SOUNDS OF CYPRUS: AN EVENING OF TRADITIONAL CYPRIOT MUSIC AND DANCE AT THE GANTRY PLAZA STATE PARK

Queens, NY – Sounds of Cyprus, the musical ensemble dedicated to preserving and celebrating the rich cultural heritage of Cyprus, has been honored with the 2024 Queens Arts Fund – Arts Access grant and is one of 138 Queens-based artists, artist collectives, and small non-profit organizations to receive funding through the Queens Arts Fund program, presented by The New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA) in partnership with the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs (DCLA).

Sounds of Cyprus was recognized with an Arts Access Grant for “An Evening of Traditional Cypriot Music and Dance”, which will bring a live performance of traditional Cypriot music and culture to the Long Island City neighborhood of Queens on September 21st, 2024, from 5:00PM-7:00PM at the amphitheatre area of the Gantry Plaza State Park at Hunters Point.

Fiscally sponsored by the New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA), this esteemed award uplifts Sounds of Cyprus’s exceptional commitment to the preservation and promotion of all of Cyprus’s traditional musical legacies, cultural histories, and language dialects.

This “Sounds of Cyprus – An Evening of Traditional Cypriot Music and Dance” event will be made possible (in part) with public funds from the Queens Arts Fund, a re-grant program supported by New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council and administered by New York Foundation for the Arts.

The band includes Elena Chris (vocalist/front person of the group), Peter Douskalis (project/music director and laouto), Alex Tasopoulos (viola), Erikos Vlesmas (contrabass), Murat Keyder (oud), and Mark Katsaounis (percussion).

Sounds of Cyprus has performed to appreciative audiences at Gantry Plaza State Park and looks forward to future performances at Gantry Plaza State Park in Long Island City this coming fall with the beautiful picturesque backdrop of the Manhattan skyline.

Sounds of Cyprus is a Cypriot orchestra co-founded by Peter Douskalis and Elena Chris in New York City. The group performs the traditional music of Cyprus in varying orchestrations and styles that both consciously honor the time period of composition and period instruments as well as perform with a modern approach. For more information about Sounds of Cyprus, their upcoming projects, and to become a community partner, visit www.soundsofcyprus.com.