Τhe Amalgamation Choir was spawned from the workshop “The power of your voice” by Vasiliki Anastasiou, which took place at Fengaros Music Village 2014 and 2015. The all-female a cappella choir is based in Cyprus, and it’s directed by the remarkable Greek-Cypriot vocalist and composer Vasiliki Anastasiou. The independent 20+ member all-female community choir now frequently perform at festivals and concerts, unifying unique melodies and dialects.
It is a group of voices that performs original compositions with traditional-music influences as well as re-arranged songs from the Mediterranean and the Balkans. Vasiliki Anastasiou conducts the choir and Andreas Panteli has helped on the arrangements. Anastasiou’s compositions are original, but they also borrow and re-arrange traditional melodies from countries around the shores of the Mediterranean Sea and the Balkan peninsula.
The Amalgamation Choir, has recently participated in the prestigious annual Commonwealth Day Service at Westminster Abbey in London. Thier performance took place in front of The King, The Queen Consort, and a distinguished guest list including senior politicians and dignitaries from across the UK and the Commonwealth. With the theme of ‘Forging a Sustainable and Peaceful Common Future’. “We are honoured to have the opportunity to showcase the unique sounds and colours of our local culture through the power of the female voice. By singing with the tone colours native to the land that raised us, we aim to take those who will listen to us, on a mental journey to Cyprus,” Anastasiou said.
I have chosen to include the orginal version of “Ksenitia tou Erota” becuase of the inventiveness with which the song is introduced with sound prior to the voices. This is largely missing from the Westminster Abbey performance.
