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Dionysis Theodorou |
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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.
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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. |
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Israel
In September 2002 Dionysis moved to Israel with his girlfriend
Dana.
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England 2002
In December 2002 Dionysis traveled to England and worked at
Acropolis Hotel over the holiday season for two weeks. |
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An Exciting
New Beginning
After coming back from England, Dionysis proposed to Dana; and
they traveled to Cyprus in June 2003 and got married. Dionysis
performed at their wedding party which was held in
Israel in October 2003.
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ELC-English
Language Center
In
April 2005 Dionysis founded the English Language Center which
would offer courses in English to children and to adults using
proven methods of education and an emphasis on personal
attention and care which Dionysis had experienced and learned
while tutoring students abroad. ELC is in Rehovot and continues
to offer courses
to
students of all ages and of all levels.
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Emma
Dana and Dionysis were blessed with their first child Emma, on
August 9th
2004.
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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.
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The Present
In
August 2007 Dana, Dionysis and Emma moved to from Israel to
Cyprus. They now live in Nicosia. Dionysis works at an English
language institute teaching English and also teaches bouzouki at
a music school. Dana works at a local accountant firm which has
a strong connections to Israel and also does video editing and
creates digital photo albums.
Zoe
In June
2008, Dana, Emma and Dionysis traveled to Israel for the birth
of their second child: Zoe Theodorou was born on June 15th 2008
Zoe's
party was a great opportunity to see family and friends. Many
musicians that Dionysis had worked with were invited and were
glad to perform with him at Zoe's party.
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