10th Cyprus-Russia Charity Gala

The 10th Anniversary Cyprus-Russia Gala will take place on the 10th of September at the Presidential Palace, Nicosia. The Gala is a highly regarded event under the patronage of the First Lady Mrs. Andri Anastasiades and supports the Radiomarathon Foundation, a leading Cypriot charity which helps children with special needs and their families.

Participating artists:

Dmitry Masleev

Born and raised in the Siberian town of Ulan-Ude, Dmitry Masleev studied with Professor Mikhail Petukhov at the Moscow Conservatory, and at the International Music Academy at Lake Como. During his student years he won a number of international competitions, which led to invitations to tour Germany, Italy, France, Romania and Russia. In 2015, he won the International Tchaikovsky Competition, taking First Prize and the international spotlight with rare unanimous support from the audience, the jury and the media. Since then he has toured extensively, delighting audiences in New York, London, Munich, Rotterdam, Stockholm, Beijing, and all over Russia. He has also been honoured to perform Mozart’s D minor and Prokofiev’s 3rd piano concertos with the Mariinsky Orchestra in St. Petersburg, under Valery Gergiev. In the coming months, Dmitry Masleev will perform at the Klavierfestival Ruhr and the Baden-Baden Festival, give recitals in Rome, Tokyo, Sao Paolo, and Moscow, collaborate with the orchestra of Teatro Comunale di Bologna and the Borodin Quartet, and open the Istanbul Festival. Next season, he will join the National Philharmonic of Russia and Vladimir
Spivakov on a tour of Germany and make his recital debuts in Seoul, Milan and Brussels.

Zoe Nicolaidou

Originally from Limassol, a highly acclaimed soprano Zoe Nicolaidou studied in Vienna before making her début in 2005 with the Tonkünstler Orchester Niederösterreich in Martinu’s Veselohra na Moste at the Retz Festival. A year later she made her début at the Brahms Hall of the Vienna’s Musikverein. Zoe Nicolaidou was the first prize winner in the international competition at Schlossoper Haldensten 2007, where she sang the role of Susanna (The Marriage of Figaro). She has an extensive concert repertoire and has sung Bach’s Christmas Oratorio, Magnificat and various cantatas, Haydn’s Stabat Mater as well as different masses by Mozart. She has toured Austria, Hungary, Germany, Cyprus, Greece and Poland.

The Cyprus Symphony Orchestra

The Cyprus Symphony Orchestra was founded in 1987 by the Ministry of Education and Culture as a chamber orchestra. In 2006, the Council of the Ministers established the Cyprus Symphony Orchestra Foundation (CySOF) which shortly afterwards took over the management of the Orchestra, now renamed The Cyprus Symphony Orchestra. The Orchestra plays an important role in the cultural life of Cyprus, presenting symphonic performances for audiences of all ages, educating and cultivating new audiences for classical music. In addition to their usual performances and commitments the CySO actively engages in educational initiatives, outreach programmes and other cultural activities all over Cyprus. The CySO collaborates with other cultural organisations, schools, festivals, radio stations and TV channels, as well as Cypriot composers through the commissioning and performance of their works. The Orchestra is always looking to the future of Cypriot music and regularly offers a platform to young artists as a way of increasing their profile.

Berezka Ensemble

The Berezka Ensemble was set up in 1948 by choreographer Nadezhda Nadezhdina. The name of the ensemble is taken from the first production of the Russian girls’ round dance Little Birch (Berezka) staged in 1948. In 1959 the male group was added to the ensemble. The Berezka Ensemble’s dances are often based on folk melodies with rich and unique dance repertoire, reproducing poetic choreographic images of everyday life and rituals of olden times in Russia. The Berezka Ensemble is known throughout the whole world and their concerts (in over 80 countries) have been referred to as “a holiday of grace, poetry, youth, and beauty.” With its floating pace, poetic beauty, and elegance Berezka has become a trademark of Russian culture.

DiDuLa

Sensational guitarist and composer Valery Didula is the leader of the instrumental band DiDuLa, who perform fusion folk music which is influenced by the “new-edge” style. Early on in his music career he toured Spain, Italy, Poland, Switzerland, France and Germany as a member of the band Belye Rosy. During this time Didula discovered traditional Spanish music which has had a huge impact on his work since. His band DiDuLa is the most actively touring band in Russia where he regularly sells out major concert halls and has achieved unprecedented record sales.

Mihalis Hatzigiannis

Mihalis Hatzigiannis is the most successful Greek artist of the last decade (2000-2011), both in terms of album sales and air play, (according to the IFPI, the official Body of the Greek Discography). He has released 8 studio albums in Greek and in 2009 began releasing singles in English followed by an album, ‘Mihalis’, in August 2010. He is the winner of numerous musical accolades including Best Pop Album, Best Artistic Song, Best Song of the Year and Album of the Year at the Arion Awards 2007 and Best Male Composer of the Year at the Status Awards 2007 amongst many others.
Mihalis Hatzigiannis began his career in May 1998 when he represented Cyprus in the Eurovision song contest with the song “Genesis”, a composition of his own. Later in Athens, he collaborated with the composer Yiorgos Hadjinassios and the lyricist poet Michalis Bourboulis to create the album “Agigma Psychis” (Touch of Soul), which was released in December 1998 (containing music pieces and songs for the TV series bearing the same title). Like much of the material he has released throughout his career, his first three albums all went platinum. He has performed with Greek and international star names including Haris Alexiou, Demetra Galani, Antonis Remos and rock band Reamonn. Having completed many international tours, often to sold out venues, in USA, Canada, Germany, Netherlands, Switzerland, and Belgium Mihalis was invited to and performed at the opening and closing ceremonies of the Athens Olympic Games 2004.

Tickets can be purchased through Tickethour online: www.tickethour.com.cy or on telephone: 77 77 70 40 or from any ACS Courier shop nationwide and from the Radiomarathon Foundation's Offices at 3 Valaoritis Street, Akropolis, Nicosia and on 22879518.