Description
Join us for a night of Aegean music where we will celebrate the rich cultures and beloved songs of Greece and Turkey.
Rena Tsapelas and Aslıhan Erkisi are accompanied by Ertugrul Erkisi, Lefteris Bournias, Philip Mayer, and Mavrothi Kontanis.
Aslıhan Erkisi
Aslihan Erkisi is a singer, composer, choir director, Kemenche player, and music education scholar. She graduated with top honors from Istanbul Technical University’s prestigious Turkish Music Conservatory in 2008. She holds a Master’s Degree in Education Sciences from Yeditepe University and lectured at Istanbul Technical University Conservatory from 2010 to 2016. She directed the Turkish Music Adult Choir there. Aslihan began a PhD in Musicology at Fatih University in 2016 but had to pause due to moving to the US amid discrimination and security issues. She won first place in a 2006 competition by the Turkish Education Society and received awards from Kral Tv Video Music Awards and MUYAP.
Aslihan has performed solos on albums, including “Ninni” in 2003 and “Neveser” in 2012, and has appeared on national TV and radio programs, as well as given concerts across Turkey and Europe.
Rena Tsapelas
Rena Tsapelas was born and raised in New York City and is the third generation of a well-known and admired Greek musical family.For the past 10 years, she has performed at a variety of Greek events and venues, including weddings, baptisms, concerts and nightclubs. Her musical versatility allows her to sing a variety of styles within the Greek repertoire (ranging from traditional nisiotika and rembetika, to laika and modern Greek), as well as contemporary American music. Rena has performed with several of the top names in Greek music, including Pitsa Papadopoulou, Eleni Dimou, Dimitris Basis and Manolis Mitsias.
Ertugrul Erkisi
Erkisi is an award winning artist, singer, composer, and Director at Nirvana Music & Art School, additionally holding a PhD in Musicology.
Lefteris Bournias
Lefteris Bournias Greek Λευτέρης Μπουρνιάς is a Greek-American clarinetist and leader of Apollo Orchestras.
Lefteris Bournias, a clarinetist since age 11, has a diverse musical background spanning Greek traditional, Gypsy, Classical, Turkish Gypsy, and Jazz styles. Trained in Athens and New York, he earned a B.A. in Performance and a Masters of Science in Music Education. Lefteris has performed extensively and recorded with numerous acclaimed musicians, showcasing his unique clarinet sound.
Philip Mayer
Philip Mayer is a drummer, percussionist, and educator based in New York City. He specializes in a wide range of styles on both drum set and hand drums, with a focus on instruments from the Middle East, Turkey, and Greece. Philip is known for his work as Natalie Merchant’s drummer and for creating the drum book for the Tony-winning musical ‘The Band’s Visit.’ His performances have graced prestigious venues worldwide, including The Late Show with David Letterman and the Kennedy Center with the National Symphony Orchestra. Beyond drum set work, Philip is deeply involved in Arabic, Greek, and Turkish music scenes, collaborating with esteemed artists like Bassam Saba, Michel Merhej Baklouk, and Aslihan and Ertugrul Erkisi.
Mavrothi Kontanis
Mavrothi Kontanis is a Greek-American multi-instrumentalist, singer, composer, and teacher rooted in Halkidiki, Greece. Proficient on the oud, he has trained and performed with renowned musicians worldwide. Mavrothi’s music blends Eastern and Western influences, reflecting his diverse experiences. He founded the Maeandros Ensemble and Mild Mannered Rebel and resides in New Jersey, showcasing his talents across the United States, Europe, and the Middle East.