ASTORIA – The Pancyprian Association of America Cultural Division presented the Annual Christmas Concert ‘Kalanta’ with Artistic and Music Director Phyto Stratis and the soloists, chorus, and special guests of the Pancyprian Choir of New York on December 20 at St. Catherine and St. George Greek Orthodox Church in Astoria.
Featuring the traditional Greek Christmas and New Year’s carols and hymns, as well as the merry favorites of the season, the annual concert enchanted the audience, bringing holiday cheer to the community. After a one year hiatus, the Christmas concert once again delighted all ages with the true spirit of the season.
Artistic and Music Director Phyto Stratis gave the welcoming remarks.
Soloist Demetris Michael then impressed the audience with the traditional Cypriot Kalanta. He was followed by new member of the Choir Athanasia Lekka who sang the Kalanta Moraitika. The Choir then performed the traditional Christmas Kalanta followed by the Greek version of Joy to the World with the talented soloists and the Choir accompanied by Stratis on piano. A stirring version of Ave Maria with the soloist Ariadne Anna and the Choir drew warm applause as did soloist Chrysa Petridou with the Choir on Hallelujah.
The hymns related to Christmas were then performed with the Choir on ‘H Parthenos Symeron’, soloist George Georgiades with the Choir on ‘H Gennisi Sou Christe’, and a powerful ‘Christos Gennate Doxasate’ by soloist Demetris Michael.
The moving What Child Is This (‘Poio Na Nai Touto to Paidi’ in Greek) featured the Choir with soloist Vasiliki Paritoglou. The beautiful Greek version of ‘O Come All Ye Faithful’ featured Chrysa Petridou along with the soloists Ariadne Anna, Aggeliki Psoni, Demetris Bonaros, and Demetris Michael.
Soloist Melina Cantagallo and the Choir performed in Spanish on ‘A la Nanita Nana’, a lullaby for the Baby Jesus,
Psoni performed a soulful ‘Silent Night’ with the Choir followed by gifted soprano Ariadne Anna who moved the audience with her impressive solo on ‘O Holy Night’ with soloists Aris Tentes, Marios Georgiou, Bonaros, and Michael.
‘Kampanes tis Lefterias’ the Greek version of the ‘Carol of the Bells’ also touched the audience with its reference to the churches in the occupied area of Cyprus and in Asia Minor.
Stratis then introduced the soloist from Cyprus Ioannis Livanos who performed a charming version of ‘White Christmas’ in English and in Greek.
The guest stars of the concert were the students from St. Demetrios School who joined the choir and soloists for ‘Santa Claus Is Coming to Town’ in Greek and English. Santa Claus himself (Gregory Eleftheriades) also stopped by to wish everyone all the best for Christmas and the new year.
Audience members were invited to sing along for the final section of festive holiday favorites including the New Year’s carols, ‘Arhiminia Arhichronia’ and ‘Paei o Palios o Chronos,’ ‘Jingle Bells’, ‘We Wish You a Merry Christmas,’ and ‘Feliz Navidad’, in Spanish, English, and Greek. The final song of the night, ‘Egenithi’, featuring Psoni and the Choir, received enthusiastic applause from the audience.
Artistic and Music Director Phyto Stratis, in his remarks, thanked everyone for attending, including the presiding priest of the Hellenic Orthodox Community of Astoria, St. Catherine and St. George Church and St. Demetrios Cathedral Dean Fr. Anargyros Stavropoulos, and assistant priest V. Rev. Archimandrite Petros Gomez as well as Pancyprian Association President Philip Christopher and Pancyprian Cultural Division President and Choir member Ismini Michaels.
Pancyprian President Philip Christopher also shared his remarks, congratulating Stratis, the Choir and the soloists, as well as Pancyprian Cultural Division President Ismini Michaels, thanking them all for their dedication over the years. He noted that all the Choir members are volunteers, taking the time each week to rehearse and maintain the traditions of Hellenism and raising awareness for Cyprus which is still under illegal occupation.
Christopher also wished everyone all the best for a merry Christmas and a happy and healthy New Year.
In his closing remarks, Stratis also wished everyone the best for the holiday season and the Choir then exited singing ‘We Wish You a Merry Christmas’ in Greek.
