BROOKLYN – The Axion Estin Foundation presented Byzantine Soundscapes Concert at Kimisis tis Theotkou Church in Brooklyn on Dec 9. The Secret Trio preformed with Ara Dinkjian on oud, Tamer Pinarbasi on kanun and Ismail Lumanovski on clarinet, as the community’s head chanter Demetrios Kehagias interpreted rare Byzantine music texts. A reception in the church hall followed the free concert.

Presiding priest of the community the V. Rev. Archimandrite Damaskinos Ganas, spoke to The National Herald and congratulated the performers for the excellent program they presented, wishing all the best to the non-profit organization Axion Estin.

He added: “On the occasion of the great feasts of Christianity that we will soon celebrate with the birth of our Christ, the light and hope of the world, today, we have the joy and honor to have with us the wonderful organization Axion Estin with internationally-renowned musicians and the participation on vocals of our cantor, Dr. Demetrios Kehagias. We warmly thank them for the wonderful music night they gave us. Best wishes.”

The Axion Estin Foundation President, Dr. Angelo Lampousis, also spoke with TNH and thanked the Kimisis community for the hospitality, the attendees who honored the event with their presence as well as the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature for making the program possible.

He said: “Today’s event was free to the public thanks to their support. It is the only Greek organization in America that has been receiving continuous funding from a state authority for several years. The board of our organization consists of a group of five distinguished professors who guide and organize concerts, such as at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and elsewhere.

“The mission of the non-profit Axion Estin Foundation is the promotion and dissemination of Byzantine and post-Byzantine music, whose long history begins in the Byzantine years and reaches to the present day. The activities of the foundation aim to bring to the fore this art form and its study through a large network of academics and musicians from Greece and from North America.”

“Through conferences, educational and radio programs, research initiatives and publications, the Foundation tries to introduce this music to the international public, taking advantage of its cultural ties. Another goal of the Foundation is the institutionalization of the teaching of Byzantine music at the university level with the establishment of a Byzantine Music Studies program.”

The chanter, Dr. Demetris Kehagias, expressed the emotion and honor he felt participating in the concert and wished a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to the Greek community.