The Hellenic and Near East Ensemble to Perform in Arlington, Massachusetts

Arlington, MA: – The St. Athanasius the Great Greek Orthodox Church of Arlington, MA will sponsor a concert featuring “The Hellenic and Near East Music Ensemble,” on Saturday, 21 October 2006, at the Robbins Memorial Town Hall in Arlington, MA, at 7:00 p.m. The 25-piece orchestra founded by Christos and Mary Papoutsy are donating their services to the St. Athanasius community, to assist them in their fundraising efforts for their beautiful, four-acre church property recently purchased from the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston.

“The Hellenic and Near East Music Ensemble” is part of a great tradition of Greek-American music drawing on classical and contemporary sources from Greece and the Near East. The ensemble includes violins, bouzoukia, guitars, trumpets, clarinets, flute, accordion, drums, piano, santouri, bass, and vocals. It also features a repertoire of pieces by noted Greek composers and performers such as Theodorakis, Hatzidakis, Alexiou, and Glykeria. This group has been inspiring audiences across the New England region with their most gifted interpreters of Hellenic and Near Eastern music.

“We’re exceptionally excited and grateful to have Christos and Mary Papoutsy’s ensemble perform in support of our community,” said Fr. Nicholas M. Kastanas, parish priest of the St. Athanasius the Great parish. “We extend an invitation to all who enjoy a repertoire folk music and traditional favorites.”

The concert will take place in the lovely Robbins Memorial Town Hall, and will include a gracious wine reception with hors d’oeuvres, as well as a silent auction of beautiful gift baskets. Tickets are $40 and can be reserved online at www.stathanasius.org or by calling 617-669-7000.

About The St. Athanasius the Great Greek Orthodox Church

St. Athanasius the Great is the Greek Orthodox Church in Arlington, MA, and is located at Four Appleton St. on the corner of Massachusetts Avenue in Arlington Heights. Fr. Nicholas M. Kastanas is the parish priest who leads this active parish with more than 810 families and a dozen ministries. The parish spreads over a four acre compass that includes a large church, a community center, and a school. For more information, visit our website at www.stathanasius.org, or call the church office at 781-646-0705.