Paradise Place

Theodoulos Vakanas

M.M., New England Conservatory (Contemporary Improvisation), 2005 B.M., Berklee College of Music(Contemporary writing and Production), 2003

Musician Theodoulos Vakanas was born in Nicosia,Cyprus in 1979. At the age of eight he started studying the bouzouki as well as Music Theory and Harmony. By the age of 12 he got interested in violin and traditional music and therefore began his studies in that field of music, too. Theodoulos very soon started performing professionally touring Cyprus and Greece but took a break when he turned 18 in order to serve the Cypriot Army Force where he became a member of the Army Band for two years playing bouzouki, violin and also alto saxophone. In 2000 he came to the United States to study music. He received his Bachelor’s in the "Contemporary Writing and Production Major” from the Berklee College of Music in 2003 and his Master’s in the "Contemporary Improvisation Department" of The New England Conservatory in 2005. For the last four years he has been a performing musician in the New England area focusing mostly in Traditional Middle Eastern and Balkan music. He has performed with several groups including the “Zilzala middle eastern ensemble”, the Dunya Organization (directed by Dr. Mehmet Ali Sanlikol and Dr. Robert Labarree), and the world known pianist Ran Blake.