Tribute concert to honour late musician Achilleas Yiangoulli

Melbourne’s Greek and wider euphony communities will travel together for a unrecorded tribute performance aboriginal this month, celebrating the beingness and bequest of instrumentalist and performer Achilleas Yiangoulli connected 21 May astatine the Brunswick Ballroom, with proceeds from the evening to beryllium donated to the Royal Children’s Hospital.

The performance will diagnostic family, friends and chap artists performing works connected to Yiangoulli’s decades-long publication to music, theatre and taste beingness successful Australia.

Known for his versatility crossed rock, pop, Greek and Balkan music, Yiangoulli was a subordinate of galore bands and ensembles including The HaBiBis, Ilios Trio, Rebetiki and Ananke, while besides performing successful stone and popular groups Dynamic Duo and Kick the Kat.

Throughout his career, helium appeared astatine large festivals astir Australia, including the National Folk Festival, Port Fairy Folk Festival and WOMADelaide, alongside extended freelance and league work.

Yiangoulli was besides intimately progressive with Melbourne choir Canto Coro Choir, performing arsenic a soloist successful productions including Axion Esti, Canto General and Little City. He besides composed Mia Foni (One Voice) for the choir.

Beyond unrecorded music, Yiangoulli contributed to theatre, television and film, including serving arsenic philharmonic manager for Café Rebetiko astatine the Arts Centre Melbourne. His surface credits included appearances connected Spicks and Specks and Greeks connected the Roof, arsenic well arsenic engagement successful the movie Head On. He was besides portion of the ARIA Award-winning radical The Habibis.

Teacher, dancer and choreographer Kathy Vlassopoulos, Yiangoulli’s spouse and longtime collaborator, said the performance aimed to honour “this bonzer man” and the interaction helium had connected those astir him.

“Achilleas deserves the respect and emotion from the music, Greek and wider communities,” she told Neos Kosmos.

“His extent of wisdom, his optimism contempt his disabilities, and unconditional emotion for his household and friends should beryllium acknowledged.

“The performance is simply a dedication to honour this bonzer antheral whom I emotion profoundly and miss immensely.”

Vlassopoulos reflected connected their creator collaborations, travels to Greece and shared passionateness for euphony and performance.

“How fortunate were we that we met and created so galore stories,” she said.

Theatre manager and founding HaBiBis subordinate Irine Vela described Yiangoulli arsenic a transformative fig successful Greek euphony performance.

“When helium sang, helium captured and embodied each the stylistic nuances of Greek traditional song, rebetika, laika, and fashionable song,” she said.

“The timbre of his voice, so overmuch soul and extent and beingness unit – conscionable similar the quality helium was.”

Vela said the performance was intended to honour some Achilleas’ creator achievements and his publication to assemblage life.

“We honour him and retrieve him arsenic the 1 who would perform, play and sing the community’s heartbreak and struggles, and successful doing so helium strengthened assemblage bonds,” she said.

Musician Con Kalamaras said Yiangoulli’s lack was already being profoundly felt crossed Melbourne’s euphony scene.

“The magic of Achilles was that helium was a philharmonic chameleon,” helium said.

“His versatility, unwavering optimism, and quality to assistance and usher others while playing songs was ne'er condescending – ever encouraging.”

Kalamaras said Achilleas’ power extended beyond music.

“He brought so galore radical together, united them, and made them consciousness welcome, appreciated, and valued – a true gift,” helium said.

The tribute performance will diagnostic performances from Maria Antaras, Argyiris Argyropoulos, Ilias Chatziemmanouil, Stavrina Dimitriou, Paul Dounias, Dean Georgalas, Agapi (Aggie) Gioftsidis, Jim Haritonas, Tony Iliou, Con Kalamaras, Achilles Kalanis, Niko Kapralos, Apostolis (Paul) Karalis, Sotiri Kiokpasoglou, George Kiriakidis, John Kostarakis, Niko Koutsaliotis, Paddy Montgomery, Nestoras College students, Jacob Papadopoulos, Kosta Papapanagiotou, Anthea Sidiropoulos, Wayne Simmons, Peter Stathopoulos, Byron Triandafyllidis, Zois Tzikas, Irine Vela, Mulaim Vela and Kon Velanis.

Canto Coro Choir will besides execute arsenic impermanent artists during the evening, while Peter Stathopoulos will service arsenic MC.

For further accusation visit our Greek Guide events page.