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Thanos Petrelis Review: 2011 GALA Concert in Brookville, NY

2011 GALA Concert Featuring Thanos Petrelis and So Tiri

On Saturday, October 8, 2011, Greek singing sensation Thanos Petrelis performed at the Tilles Center of Performing Arts in Brookville, New York. This 2011 GALA concert was presented by the Greek Orthodox Church of the Holy Resurrection in Brookville, and honored the Hellenic Times Scholarship Fund (HTSF). Mr. Spyros Poulos was the event’s production manager, Ms. Lisa DiPinto was its producer, and Ms. Zefy Christopoulos was its Press and Publicity Chairperson.

The elegant and classy CBS Business news anchor and national correspondent, Ms. Alexis Christoforous, emceed this benefit concert. She noted that this past May, marked the twentieth anniversary of the HTSF, and added that she was honored to be here tonight.

Ms. Christoforous thanked all of the sponsors that made this concert possible including its grand benefactor, Limani Restaurant, as well as Aktina FM, Antenna Satellite Television, Central Sushi Bar Restaurant, Greek Music Video Superstore, Logic Music, Mega Cosmos Television, The National Herald Newspaper, DJ Angela Pandelis, PJ Mechanical Corp., and the Winthrop University Hospital & Island Cardiac Specialists.

Father John Vlahos made the opening remarks and thanked the Hellenic Times Scholarship Fund (HTSF), by honoring its President, Mr. Nick Katsoris, who is the author of the “Loukoumi” children’s book series, and his wife, Voula.

“Thank you Father John. It’s a humbling experience to be here,” said Mr. Katsoris. Katsoris went on to thank Ms. DiPinto and everybody at the Holy Resurrection Church that made this event possible. Mr. Katsoris noted that the HTSF has awarded over $2 million in scholarships to 700 students across the nation. The goal of the HTSF is to educate the Greek-American youth, and simultaneously encourage them to be the best they can be.

It was followed by a four song mini-concert from YouTube sensation and Greek rapper So Tiri.

After So Tiri’s set, Thanos Petrelis took the Tilles Center stage. He performed his greatest hits including “To Aima Mou,” “Adiorthoti,” “Den Eho Matia Gia Alli,” “To Xroma Tou Ouranou,” “Den Eho Xanadei Moro Mou Pio Orea”“Euharisto,” and “Eutihos,” among many others.

In addition, Petrelis delivered impressive covers of traditional songs, as well as tunes from other established Greek vocalists such as Giorgos Mazonakis’ “Moro Mou Pos,” Mihalis Hatzigiannis’ “Heria Psila,” Makis Xristodoulopoulos’ “Den Koimamai Tora Pia Ta Vradia,” Yiannis Parios’ “Ikariotiko,” Kazantzides’ “Opoia Kai Nase,” Nikos Papazoglou’s “Pote Voudas Pote Koudas,” as well as four classic Sfakianaki songs “Aetos,” “Mia Matia Sou Mono Ftanei,” “Genethlia” and “Soma Mou.”

In summation, Petrelis’ set was over two hours long and gave New York a memorable evening. Particularly impressive about Petrelis is that he had the Long Island audience with him each step of the way, as they sang along, danced, and clapped on every note and every lyric. His fans were dancing kalamatiana, hasaposervika, tsiftetelia and zeibekika in the aisles and on stage with him, and were full of “kefi.”

“Thanos Petrelis sang with all of his heart, and as the concert progressed his voice got better!” exclaimed Nikos Arholekas, an attendee and fan of Petrelis. “He is talented and I was very pleased that he paid tribute to the classics such as Kazantzides, and he honored him by singing ‘Opoia Kai Nase’ very well, which a difficult tune to sing,” Arholekas added.

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