RUTHERFORD, NJ – The concert titled ‘A Musical Journey To Greece and Cyprus’ organized by the St. Athanasios Community of Paramus, NJ, on Saturday, November 2, captivated the audience.
Held at the Rivoli Theater in the Williams Center in Rutherford, NJ, singers Dimitris Mpasis, Nefeli Fasouli, Afrodite Daniel, pianist and artistic director Achilleas Wastor, Yiannis Sinanis on bouzouki, and the Synphonia Band performed Greek musical hits, receiving enthusiastic applause.
The organizer and main sponsor, Andreas Comodromos, told The National Herald that the concert had both cultural and charitable purposes. “Tonight’s event is dedicated to Greek and Cypriot music as this year marks half a century of Cyprus’ struggle, along with the Greek diaspora and Greeks worldwide, for the liberation of occupied territories and reunification into a free, democratic, European, and prosperous Cyprus.
The second goal is to support the fund for renovating the facilities of St. Athanasios, as 80% of the proceeds from ticket sales and sponsorships will be allocated for this purpose.”
He added that “the third goal is to support the youth programs of the Holy Metropolis of New Jersey, with 20% of the net proceeds going to this cause. The main sponsor of the concert is the foundation of the Louis and Constance Lambran Foundation, whose $30,000 donation covers all concert expenses. Therefore, every dollar contributed by the Greek-American community will go towards these goals.”
St. Athanasios’ pastor, Fr. Nikolaos Mataragkas, expressed his joy and pride in organizing the first charitable concert. “This event takes place about three weeks after the consecration of our church and marks the beginning of the costly project of renovating and maintaining the facilities. A big thank you to the sponsors, volunteers, and everyone who honored us with their presence.”
The president of the church council, Speros Leaka, also thanked the Greeks and Cypriots who filled the theater and supported the church, as well as all those who offered volunteer work.
Singer Dimitris Mpasis, through the newspaper, described his participation in the concert as a great honor. He said it was organized to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the restoration of democracy in Greece, while also serving as a memorial for the dark anniversary of 50 years since the Turkish invasion of Cyprus.
“For this reason,” he said, “part of the program includes songs about Cyprus, written after the invasion. Through our concert, we also aim to remind people of the history of modern Greek music. Music has always played a significant role in the daily lives of Greeks. Especially during the post-dictatorship years, songs by artists like Mikis Theodorakis awakened people to pursue their ideals.”
Singer Nefeli Fasouli was emotional and expressed her gratitude for the warm reception by the Greek-American community throughout their tour in America.
“It’s truly impressive to see the great love of the Greek-American community for everything Greek, as well as how second- and third-generation children adore Greek music. I find this very important because, through the songs, besides entertainment, they also learn about the history of our homeland,” she said.
(Some names have been transliterated from Greek to English)Top of Form
