Tribute to Vassilis Tsitsanis

The Center for Hellenic Music and Culture presents a tribute concert to Greek songwriter and legendary bouzouki player Vassilis Tsitsanis on the 110th anniversary of his birth. The concert features acclaimed Greek vocalist Natassa Bofiliou.

Guest artists from Greece include the Vassilis Tsitsanis Orchestra with singer and guitarist Vassilis Prodromou, virtuoso bouzouki players Manolis Pappos and Fotis Vergopoulos, and accordionist Dasho Kurti. They are joined by Boston-based violinist Bengisu Gokce, bassist Michael Harris, and percussionist Fabio Pirozollo for a powerhouse performance under the music direction of Panagiotis Liaropoulos.

Vassilis Tsitsanis (1915-1984) is widely credited as one of the founders of the post-World War II rebetiko and laiko genres of Greek music, with over 500 songs to his name. Since 2003, rebetiko has been listed on UNESCO’s List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. It represents a synthesis of elements from European music, various Greek regional styles, Greek Orthodox chant, and the modal traditions of Ottoman art music and café music. Rebetiko captured the collective soul of Greek people in urban spaces, new city dwellers, and villagers or refugees who remained on the margins of society during the period between 1890 and 1950. Tsitsanis succeeded in elevating rebetiko from its decades-old subculture status, giving it a new poetic and musical form, and situating it within the social and political realities of post-World War II Greece.

Join us for this unique concert celebrating the musical legacy of an iconic Greek artist.

A $250 VIP ticket includes photo opportunities with the artists, a meet-and-greet with the artists, and an autograph signing.