Piano

Tatiana Stupak

Tatiana Stupak started learning the piano at age five, studying at the Special School of the Rimsky-Korsakov State Conservatory in St. Petersburg, and after that, for a further five years continuing at the Conservatory itself. She won a Bach international competition and an organ international competition in Russia. She has performed in Austria and Germany as well as in Russia. Tatiana is now based in Cyprus.

Violin

Olivera Rialas

Olivera Jakovljevic-Rialas, was born in Belgrade where she began her music studies at the Vojislav Vuckovic Music School for Gifted Children. She graduated from Belgrade University at the age of twenty one. She continued her studies at the "Franz Liszt Academy of Music" in Budapest, Hugary. Ms. Rialas enjoyed a distinguished performing carrier touring extensively throughout Europe and China as a member of "Dusan Skovran" Chamber orchestra. Ms. Rialas was a violin professor at Nis College of Music. Additionally Ms. Rialas had recitals throughout Yugoslavia and Hungary as well as performed with the Belgrade Symphony Orchestra and Nis Chamber Orchestra as a soloist. Since 2001 she performed in several recitals in New York including being the solo violin at the premiere of contemporary opera "Nightingale" , composed by Evan Hause. She was the concert master of New Amsterdam Symphony Orchestra for Summer 2002 and Fall 2002 seasons. Ms. Rialas was also a member of the Wagner Festival Orchestra, an affiliate of the Mannes College of Music, for several seasons. Ms. Rialas has been successfully combining her performing carrier with teaching. In 2001 she began teaching at the Long Island Conservatory (LIC) and was appointed the String Department Chair for 2002-2004. She performed several times in LISMA Foundation Concerts at Carnegie Hall. She is the founder of "Performing Arts Factory" , Belgrade, whose mission is to help talented children in performing arts. Since January 2019, Ms. Rialas started collaborating with famous Russian pianist Tatiana Stupak as a Violin - Piano Duo! They played a lot of concerts in Limassol , Paphos and Nicosia.

Constantinos Paouros was born in Limassol in 1976. He started drum lessons at the age of twelve. In 1997 he went to Athens where he studied drums and percussions (specializing in Latin-jazz) at Nakas School of Music. In 2005 he went to Havana, Cuba where he began lessons in afrocuban percussion. He is now a drum and percussion instructor and worked as a professional drummer, performing in various concerts around the country of Cyprus, as well as internationally, such as in London, Tel Aviv, Haifa, Ashdod, Thessaloniki and Athens.
He has collaborations as a drummer with various musicians such Dionisis Savopoullos, Lavrentis Machairitsas, and many others. He participates and organizes music events, concerts and festivals in various styles such as Latin Jazz, Jazz, Pop, 80s retro, Greek and many more. He is now a director of the band Havana Noche and Tropical Spirit band.
Constantinos also plays as a musical member of Mr Wilson Band, Cuba Tropical , Funky Business, The Triple Soul Band, Methexis, Havana Vitral, Latin Connection, Admitos Pitsilides, Horodeia Ton Oneiron and Diastasis Group.

Guitar

Gino Abouchabke

Gino Abouchabke (Guitar teacher - performer -musician) was born in Brazil and has Lebanese roots.
Studied jazz privately and classical guitar at Greek Ellinikon Odeon, holder of the relevant diplomas for guitar performance and teaching.
Opened and run for several successful years his own guitar school in Lebanon, the 1st guitar school for modern guitar teaching. Then moved and resided in Cyprus, Limassol.
Has over 40 years of teaching experience in respectful music academies and schools between Paphos and Limassol as well as private lessons.
Specialises in modern guitar styles: Jazz, pop, rock and blues, picking technique, heavy metal, improvisation.
Performs as a musician at the well-known venues and hotels of the island (Four Seasons , Amathus Beach, Elysium, Mediterranean Beach, Amavi, Royal Apollonia, Ventuno).
Formed several musical projects with the finest musicians on the island "Felicidade" a quintet band (Brazilian Latin jazz), "Latino Touch" 7 piece salsa band and "Time Breakers" 80-90s most loved songs .

Piano teacher – performer – theory

Michael Hillides

Michael Hillides was born in Limassol and is half Lebanese. He started learning the piano at the age of 9 where he soon realized he had an unstoppable passion for music. During high school, Michael spent his time following piano and composition lessons and taking part in extracurricular activities, involving accompanying school choirs and soloists, playing major roles in musicals and even playing piano for the president at the age of 15.

After completing his Music A-level and ABRSM exams, he moved to the United Kingdom for a Degree in Piano performance and Music Technology at the University of Nottingham. The occupational skills covered included: performance, composition, ethnomusicology, theory and conducting.

In 2018-2020 he performed occasions as a piano soloist and a Tenor with the Nottingham Philharmonic at Venues such as the Albert hall and Djanogly hall. In 2019 he was the pianist and director of a chamber music programme, leading musicians through their performances. He was also the conductor for the university orchestra during one of their performances. Michael also worked at the Yamaha music school teaching young musicians' piano and theory, preparing them for Grade exams.

During 2020, he followed many masterclasses for the piano, organized by his teachers Brenda May and Jeremy Kimber. In 2021, Michael graduated with his University degree as well as an ABRSM Diploma in Piano Performance and returned to Cyprus.

In Cyprus, he performed around Limassol at bars and hotels and also took part in shows at the Rialto Theatre with the Moving Arts Centre where he composed and arranged a piece for piano and violin duet during a musical on Live TV.

Currently, Michael looks forward to pass on his knowledge and expertise to other aspiring musicians and inspire them the way his teachers once did.
Now he is teaching theory and piano with us.

Saxophone

Katerina Parpouna

EDUCATION

Royal Conservatory| The Hague, Netherlands| Pre-Master Course in Music| Classical Saxophone Performance| 2019-2020

HKU Utrechts Conservatory| Bachelor of Music| Classical Saxophone Performance| Utrecht, Netherlands| 2015-2019

Music High School of Limassol| 2012-2014

BIOGRAPHY

Katerina Parpouna was born in 14th of November 1996. She is from Cyprus and her hometown is Limassol. She started her musical education when she was 8 years old with piano lessons. When she was 15, she started her education in the Music High School of Limassol(2012- 2015). In the Music School, Katerina has followed piano and saxophone lessons. After her graduation, she decided to study Classical Saxophone Performance. She applied in the Netherlands conservatories and she started studying in the HKU Utrechts Conservatory in 2015. Her saxophone teacher in the conservatory was Johan van der Linden.

In the conservatory, Katerina has followed many masterclasses organized by her teacher, Johan van der Linden. Some of the well known saxophonists that she had lessons with were Ryo Noda, Asya Fatayeva , Silvio Zalambani, Andrey Nesterenko and Michael Supera(2016-2017). In 2018, she participated in the European Saxophone Forum in Polland, Wroclaw. In the summer of 2018 she participated in a saxophone masterclass in Bad Homburg where she had lessons for a week with Arno Bornkamp, Claude Delangle and Jan Schulte Bunert. In the conservatory, Katerina was a member of the AHSO Saxophone Orchestra(2015-2019). Katerina had performed with this orchestra in many places in the Netherlands and Germany. On the 27th of May she had her final exam and performance. She graduated on June 2019 from the HKU Utrechts Conservatory. On September 2019, she started her pre-master course in the Royal conservatory in the Hague. Her saxophone teacher was Lars Niederstrasser(2019-2020). On October, she participated with her saxophone quartet in the Franz Cibulka Competition in Graz.