Next week, Chicago area favorites The Andreas Kapsalis Goran Ivanovic Guitar Duo will embark on a multi-city concert tour of the Midwest and Northeast.
The experimental duo, comprised of steel string ten-finger guitar prodigy Andreas Kapsalis and masterful nylon string guitarist Goran Ivanovic, have combined multiple influences, virtuosity and a cinematic style to create a truly unique musical experience.
Kapsalis, a second generation Greek American, grew up in the western suburbs of Chicago. He was raised in a musical family: his mother, Frances was an opera singer who studied in Vienna and taught here and in Greece; his father, Peter is a violinist and concert master of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago; and all of his siblings play an instrument. Peter was Andreas’ first musical mentor and taught him the classical elements. Andreas began composing at a young age. He recalled that when he was a child, his mother played Greek records often, and so he draws much influence from Greek folk music. The talented guitarist is primarily self-taught, though he did study music at Roosevelt University.
He performs in several groups, including Andreas Kapsalis Trio and the Megitza Quartet, which he described as an experiment in the fusion of gypsy and flamenco with Mediterranean music.
His musical partner, the Serbian guitar virtuoso Ivanovic, studied under masters such as Elliot Fisk and Joaquin Cierch at the Mozarteum in Vienna.
Multiple musical influences can be heard in their music, from Greek, Serbian, African, Arabic, Brazilian to gypsy, with modern classical and elements of jazz and rock weaved in for good measure. Kapsalis described their work, in an interview last year with The Greek Star. “We tie in rhythmic elements to keep it energetic. We borrow elements of flamenco and other types of music to keep it lively. We use different tools that almost model other instruments like the harp, violin and more.”
Check the tour schedule for dates. This unique musical alliance is one not to be missed.
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