community service also pushed him to serve as a volunteer police officer, patrolling the streets of New York as an NYPD Auxiliary Police officer. Last but not least, he is the Producer and Host of a local weekly Cypriot Radio Show airing in the New York City Tri-State area.

Peter Sokaris Advisory Board

Peter Sokaris of Greek descent, hails from Albany, New York where he developed a lifelong interest in playing the guitar and enjoying the "the Greek songs" -- ta Elinika tragoudia -- of Mikis Theodorakis, Manos Hatzidakis, and Stavros Xarhakos combined with the poetry of Yannis Ritsos, George Seferis, and Odysseus Elytis. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Amherst College with a major in Philosophy and Juris Doctor Degree from Western New England College, School of Law. He is an Administrative Law Judge with the New York State Department of Labor, is a member of Albany's St. Sophia Greek Orthodox Church, and is a frequent commuter to Astoria, New York where he makes music with the Hellenic Music Foundation.

Eleni Traganas Advisory Board

Eleni Traganas has enjoyed a distinguished international career as a concert pianist and visual artist. Born in New York City, she entered the legendary School of Performing Arts at the age of 13, and went on to study under scholarship at The Juilliard School where she was awarded the Bachelor and Master of Music degrees. With postgraduate studies undertaken at the Volkwang Musikhochschule in Essen, Germany and Switzerland's Lucerne Conservatory, her mentors have included such luminaries as Paul Badura-Skoda, Mieczyslaw Horszowski, Nadia Reisenberg, Beveridge Webster, and Eugene List. Since her stunning solo debut which was hailed by The New York Times for its "temperament, intensity and impressive dramatic impetus," Ms. TRAGANAS has given innumerable acclaimed performances in such venues as Alice Tully Hall, Town Hall, Carnegie Recital Hall, London's Wigmore Hall, Berlin, Athens, and many of the major music capitals of Europe, where she has also performed under the aegis of the US State Department. Of her participation in the International Festival of American Music in Bonn, critics applauded her "astonishing command and limitless range of emotion combined in an overwhelmingly unique and individual style" (Bonner Rundschau). She has appeared with the Athens State Orchestra, the Israel Sinfonietta, the Municipal Concerts Orchestra of NY, the Northern State Orchestra, the Chamber Orchestra of Salonika, and other ensembles, and is an active chamber recitalist and lecturer with New York's premier arts group, RIDOTTO. Recordings include EMI Athens, WDR West German Broadcasting Co. Cologne, National Radio & Television of Greece, WQXR and many others. As an award-winning fine artist, her works have appeared in over 40 nationally-curated museums and galleries, and her varied activities have earned her listings in Who's Who of American Women and Who's Who In America, among other biographical publications. For more information check out: www.PaintingsDirect.com www.CLWAC.org www.RIDOTTO.org