Dionysis Theodorou: Playing the bouzouki since 1984

Dionysis Theodorou

Dionysis Theodorou was born in Famagusta, Cyprus in 1973. After the invasion he and his family moved to England were they stayed until 1982. In 1982, Dionysis and his parents and sister, Cia—who was born in England, moved back to Cyprus and settled in Larnaca.

The Bouzouki: First Steps

When Dionysis was 11 years old, his parents surprised him with a new bouzouki and he started taking lessons. He took to the instrument immediately and was soon playing songs and spending hours practising.

First Public Performance

Dionysis performed for the first time at his cousin's wedding in December 1984, two months before his twelfth birthday, and six months after starting to take bouzouki lessons. He has been performing ever since.

Turning Professional

In the summer of 1985, he performed with his bouzouki teacher as a boy-wonder act at the Esperia Night Club in Ayia Napa, Cyprus. From there he was spotted by a group of young  musicians who wanted to form a band for weddings and private parties. Dionysis took the opportunity and he and the guys were soon performing at weddings and private parties. The stint with “I Epipolei” didn’t last that long, because the lead singer of the Grecian Hotels band asked that Dionysis come and work with them at the Grecian Sands and Grecian Bay hotels in Ayia Napa. Dionysis was only thirteen years old when he started working three times, and then five times a week as a resident musician for the Grecian hotels in Ayia Napa; and working with a six piece band consisting of classically trained, experienced, professional musicians gave him a most valuable foundation on which to build his musical talent. He stayed with the group for three years. 

Dionysis with his teacher Panikos in 1985

       Dionysis with the Grecian band in 1986

Live band for Weddings and Parties: Epipolei: 1985

Gold Fish Night Club

In the summer of 1989, Dionysis got an offer to work at what was then the biggest bouzouki club in Cyprus: he worked with a six piece band and accompanied eight singers, performing for up to two thousand people at a time.  Working at the Gold Fish restaurant was a memorable experience, which gave him the privilege to work with some of the greatest names in Greek music, at only sixteen years old.  Obviously working from eleven in the evening until five in the morning could not hold up during the school semester; so after leaving the Gold Fish, he worked in different restaurants and clubs at more  reasonable hours.

The Army Band

During his army training, Dionysis put together a band at the request of his base commander; and he and the band performed at different officers clubs.  After training, he got selected for the army band, and for a while he enjoyed the pleasure of serving and performing with some of the islands greatest talents.   After his transfer out of the army band, he joined a band close to home and  performed at weddings and parties until the end of his army service which lasted twenty seven months.

England 1993

In December 1993—after completing his army duty—Dionysis travelled to England with his good friend Bambos, and worked at Zorbas Greek Restaurant in Bristol, England for a couple of months. This was when Dionysis started singing professionally for the first time: he had no choice, as Bambos had introduced him, and booked him as the lead singer. He had never really sung before; and he had never really been a front man until this moment. It was a very frightening and stressful experience; but thanks to Bambos he has been enjoying singing ever since.

               Playing bouzouki in the army band 1991

The Geminis Band New York 1994-2002

In November 1994, Dionysis travelled to New York to perform at Ambrosia Greek restaurant.  He performed at dinner and dances, and  also  appeared  on   television on a local Greek show on cable television. In 1995 Dionysis met Andreas Modenos, the band leader of Geminis Orchestra and they  became instant friends. Andreas asked Dionysis to join the band as the steady   bouzouki player; and Dionysis worked with Andreas until September 2002. 

The Geminis Orchestra New York: 1994-2002

With Andreas Modenos and the Geminis

Performing with the Geminis Orchestra: New York

With Aliki and Andreas Modenos in New York

With Tom and Andreas Modenos in New York

University

In New York Dionysis continued performing with Geminis while he studied Hebrew, Jewish History and Biblical Criticism for his Bachelor Degree. As well as performing, he worked as a waiter at an Israeli-French-American restaurant in Manhattan. There he met Dana who was later to become his wife. During his studies, Dionysis worked as an English and Social Science tutor at the university  preparing students with difficulties to cope with university level courses.

Israel

In September 2002 Dionysis moved to Israel with his girlfriend Dana. Greek music is extremely popular in Israel and Dionysis soon started performing with local bands, TV and radio hosts all over Israel.

Performing in Israel 2003

England 2002

In December 2002 Dionysis traveled to England and worked at Acropolis Hotel over the holiday season for two weeks.

In Weymouth, England with Tom 2002

Greek Music

While in Israel Dionysis managed his own band, the Dionysos group, and worked as a freelance musician and singer with popular bands, singers and hosts all over Israel.

The Present

Dionysis Dana and their two daughters now live in Nicosia, Cyprus.

Dionysis works as a sales and marketing consultant at a local company, teaches English, bouzouki and Hebrew  and performs with 'Events' Music band at local tavernas and at private parties.

Dana works at a local accountant firm and does video editing and digital photo albums.

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