(**subject to change**)
Christos Tiktapanidis | GREEK / PONTIAN
Chris is from the village of Sitagroi in Greek Macedonia. He began playing lyra at the age of ten. His first lyra was a Christmas gift from his father.
His first teacher was his grandfather, Yiannis Stefanidis. When his grandfather died two years later, Chris began the weekly ritual of bus trips to the town of Drama to study with Pavlos Tornikidis. Chris began playing for weddings, christenings and parties in Drama at the age of 15.
He also played for many local dance groups and traveled to Italy and France with one of these groups for folklore festivals.
Since coming to the US, Chris has played for many Greek folk dance groups in the New York area and International dance camps around the country. He certainly is one of the regular and most popular musician at world camp.
TO CONTACT CHRISTOS TIKTAPANIDIS : tiktapanidis@yahoo.com
Hasan Isakkut & Merve Sari | TURKISH
Hasan ISAKKUT was born in Adana, Turkey. His father being an ud player, Hasan started learning how to play the kanun and the violin when he was 8. At the age of 18, he continued his music life in Istanbul and worked with renowned musicians and singers. He was 26 when he went to Vienna and Frankfurt to work as a musician. After spending two years in Europe, he moved to New York in 1989 to pursue his childhood dream. As a composer and an instrumentalist, he worked with Brian Keane, Omar Faruk Tekbilek, Simon Shaheen, Richie Haven, Ara Dinkjian, Arto Tunçboyacıyan in joint projects in performance venues like Carnegie Hall. Hasan’s one of the most renowned compositions ‘’I love you’’ was included in Omar Faruk Tekbilek’s album called "One Truth" and an album called "Buddha Bar Volume 2" released in 2000 also included Hasan’s composition.
A Turkish Art Music Singer Muazzez Ersoy performed Hasan’s composition in her album named ‘’Seni Seviyorum’’, which translates to Turkish as ‘’I love you’’. In 2011, a worldwide known Turkish clarinet player Hüsnü Şenlendirici also played this song in his album named "Hüsn-ü Hicaz". Isakkut was also the music director of a well-known Turkish music drama, "Kanlı Nigar", which was staged in Town Hall Theatre-Broadway in 2008. He performed as a violinist in a Turkish musical named "Hisseli Harikalar Kumpanyası" by Haldun Dormen, which was staged in Beacon Theatre-Broadway in 2009.
As a kanun player, violinist and a composer, he has presented a music series of Middle Eastern Jazz, Classical Turkish Music and new age with his albums "Kibar" (2005) and "Hayat 1 Hayat" (2009). Six of his well-known compositions were re-arranged and released in an instrumental album called “Hegira” in 2013, including 4 compositions of Ara Dinkjian. Other precious musicians in the album are Ercan Irmak (ney -flute- player) and Chris Rosser (pianist and arranger).
His recent album called “Journey” was launched in February 2020 and can be listened on Spotify. Hasan Isakkut is a member of MSG (a union to protect royalties of authors, composers, arrangers, and publishers in Turkey) and ASCAP (The American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers), and his compositions have been performed by international artists all over the world. Along with making music, Hasan Isakkut also gives kanun lessons in international music camps.
TO CONTACT HASAN ISAKKUT : hasanisakkut@gmail.com
Merve SARI was born in Zonguldak, Turkey (in Western Black Sea Region). She began singing at the age of eight with her father at home, and then took piano courses. During her primary education, she sang Turkish folk music in school choirs. After moving to Istanbul, she received the first rank award among female voices in Istanbul in a "Voice Competition in Classical Turkish Music" which was organized by the Ministry of National Education in Turkey in May 2005. She also performed as a soloist in Youth Choir of Classical Turkish Music, which was conducted by a renowned singer in this genre, Ms. Serap Mutlu Akbulut in TRT Istanbul Radio Station between 2005 and 2011.
In 2009, she graduated as a fully granted, top honor student from Haliç University in Istanbul, studying International Trade and Business Administration. During her undergraduate degree, she took vocal courses at the same university's Turkish Music Conservatory by Ms. Sehnaz Rizeli and attended repertory courses of Prof. Dr. Alaeddin Yavasca, living legend in Classical Turkish Music as a composer and a classical singer. Merve received master's in Knowledge and Innovation Management (MBA) from Yeditepe University, Istanbul with a specific interest in social media
analysis as a fully granted, honor student. At Yeditepe, she sang in Classical Turkish Music choir, conducted by Mr. Mithat Ozyilmazel and sang Turkish tangos with the piano professor Mr. Islam Manafov at the university.
Merve moved to the United States in November 2013. Since then, she has been performing with Turkish composer and kanun player Mr. Hasan Isakkut and many famous musicians (Omer Faruk Tekbilek, Ara Dinkjian, Yuri Yunakov, etc) in special occasions, such as Turkish culture festivals and concerts in the U.S. She took vocal performance seminar classes at The Juilliard School in evening division in 2014. In 2018,
she was admitted to the Voice Department at Berklee College of Music.
TO CONTACT MERVE SARI : mervens@gmail.com
Hasan ISAKKUT was born in Adana, Turkey. His father being an ud player, Hasan started learning how to play the kanun and the violin when he was 8. At the age of 18, he continued his music life in Istanbul and worked with renowned musicians and singers. He was 26 when he went to Vienna and Frankfurt to work as a musician. After spending two years in Europe, he moved to New York in 1989 to pursue his childhood dream. As a composer and an instrumentalist, he worked with Brian Keane, Omar Faruk Tekbilek, Simon Shaheen, Richie Haven, Ara Dinkjian, Arto Tunçboyacıyan in joint projects in performance venues like Carnegie Hall. Hasan’s one of the most renowned compositions ‘’I love you’’ was included in Omar Faruk Tekbilek’s album called "One Truth" and an album called "Buddha Bar Volume 2" released in 2000 also included Hasan’s composition.
A Turkish Art Music Singer Muazzez Ersoy performed Hasan’s composition in her album named ‘’Seni Seviyorum’’, which translates to Turkish as ‘’I love you’’. In 2011, a worldwide known Turkish clarinet player Hüsnü Şenlendirici also played this song in his album named "Hüsn-ü Hicaz". Isakkut was also the music director of a well-known Turkish music drama, "Kanlı Nigar", which was staged in Town Hall Theatre-Broadway in 2008. He performed as a violinist in a Turkish musical named "Hisseli Harikalar Kumpanyası" by Haldun Dormen, which was staged in Beacon Theatre-Broadway in 2009.
As a kanun player, violinist and a composer, he has presented a music series of Middle Eastern Jazz, Classical Turkish Music and new age with his albums "Kibar" (2005) and "Hayat 1 Hayat" (2009). Six of his well-known compositions were re-arranged and released in an instrumental album called “Hegira” in 2013, including 4 compositions of Ara Dinkjian. Other precious musicians in the album are Ercan Irmak (ney -flute- player) and Chris Rosser (pianist and arranger).
His recent album called “Journey” was launched in February 2020 and can be listened on Spotify. Hasan Isakkut is a member of MSG (a union to protect royalties of authors, composers, arrangers, and publishers in Turkey) and ASCAP (The American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers), and his compositions have been performed by international artists all over the world. Along with making music, Hasan Isakkut also gives kanun lessons in international music camps.
TO CONTACT HASAN ISAKKUT : hasanisakkut@gmail.com
Merve SARI was born in Zonguldak, Turkey (in Western Black Sea Region). She began singing at the age of eight with her father at home, and then took piano courses. During her primary education, she sang Turkish folk music in school choirs. After moving to Istanbul, she received the first rank award among female voices in Istanbul in a "Voice Competition in Classical Turkish Music" which was organized by the Ministry of National Education in Turkey in May 2005. She also performed as a soloist in Youth Choir of Classical Turkish Music, which was conducted by a renowned singer in this genre, Ms. Serap Mutlu Akbulut in TRT Istanbul Radio Station between 2005 and 2011.
In 2009, she graduated as a fully granted, top honor student from Haliç University in Istanbul, studying International Trade and Business Administration. During her undergraduate degree, she took vocal courses at the same university's Turkish Music Conservatory by Ms. Sehnaz Rizeli and attended repertory courses of Prof. Dr. Alaeddin Yavasca, living legend in Classical Turkish Music as a composer and a classical singer. Merve received master's in Knowledge and Innovation Management (MBA) from Yeditepe University, Istanbul with a specific interest in social media
analysis as a fully granted, honor student. At Yeditepe, she sang in Classical Turkish Music choir, conducted by Mr. Mithat Ozyilmazel and sang Turkish tangos with the piano professor Mr. Islam Manafov at the university.
Merve moved to the United States in November 2013. Since then, she has been performing with Turkish composer and kanun player Mr. Hasan Isakkut and many famous musicians (Omer Faruk Tekbilek, Ara Dinkjian, Yuri Yunakov, etc) in special occasions, such as Turkish culture festivals and concerts in the U.S. She took vocal performance seminar classes at The Juilliard School in evening division in 2014. In 2018,
she was admitted to the Voice Department at Berklee College of Music.
TO CONTACT MERVE SARI : mervens@gmail.com
Kavala Brass | NORTHERN GREEK
Kavala Brass Band was formed for the purpose primarily of playing music from Northern Greece (Macedonia). The Band got its name from Lefteris Bournias, whose mother comes from the city of Kavala. They have performed annually at the Zlatne Uste Golden Festival, at the EEFC Balkan Camp in Iroquois Springs, NY and at Ahmet Luleci's World Camp. They have played for several of the folk dance groups in the New York City area and for the Kosturian Society in Astoria, NY.
Belle Birchfield (baritone horn)
Lefteris Bournias (clarinet)
Morgan Clark (accordion)
Michael Ginsburg (flugelhorn)
Jerry Kisslinger (percussionum)
Matt Moran (percussion)
TO CONTACT KAVALA : mginsburg@gmail.com
Kavala Brass Band was formed for the purpose primarily of playing music from Northern Greece (Macedonia). The Band got its name from Lefteris Bournias, whose mother comes from the city of Kavala. They have performed annually at the Zlatne Uste Golden Festival, at the EEFC Balkan Camp in Iroquois Springs, NY and at Ahmet Luleci's World Camp. They have played for several of the folk dance groups in the New York City area and for the Kosturian Society in Astoria, NY.
Belle Birchfield (baritone horn)
Lefteris Bournias (clarinet)
Morgan Clark (accordion)
Michael Ginsburg (flugelhorn)
Jerry Kisslinger (percussionum)
Matt Moran (percussion)
TO CONTACT KAVALA : mginsburg@gmail.com
Merita Halili & Raif Hyseni | ALBANIA
Merita Halili is one of Albania’s top performers. Born in the capital city of Tiranë, Merita grew up singing the lyric songs of her native region of Central Albania. Her nationwide debut came in 1983, at the age of 17, when she sang at the National Folk Festival in the town of Gjirokastër.
Soon afterwards she began to perform on Albanian Radio and Television and as a soloist with the State Ensemble for Folk Songs and Dances. She subsequently became one of the most popular singers in the country. Merita was among the first singers in Albania to release her own recording, which still sells briskly wherever Albanians live. Perhaps her greatest recognition came in 1995, when she was awarded first prize at a gala festival held in Tiranë in which 90 singers from throughout the Albanian diaspora participated.
The repertoire for which Merita is best known is that of the towns of Central Albania (Shqipëria e Mesme), particularly Tiranë, Elbasan, Kavajë and Durrës. As she was growing up, Merita modeled her singing not only on family music making but also on recordings of older singers. These included both taped performances housed in the Institute of Folklore in Tiranë, and performances broadcast on Albanian radio by two famous female singers of the previous generation, Hafsa Zyberi from Tiranë and Fitnete Rexha from Krujë, the latter of whom also coached her personally. In collaboration with musicians and arrangers at Albanian Radio and Television, she then developed her own approach to these songs, which includes more elaborate instrumental arrangements and full use of her prodigious range and vocal technique. More recently, Merita has recorded several newly composed songs, as well as a few popular Turkish and Rom songs. Some of her best-known performances were featured in the soundtrack for the acclaimed Italian film Lamerica.
Raif Hyseni hails from The Republic of Kosova, which has a large Albanian majority. He grew up in the town of Mitrovicë, where he studied accordion at music school and performed in amateur ensembles. Before moving to Tiranë in 1992, Raif was a well-known radio and television performer in Kosova’s capital city Prishtinë, where he performed with legendary violinist Isak Mucolli.
Through his recordings and media appearances, Raif has become known as a major innovator on the accordion, for which he has composed dozens of instrumental melodies and songs. Raif holds a Master’s degree in music from Montclair State University. He has written music for accordion, as well as songs, theater, and documentary movies. In 2014 at Montclair State Raif founded and continues to head the Balkan-Albanian Ensemble, the first of its kind at a institute of higher education.
Raif and his wife, singer Merita Halili, emigrated to the United States in 1995, and now make their home in Caldwell, New Jersey. They perform frequently around the country on numerous stages, festivals and at community weddings.
TO CONTACT RAIF HYSENI : raifhyseni7@gmail.com | www.raifhyseni.com
FOR RAIF HYSENI'S NEW CD ALBUM: https://www.raifhyseni.com/product/raif-hyseni-24/24
Merita Halili is one of Albania’s top performers. Born in the capital city of Tiranë, Merita grew up singing the lyric songs of her native region of Central Albania. Her nationwide debut came in 1983, at the age of 17, when she sang at the National Folk Festival in the town of Gjirokastër.
Soon afterwards she began to perform on Albanian Radio and Television and as a soloist with the State Ensemble for Folk Songs and Dances. She subsequently became one of the most popular singers in the country. Merita was among the first singers in Albania to release her own recording, which still sells briskly wherever Albanians live. Perhaps her greatest recognition came in 1995, when she was awarded first prize at a gala festival held in Tiranë in which 90 singers from throughout the Albanian diaspora participated.
The repertoire for which Merita is best known is that of the towns of Central Albania (Shqipëria e Mesme), particularly Tiranë, Elbasan, Kavajë and Durrës. As she was growing up, Merita modeled her singing not only on family music making but also on recordings of older singers. These included both taped performances housed in the Institute of Folklore in Tiranë, and performances broadcast on Albanian radio by two famous female singers of the previous generation, Hafsa Zyberi from Tiranë and Fitnete Rexha from Krujë, the latter of whom also coached her personally. In collaboration with musicians and arrangers at Albanian Radio and Television, she then developed her own approach to these songs, which includes more elaborate instrumental arrangements and full use of her prodigious range and vocal technique. More recently, Merita has recorded several newly composed songs, as well as a few popular Turkish and Rom songs. Some of her best-known performances were featured in the soundtrack for the acclaimed Italian film Lamerica.
Raif Hyseni hails from The Republic of Kosova, which has a large Albanian majority. He grew up in the town of Mitrovicë, where he studied accordion at music school and performed in amateur ensembles. Before moving to Tiranë in 1992, Raif was a well-known radio and television performer in Kosova’s capital city Prishtinë, where he performed with legendary violinist Isak Mucolli.
Through his recordings and media appearances, Raif has become known as a major innovator on the accordion, for which he has composed dozens of instrumental melodies and songs. Raif holds a Master’s degree in music from Montclair State University. He has written music for accordion, as well as songs, theater, and documentary movies. In 2014 at Montclair State Raif founded and continues to head the Balkan-Albanian Ensemble, the first of its kind at a institute of higher education.
Raif and his wife, singer Merita Halili, emigrated to the United States in 1995, and now make their home in Caldwell, New Jersey. They perform frequently around the country on numerous stages, festivals and at community weddings.
TO CONTACT RAIF HYSENI : raifhyseni7@gmail.com | www.raifhyseni.com
FOR RAIF HYSENI'S NEW CD ALBUM: https://www.raifhyseni.com/product/raif-hyseni-24/24
NIVA | MACEDONIA
Songs about unhappy betrothals, love gone wrong, bandits hiding in the hills, and cruel mothers-in-law...dances that wrap you in a twisting circle... Niva can make you hoot and holler one minute and cry your eyes out the next, even if you don't speak Macedonian. Niva is an all women quartet that plays the music of Macedonians: Bridget Robbins - kaval; Corinna Snyder - tambura and vocals; Emily Geller - tapan and vocals; Kristina Vaskys - tambura and vocals.
TO CONTACT NIVA : corinnasnyder@gmail.com
TO CONTACT NIVA : corinnasnyder@gmail.com
Zlatne Uste | BALKAN BRASS
From kolos to Kusturica, Zlatne Uste has played with Šaban Bajramović, Esma Redžepova, Demiran Čerimović, Yuri Yunakov, and many other legendary Roma musicians from Eastern Europe. Founded in 1983, we are the foremost presenters of traditional Balkan brass band styles in the US. Our repertoire spans the full range of the heartland of brass bands in the Balkans -- Serbia, Macedonia and Bulgaria, playing both Slavic and Romany traditions. Creators of the Zlatne Uste Golden Festival in New York, we play festivals, weddings, dance parties, concerts, from New York to
California to Canada, to Brazil and Macedonia. The first foreign band invited to participate, we are five-time invited guests at the Dragačevo Brass Festival in Guča, Serbia and twice at Vlasinsko Leto in Surdulica.
Aaron Kisslinger (tenor)
Belle Birchfield (baritone)
Daniel Stern (truba)
Emerson Hawley (tuba)
Jerry Kisslinger (bubanj, snare drum)
Laine Harris (truba)
Marian Eines (saxophone)
Matt Smith (baritone)
Melinda Hunt (vocals)
Michael Ginsburg (truba)
Morgan Clark (tenor)
Sarah Ferholt (truba)
Seido Salifoski (bubanj, snare drum)
Website/Social Media: Website, Facebook
TO CONTACT ZLATNE USTE : mginsburg@gmail.com
From kolos to Kusturica, Zlatne Uste has played with Šaban Bajramović, Esma Redžepova, Demiran Čerimović, Yuri Yunakov, and many other legendary Roma musicians from Eastern Europe. Founded in 1983, we are the foremost presenters of traditional Balkan brass band styles in the US. Our repertoire spans the full range of the heartland of brass bands in the Balkans -- Serbia, Macedonia and Bulgaria, playing both Slavic and Romany traditions. Creators of the Zlatne Uste Golden Festival in New York, we play festivals, weddings, dance parties, concerts, from New York to
California to Canada, to Brazil and Macedonia. The first foreign band invited to participate, we are five-time invited guests at the Dragačevo Brass Festival in Guča, Serbia and twice at Vlasinsko Leto in Surdulica.
Aaron Kisslinger (tenor)
Belle Birchfield (baritone)
Daniel Stern (truba)
Emerson Hawley (tuba)
Jerry Kisslinger (bubanj, snare drum)
Laine Harris (truba)
Marian Eines (saxophone)
Matt Smith (baritone)
Melinda Hunt (vocals)
Michael Ginsburg (truba)
Morgan Clark (tenor)
Sarah Ferholt (truba)
Seido Salifoski (bubanj, snare drum)
Website/Social Media: Website, Facebook
TO CONTACT ZLATNE USTE : mginsburg@gmail.com