Billy Chrissochos / PORPHYRA-The Starmaker's Prophecy (Nobody's Records)

PORPHYRA-The Starmaker's Prophecy (Nobody's Records) 
PORPHYRA hails from Queens, NYC and their new album is called "The Starmaker's Prophecy". It contains ten brand new tracks and is worthy of a bit over forty-five minutes. The band mixes a broad variation in styles, ranging from melodic hard rock to symphonic metal. Opener "City Of Gold" is easy on the ear and it also proves that we are dealing with a bunch of very gifted musicians, including some great female vocals. Singer Elaine Tuttle will immediately attract your attention, at least she did with me. "Always On My Mind" starts with another 'easy on the ear' part and when the guitars start riffing, it's quite obvious that the slightly symphonic input gives the sound of the band a much broader vision. Later on in this song, there is even a true metal feeling going on in this amazing tune. Check out the guitar parts here. "Misirlou" gives away some of the mystery around the band. The musicians are mostly hailing from Greece and this reflects in this Greek titled song, that starts off with some Greek folk elements in it. They match very well with the melodic song structures that we heard so far. The drum outro sounds very powerful. "Forever" could very well be a hit single. It has got the hooks, but it also has got that catchy feeling to sing it along quite easily. The Greek influences will return in the beginning of "St. Basil's Hymn". The male vocals dominate this time and a big part of the hymn is instrumental. Afterwards, a complete instrumental version of this particular song will follow to close the CD. The epic, progressive "The Tale Of Bygone Years" is an outstanding tune and by far the best song on the album. It's another perfect example of the band's diversity in music styles. The subtle twist and mood changes give the album a kick in the ass. The band shows its musical muscles here. "Hook Through My Heart" on the other hand is very open and so much more easy to comprehend, that you can hardly understand that this is from the same band that just cranked out this insane progressive masterpiece. The CD closes with title track "The Starmaker's Prophecy", which is another lengthy anthem that proves the high quality of this band. The sudden mood change near the end sounds truly amazing and it will keep you focused. The very last song is an instrumental version of "St. Basil's Hymn". PORPHYRA already exists for quite some time now and the first musical roots originate from a band, called PHOENIX REIGN in 1998. In 2013, the band was renamed to PORPHYRA and the Byzantine influences have become bigger and bigger. PORPHYRA is definitely worth checking out and this album "The Starmaker's Prophecy" would make a good start to exploring this band. PORPHYRA consists of Elaine Tuttle on vocals, Mike Cotoia on guest vocals, Mike 'Risko' Savvas on guitar, tzoura and additional bass, Billy Chrissochos on guitar, Gregorz 'Greg' Swirszcz on bass, Richard Khuzami on percussion and Tracey 'Tre Boogie' Beavers on drums. Guest appearances on this album are by Jesse Pieper on keyboards in "St. Basil's Hymn", Mike 'Risko' Savvas on bass, Aady Pandit on guitar in "Forever" and our good friend Mark M.E. Edwards of OVERLORDE playing the guitar solo on that incredible "The Tale Of Bygone Years". The beautiful artwork on this CD was done by Billy Chrissochos. Website: http://www.porphyraband.com. [8 points] (Toine van Poorten)
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EUROPEAN MUSIC DAY 2019 "PROMETHEUS BOUND"

EUROPEAN MUSIC DAY 2019

"PROMETHEUS BOUND"

OPERA BASED ON AESCHYLUS TRAGEDY

MUSIC BY PANAGIOTIS KAROUSOS

PRISON OF SOCRATES

FILOPAPPOU HILL ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE

SATURDAY 22 JUNE 2019 | 18:00 PM

PROMETHEUS:

VASILIS ASIMAKOPOULOS

IO: IRINI KONSTA

VIA/ATHENS: KATERINA BOTONI

OCEAN/HERMES: CHRYSOSTOMOS KALOGRIDAKIS

OCEANID: MARIZA KIOSEOGLOU

PANTELIS LEAGAKIS, PIANO

Aeschylus' masterpiece “Prometheus Bound” in opera:

The lyric tragedy "Prometheus Bound" is the first Greek popular opera presented internationally and always with great success in areas such as the Sorbonne, Place des Arts in Canada, Epidaurus, UN, getting rave reviews.

The opera is based on the tragedy of Aeschylus 'Prometheus Bound' translated by Gryparis, and presented with costumes in a theatrical form.

Prometheus was presented in Montreal, Canada in 1994 and performed intermittently in French until 2000. In 2008 moved to New York and Washington under the direction of maestro Grant Gilman. In Greece Prometheus ascended at the Little Theatre of Ancient Epidaurus, Theatre of Ancient Messene, Ancient Agora, National Archaeological Museum, Theatre Veakeio, International Petra Festival, Theatre Saras Markopoulo, in the Municipal Theatres Cholargos, Corinth, Halkida, Argostoli, Ithaka, Zakynthos, in Peristeri Park, at the Hall of Society of Greek Writers, Archaeological Museum of Piraeus, Evripidio Theatre of Salamis Island, Theatre "Jenny Karezi", Tsagarada Pelion, etc.

With the patronage of UNESCO was presented in March 2014 in New York City in Queens Auditorium and the UN starring Vassilis Asimakopoulos representing Greece at the UN, and in the Amphitheater Richelieu of the Sorbonne in Paris, presented by Ioannis Maronitis, President of the Club for  UNESCO Piraeus & Islands and Member of the Executive Council of the World Federation Clubs, Associations & UNESCO Centres (WFUCA) for Europe and North America.

Composer Panagiotis Karousos is running for City Council District 6, Athens, Greece

Panagiotis Karousos is candidate for the Municipal Council of the 6th Municipal District of Athens with Nasos Iliopoulos, candidate of SYRIZA for the municipality of Athens, with the "Open City" at the upcoming municipal elections of May 26, 2019

UNESCO awarded Panagiotis Karousos is Greek-Canadian composer who brings to his music the philosophy and spiritualism of the Greek classics. He is the most important living opera composer of Greek origin. His style is based on bel-canto with emphasis on dramatic expression. Romantic emotion characterizes his compositions in the tradition of the great melodists.

He did many concerts in Canada and USA with his Symphony No.1 “Liberty”, and Symphony No.2 “Olympic” with Astoria Symphony, the FACE Symphony Orchestra, the OSJL-L Symphony Orchestra and the Monteregie Symphony Orchestra under the direction of maestros Silas Nathaniel Huff, Andre Gauthier, Theodora Stathopoulos and Luc Chaput. The Piano Concerto was presented with pianist Nathalie Joncas under UNESCO auspices in the Montreal Popular Concerts series in Montreal’s Maurice Richard Arena to an audience of 5000 people. 

The Olympic Flame choir was presented with the Symphony Orchestra and the Choir of Gunst wat'n Kunst at Hague, Holland, with maestro R. Pylarinos. The opera Alexander the Great presented in Montreal at the Montreal Notre Dame Basilica, in Chicago Illinois conducted by David Stech, in North Carolina Theatre under the direction of Grant Gilman, and in Toronto at P.C. Ho Theater Cultural Center of Toronto with the Sneak Peak Symphony Orchestra of Toronto University and soloists under the direction of maestro Victor Cheng. The opera Prometheus represented in Los Angeles, New York, and Washington DC. From 2013 he did major presentations of Prometheus in Ancient Greek Theaters (Epidaurus, Messina, Ancient Agora), and the National Archaeological Museum of Greece. 

In 2014 Prometheus presented with bass Vasilis Asimakopoulos in the United Nations and in Mamie Fay auditorium of New York under the auspices of UNESCO. His Symphony No.4 “Earth” premiered with City of Athens Symphony Orchestra with maestro Eleftherios Kalkanis.

His Liederabend and chamber music was presented in Berlin from pianist Theodosia Ntokou and musicians from Berliner Camerata with impressed reviews in 2015.

In 2016 he presented the opera Olympic Flame at Lincoln Center in New York with soloists and orchestra under the direction of Jestin Pieper, and Prometheus at La Sorbonne University in Paris with soloists from the National Opera of Greece.

The Greek National Radio Television did many profiles on him and broadcasted live his works with some of the most talented artists of opera and classical music.

Mr. Panagiotis Karousos is director of Opera and Classical Music for UNESCO Piraeus & Islands Club in Greece. 

Panagiotis Karousos

Greek conductor Phaedra Giannelou successfully conducted works by Panagiotis Karousos

Sunday 14 April 2019. A concert of original melodies and harmonies took place at the Municipal Theater of Corinth, impressing the audience that applauded continuously.

Corinthians have had the opportunity to enjoy a great concert with works of a very high artistic standards. The well-known and most beloved in Corinth composer Panagiotis Karousos impressed the audience with original melodic epic works.

This excellent concert was co-organized by the Department of School Activities of the Directorate for Secondary Education of Corinthia and the Municipality of the City of Corinth under the auspices of the Club for UNESCO Piraeus and Islands.

The concert was conducted by the leading Greek conductor, Phaedra Giannelou, who, with her excellent technique in the performance of musical works, enthralled the audience.

The soloists were two great voices of the Greek opera, soprano Irini Konsta, and bass Vasilis Asimakopoulos, who performed magically the outstanding works of Panagiotis Karousos. Their splendid voices and their stage presence settled the audience grabbing immediately their attention.

At the concert participated the Graduates' Choir of Pallini Music School, the Educators' Choir of Attiki and the Greek Symphonic Orchestra, conducted by the experienced baguette of maestro Phaedra Giannelou.

The concert was anticipated by the Mayor of Corinth, Alexandros Pneumatikos, the Deputy Mayor of the Municipality of Corinth, Costas Partsinvevelos, Ioannis Pheidas, Director of the Directorate for Secondary Education of Corinth, and the well-known private researcher, writer and cultural heritage consultant of UNESCO Piraeus and Islands Giorgos Tsoukalis, who worthy represented Ioannis Maronitis, President of the Club for UNESCO Piraeus & Islands.

The concert was well coordinated and presented by the Head of the Department of School Activities in Corinthia, musician Anastasia Tsapalou who said: "The music of composer Panagiotis Karousos is equivalent to the great classics of the opera, so far nothing has been heard in the Greek repertoire of the opera”.

Also, an intellectual critic of Corinth wrote: "M. Karousos, Your music has all the sounds and colors of the glowing Greek flame, as it goes beyond its boundaries and tends to perceive the whole planet as it was shot, enveloping its deep epic character with lyricism for reasons of self-defense. We like it, we are grateful! be good and create, thank you". G.P.

In the first part of the concert the following projects were presented:

Introduction of the opera "Prometheus Bound", Chorus of Oceanids from the opera "Prometheus Bound", Duet (Prometheus - Io) from the opera "Prometheus Bound", Chorus of Olympic Flame from the opera "Trachiniae"

Duet (Hyllus & Makaria) from the opera "Trachiniae", Chorus from the opera "Alexander the Great", Chorus from the Oratorio: "The Light of Christianity".

In the second part of the program, was presented the Oratorio: "The United Nations - Hope of Mankind" by Panagiotis Karousos, dedicated to the United Nations. The work consisting by six poems of great poets representing the six official languages ​​of the United Nations: "I hear America Singing” Walt Whitman, «The Singer» Alexander Sergeyevich Pushkin, «Un Jour de Printemps» Li Po, «Musique Divine» Kahlil Gibran (La Voix de l'éternelle sagesse), «Canción del gitano apaleado» Federico García Lorca, «The Harp of Songs» Lamartine, Finale: "The Song of the Nations".

The program began with the recitation of a poem by Anastasia Tsapalou inspired by the opera "Prometheus Bound" by Panagiotis Karousos.

Among the distinguished audiences were the Deputy Regional Chief of the Peloponnese Athanasios Gikas, the President of the 1st ELME of Korinthia Sofia Kanellou, the former MP of Corinthia Aikaterini Farmaki-Geki, the Director of the Ishmia Gymnasium Manolis Papachristodoulou, Falia Papayannopoulou Music Pedagogue, the Director of the Children's Choir and “Opus femina” female vocal ensemble of the KEPAP of the Municipality of Corinth, Katerina Papanikolaou Zogou Director of Lyceum of Aghioi Theodoroi, Philologist - Journalist, and Director of the Training School Family Corinth Municipal, and Zacharias Zachariou Activities Responsible of the Greek Physicists.

 

 

Billy Chrissochos: Presentation/lecture “An Ode to Macedonia”

April 12th 2019. New York, NY, United States. Billy Chrissochos: This past Sunday I partook on a new endeavor. I am now part of the newly established Hellenic Cultural Center of St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church of Flushing. Our first endeavor was the presentation/lecture “An Ode to Macedonia.”Mrs. Ekaterine Livanis was the key speaker speaking about the aftermath of the Prespes Agreement. I showed a slide presentation of the historical role of Macedonia throughout Hellenic History. The St. Nicholas Children’s Choir and pianist Areti Giovanni performed under the direction of Eleftherios Eleftheriadis. Mrs Kromidas was the master of Ceremonies and Father Paul Palesty spoke about the new committee. His eminence Archbishop Demetrios graced us with his presence and spoke to the enthralled crowd in the end.
Main lecture in Greek, slide presentation in English. Many thanks to George Selinsky for live streaming my presentation. You can watch it here:https://www.facebook.com/groups/627895857390614/permalink/1127960094050852?sfns=mo
Billy Chrissochos, Director of Modern Music at UNESCO Club of the Department of Piraeus and Islands, and Realtor at Metropolis Realty. UNESCO/Porphyra Musical Director.AHEPA Director of Hellenism District 6
#Madedoniaforever #MacedoniaisGreece #AlexandertheGreat #HellenisticAge #StPaul#MacedonianRenaissance #PavlosMelas #PrespesAgreement #Macedonia #Greece#StNicholas