Ithaki's Philharmonic Orchestra in Frikes Tuesday 18th August 2015

We have some very talented people on the island and some very philanthropic people able and willing to teach them and direct them despite there not being enough money to pay them their worth.

Ithaki's Philharmonic Orchestra is made up of children and adults under the conductorship and direction of Yiorgos Kiriakidis. Some money to run the orchestra is given by the city council, but most is from donations.

The orchestra had already given a very successful performance in Vathy in the south of Ithaca a week earlier, but this time it was in Frikes, the small bayside village in the north of the island. The night was perfect for some intimate entertainment, held in the carpark area.

What usually sets amateurs apart from professionals is the creative tuning of the orchestra, but Ithaki's Philharmonic was perfectly pitched for the best resonance and thus accepted as aurally beautiful to listen to. Very professional with an entertaining collection of pieces.

The pieces of music played by the orchestra were: March From Carmen by B. Bizet | Swan Lake by P. I. Tchaikovsky | 1492 The Conquest of Paradise by V. Papthanasiou | An American in Paris by G. Gershwin | John Williams Trilogy by J. Williams | Captains of Adventure by M. Hannickel | Soul Bossa Nova by Quincy Jones | The Pink Panther Meets Batman by H. Mancini | Hawaii Five - O by M. Stevens | New York New York by J. Kalder | Baby Elephant Walk by H. Mancini | Clarinet Boogie by J. D. Ployhar | Watermelon Man by H. Hancock | Puttin' On The Ritz by I. Belin. Each piece was excellently presented and applauded by an enthusiastic audience in Frikes Ithaca Greece.

The Orchestra 2015: Conductor - Yiorgos Kiriakidis. Flute - Fiorentsa Bardopoulou, Cindorella Bousi, Bleona Dilia, Beatriki Karavia. Clarinet - Dalina Bousi, Michalis Kassianos, Andrianos Petalas, Brikena Dilia, Konstantinos Noutsatos, Yiorgos Amarantos, Anastakia Karavia. Saxaphone - Katerini Molfesi, Eleni Siomou, Nikolas Kassianos, Andreas Lorandos. Tenor Sax - Yiannis Bouas, Yiannis Dendrinos. Trumpet - Spyros Molfesis, Xaris Kanellos, Christos Soula, Vagellis Petikaris, Panetelis Simiris. Chimes - Dodoris Xalmoukis, Dionisis Petirakis. Trombone - Kostas Vlaxos, Thanasis Argyros. Tuba - Tilemachos Vlassopoulos. Percussion - Dionisis Defteraios, Leonardo Brakouli, Spyros Amarantos, Spyros Karamitsos.