For the 200th anniversary of the Pancyprian Gymnasium

The Cyprus Symphony Orchestra gives a concert dedicated to the 200th anniversary of the Pancyprian Gymnasium, under the Music Direction of conductor Alkis Baltas and in collaboration with the Choir “Leandros Sitaros” of Pnevmatiki Stegi, Nicosia (Conductor: Maro Skordi).

The programme includes J. Haydn’s Symphony No. 55 in E flat major (The Schoolmaster), J. Haydn’s Double Concerto for Violin, Piano and Orchestra in F major with soloists Elena Mitella Violari (piano) and Iraklis Mitellas (violin), L.E. Larsson: Concertino for Trombone No.7 with soloist Soteris Chrysostomou (trombone), S. Michaelides: 1st movt. from the Suite for Cello (orch. Vicky Stylianou) and Y. Michaelides: Choral Songs (arr. for choir and orchestra Vicky Stylianou).

One evening concert will take place on Saturday 10 November 2012 at the Strovolos Municipal Theatre, Nicosia at 8:30pm. Tickets are available at the Theatre’s box office (Tel. 22 313010) at €12 and €7 (18- 26 years old and pensioners). Free entrance for children and students under 18 years old. Information: 22 463144 and www.cyso.org.cy

Iraklis Mitellas was born in 1980 in Nicosia. From a very early age he participated actively in orchestras and radio and television programmes. He was an active and leading member of the State Youth Orchestra with which he performed a number of works as a soloist. He has represented Cyprus in the Mediterranean State Youth Orchestra. He also represented his country at the "Musiques Vivantes de Mediterranée" in Marseille in 1993. He went on to study at the Anton Bruckner University in Linz, Austria, from which he graduated with a Soloist's BA degree. His professor was the famous Russian soloist and teacher, Arkadij Winokurow, with whom he continued for his post-graduate studies. Iraklis often performs in other countries, particularly Austria, either as orchestra leader or as soloist, and always receives excellent reviews. Following auditions he was selected as violin teacher at Arte Music Academy College and at the Nicosia Music Lyceum.

Elena Mitella was born in Nicosia, Cyprus, in 1980 and is the twin sister of Iraklis Mitellas. At the age of five Elena began her piano studies at the Ethnikon Odeion of Cyprus, under Marios Ioannou. At the same time she also studied violin as a second instrument, becoming a member of the 1st violins of the Cyprus Youth State Orchestra. At the early age of 16 she received the Advanced Certificate in piano by the ABRSM with very high marks, having obtained the previous year the Grade 8 in violin. She was also recommended for a scholarship twice by the same Board. The same year Elena won the 1st Prize and Grand Prix at the Evangelia Tjiarri Music Foundation Competition. Elena received her Piano Diploma at the very young age of 14. At the age of eighteen Elena was accepted at the Royal Academy of Music in London, graduating with Honours in BMus Piano Performance in 2002. She also obtained the LRAM diploma. The following year Elena obtained her Master of Music (MMus) in Piano Performance and Related Studies at Goldsmith's College, where she was awarded a Distinction with her final performance.
Elena has participated in various concerts mainly in Cyprus, Greece, Austria and England. She has already collaborated twice with the Cyprus Symphony Orchestra, performing Chopin's Concerto no. 2 and Schumann's concerto op. 54 in a series of concerts in Greece for the 50 years celebration of the Republic of Cyprus. After recent extra musicians auditions held by the CySO Foundation in 2008, Elena took the 1st place for piano and ever since she participates regularly in programmes of the orchestra. Since March of 2006 Elena is a piano instructor at the Music School of Nicosia.

Soteris Chrysostomou was born in Nicosia in 1993. He is a graduate of the Pancyprian Gymnasium. At the age of 10 he began his trombone lessons with George Iosifides. Later on, he continued his studies with Kelly Alijani at the Music Workshop of the Cyprus Youth Symphony Orchestra and with Panayiotis Karatzias at the Music School of Nicosia. During his studies at the Music School of Nicosia, he was awarded many times for his trombone performance. Since 2005, he is a member of Cyprus Youth Symphony Orchestra, at the position of first trombone. He is also a member of "Cyprus Brass" Quintet. He has appeared with the Cyprus Youth Symphony Orchestra as a soloist and he also took part as an extra musician in several concerts with Cyprus Symphony Orchestra. In the summer of 2012 he participated in the Leverhulme Summer School of the European Union Youth Orchestra. Soteris now studies at the Hochschule für Musik Detmold in Germany, with Otmar Strobel, the first trombone of the Gewandhaus Orchestra in Leipzig. He has attended many masterclasses with renowned teachers such as Häkan Björkman, Don Lucas and Otmar Strobel.

CHOIR "LEANDROS SITAROS" OF PNEVMATIKI STEGI, NICOSIA(Conductor: Maro Skordi)
The Choir was founded in 1966 by Leandros Sitaros. Since his death, in May 1984, the choir's conductor is ms Maro Skordi. The "Leandros Sitaros" Choir has collaborated with Cypriot and foreign soloists and conductors (M. Papadopoulos, A. Ioannides, W. Bennett, A. Vujic, M. Piquemal, W. Mik, R. Melia, N. Georgiou and others) and orchestras ("Sinfonietta String Orchestra, "Bernard Thomas" Orchestra, Cyprus Symphony Orchestra etc). It participated in concerts organized by the Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation, the Cultural Services (M.O.E.C.) and other organizations, and in other events (10th Commonwealth Law Conference, 39th Commonwealth Parliament Conference, International Seminar of OSCE, etc.). In addition, every year the "Leandros Sitaros" Choir gives a Christmas Concert at the Church of Faneromeni in Nicosia and an Easter Concert at the Byzantine Museum. The "Leandros Sitaros" Choir was chosen by CyBC to participate in the European Choral Competition "Let the Peoples Sing" organized by BBC (Canada, 1993), and also took part in International Conferences, festivals in Cyprus (Kypria) and abroad: Greece (Athens, Peloponnesus, Karditsa, Kifisia, Argyroupoli, Livadia, Thessaloniki, Kefalonia, Corfu, Crete), Hungary (Cegléd and Budapest), Czech Republic (Bohemia and Prague), France (Marceilles), Spain (Catalonia), England (Cambridge), Malta, Italy (Venice and Rome), Austria (Vienna).