Sounds of Cyprus Concert at New York’s Times Square

The music group Sounds of Cyprus have taken to the streets of New York City, performing traditional Cypriot music in Manhattan, this time in the center of the Big Apple at Times Square.

Elena Chris, Peter Douskalis, and Alex Tasopoulos performed at a Cypriot music concert for New Yorkers and tourists at Times Square.

Passersby had the opportunity to stop and watch the musicians perform as they enjoyed the sightseeing of New York City while also hearing the traditional sounds of laouto, violin, and the Cypriot dialect. Onlookers were stunned and impressed to hear these unique sounds in the center of the busy New York City square.

Sounds of Cyprus promotes the traditional music of the island

The group has been active in the United States, promoting the traditional music of Cyprus to American audiences as well as Greek and Cypriot communities.

Sounds of Cyprus is a Cypriot orchestra co-founded by Elena Chris and Peter Douskalis in New York City.

The group performs the traditional music of Cyprus in varying orchestrations and styles that, consciously honoring the time period of composition and period instruments with a  modern approach.

Elena Chris, vocalist and front person of the group, sings the traditional songs in the Cypriot dialect of Greek as well as in Turkish for songs that contain lyrics in both languages.

Peter Douskalis, music director, plays the laouto, oud, mandolin, and guitar in the group, switching between the proper instrument as needed for the authentic and modern orchestration of the pieces. Alex Tasopoulos plays the violin and the viola.

This performance was video recorded by Alex Agisilaou and audio recorded by Stephanos Charalambides.

The performance was permitted by the Times Square Alliance.