Byzantine Choir of the Holy Archdiocese of Cyprus "Saint John the Damascene"
Cyprus
The "Byzantine Choir of the Holy Archbishopic of Cyprus "Saint John the Damascene", has been established with the blessings of the Archbishop of Cyprus Chrysostom II, in 2008 in order to serve the increased needs presented in the capital of Cyprus and especially in the Archbishopic region, for a Byzantine choir, which would respond to the various needs that arose after the election of a new Archbishop.
The "Byzantine Choir of the Holy Archbishopic of Cyprus "Saint John the Damascene", has been established with the blessings of the Archbishop of Cyprus Chrysostom II, in 2008 in order to serve the increased needs presented in the capital of Cyprus and especially in the Archbishopic region, for a Byzantine choir, which would respond to the various needs that arose after the election of a new Archbishop.
Since then, the Choir has made numerous presentations, both in Cyprus and abroad, leaving excellent impressions. Among others, the choir's top performance was during the summer of 2012 at the International Festival of Music and Dance, which has been held for many years in the Spanish city of Granada. In the presence of the former Queen Sofia of Spain, the choir sang for an hour to an audience of more than a thousand people, provoking a non-stop applause at the end. Queen Sofia herself personally congratulated all the choir members for their excellent performance.
In 2018 the Choir participated in Polland at “XXXVII International Festival The Hajnowka’s Days Of Orthodox Music”, winning the “Nagroda Specjalna”. The choir had also excellent presence in many cities and capitals of the European Union, such as
Helsinki, Hague, Paris, Vienna, Bratislava, Belgrade, Sofia, Thessaloniki, Brussels, etc. In addition, it should be mentioned the excellent presence of the choir in official visits of heads of churches, in liturgies, as well as in honorary distinctions of politicians and non-persons that take place in the Archbishop's Palace.
The purpose of the choir is to preserve a local serious ecclesiastical style which should prevail Byzantine Ecclesiastical Music.
The "Byzantine Choir of the Holy Archbishopic of Cyprus "Saint John the Damascene", currently has forty members, and chantors from the Archbishopic region. It is directed by Protopresbyter Dimitrios Demosthenous, vicar of the Cathedral of Saint John the Theologian of Nicosia, graduate and diploma holder of the School of Byzantine Music of the Holy Metropolis of Thessaloniki, student of eminent teachers of the Sacred Damascus Art and also an organist of the traditional instrument "qanun".
