Σάββατο 7 Ιουνίου 2014

Porphyra's Kickstarter completed successfully

Billy Chrissochos, vice president of Hellenic American Center of the Arts newsletter 
Welcome dear friends. I wanted to let you know about these two projects that are dear to my heart. For a long time I dedicated myself to the Arts and History. My rock band Porphyra and the Greek Artists Guild fill this noble cause. As Hellenes and people in general in our fast paced world we seem to forget that our lives are meaningless without culture and art. Since it all sort of started with the Greeks (as we always seem to claim), I feel it's our obligation  to continue this tradition and bring it up to speed with our fast trending world. 

The Greek Artists Guild, which I am president of, had started off with George Delis, Petros Galatoulas and Athanasios Aronis three years ago, has now grown and is ready to expand. Back then people in the community thought I was crazy for trying to find Greek, and Greek-American artists here in NYC. Lo and behold we now attract more than 40 Greek and local community artists and vendors ( we are open to everybody) every time we have an Exhibit. We just had our successful 7th Art Fair at the Stathakion Cultural Center (our home base), and are being courted to expand to Chelsea and the other "Artsy" districts as we speak. Check out some press attached above courtesy of Greek News. Artists that want to join our Guild or participate in the exhibits contact me so I can tell you of our upcoming meeting this June 20th.
Here is my other organization's, The Hellenic American Center of the Arts, press page:
Now comes my band Porphyra. It's not fancy jazz, tsifteteli or dance music but it's honest guitar driven melodic metal and hard rock. Good music is just that. Good music. So give it a listen and I think you will understand the sonic landscape that we are trying to create. Heck you can even belly dance to some of the stuff. Try it, it won't bite (unless you want it :)).  As a musician with the first incarnation of Porphyra, which was Phoenix Reign, War & History magazine (Polemos kai Historia) declared us "the band that fused Rock with the Fall of Constantinople", when describing our grand opus, "Constantinople 1453- On the Eve of the Fall". This was of our Destination Unknown album -https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wB1vkdxRlRo. Now with Porphyra, I wrote the anthems of Greece's glory days; About Alexander the Great (with Makedonia Ksakousti interwoven throughout) and Basil II's union with the Kievan Rus, otherwise known as the second Glorious age of Byzantium, that culminated in the year 988AD. There are sci-fi elements, mythology, love stories and so much more.

Porphyra's epic album "Faith, Struggle, Victory" should be on everybody's listening device. Did I mention the singer is an internationally acclaimed front man, Chandler Mogel (Outloud/Khaos), who helped me co-produce. We have a full rock opera orchestra with so many musicians- Billy Chrissochos (guitars), Chandler Mogel (vocals), Frank Pace (drums), Jose Navia G (bass), Mike "Risko" Savvas (guitars/tzoura), Richard Khuzami (percussion), Keren Tzobotaro (female vocals), 
Christos Alexandrou (guest Greek vocals/international recording artist), Anna Dok (guest appearance courtesy of Operatika Element), Chuck Metaxas (bouzouki), and Katie Jacoby (violin), all produced and mixed by the wizard/engineer Ethan Bill- who played just about everything else on the album!
Our online fundraiser through Kickstarter ENDS TONIGHT- THURSDAY-AT MIDNIGHT. Please sponsor us if you haven't already. Any amount helps. And there are so many awesome perks and gifts. If you physically can't tonight we will be accepting sponsors still, just message me if you wish to help.
CLICK ON KICKSTARTER LINK HERE PLEASE-https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1652624391/faith-struggle-victory-porphyras-new-epic-metal-al
To all those that have already donated and tirelessly promoted our campaign our gratitude goes to you! We have 7 hours left so keep on spreading the word!
Billy Chrissochos
917-617-0597
Like Porphyra on Facebook
Subscribe to our Youtube Channel "Porphyra Official Channel"
Here is our MUSIC PROMO - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGvgxojoEzo
Here is our AKTINA FM INTERVIEW with music that aired on FM radio -https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2J3IhazOIs
Special thanks to "
Give Me Astoria", Elena Marouletti of Aktina FM, and Dimitris Filippidis of Hellas FM and NGTV for endorsing us and playing our music!!! 

Κυριακή 1 Ιουνίου 2014

Greek Artists Guild - Sunday's Art Fair

Greek_Artists_Guild
Astoria's art lovers where in for a treat on Sunday May 25th, 2014 as the Greek Artists Guild along with the Stathakion Cultural Center held its 7th Art Exhibition.  Locals and friends were able to mingle with some of our finest local artists and crafts people and buy some unique and cool art. The event was also attended by the esteemed ambassador of Greece. The president of the Greek Artists Guild and Hellenic Federation Cultural Committee member Mr. Billy Chrissochos was elated at the turnout and support the community continues to give them. “This has really become like one big family”, he stated, “and we will continue to expand the art scene in Astoria and Queens and inspire a neo artistic renaissance”.
Billy Chrissochos’ rock album- Porphyra’s “Faith, Struggle, Victory”


Efterpi Iatrakis art
List of exhibiting artists:
Dora Sislian Themelis, Billy Chrissochos, Magdalen Mavroudis, Sophokles Plokamakis, Eftherpi Iatraki, Marianthi Raptis, Dion Maravegias, Denis Kavvadias, Miliana Mitrov, Efstathia Fragou, Maria Theofanoudi, Ellen Stedfeld, and Gerardo R. Casas.

Paul Anagnostopoulos - author
Musical guest - pianist Apostolos Plokamakis
Special listening preview of Billy Chrissochos’ rock album- Porphyra’s “Faith, Struggle, Victory”. The Album cover art designed by Billy Chrissochos also made its debut.



Greek_Artists_Guild members


Marianthi Raptis art

The Greek Artists Guild was formed in 2011 to help promote Greek-American artists from the NY Tri-State area. Its mission is to promote Greek-American art to the Greater American Public,
Efstathia Fragou Jewelry
and to give artists venues to exhibit and sell their work. Since 2011 we have exhibited our work in seven bi-annual exhibitions at the Stathakion Cultural Center in Ditmars, Astoria.

We are looking for talented visual artists; painters, comic book artists, graphic designers, photographers and sculptors to add to our organization. If you would like to get involved please contact us. 
Billy Chrissochos
President of Greek Artists Guild
Member of Cultural Committee of Federation of Hellenic Societies of Greater NY Inc.
www.GreekArtistsGuild.com
Facebook- "Greek Artists Guild"




Sophocles Plokamakis art