Vasilis Kostas is a Grammy-nominated artist from Ioannina, Greece who has performed at prestigious venues and festivals including Carnegie Hall and the Montreal and Panama Jazz Festivals. An alumnus of Berklee College of Music, he has appeared as a soloist with the Berklee World Strings Orchestra and the Chatterbird Chamber Orchestra. Blending jazz improvisation with traditional sounds of his musical heritage, Kostas has established the laouto (Greek lute) as a compelling solo instrument in traditional and contemporary settings. Boston’s WBUR describes him as “redefining the sound of a Greek instrument.” He presents his work alongside original projects in concert halls, international festivals, and academic institutions worldwide.

Tom Alexander (composer and keyboardist) grew up locally, where his family built and managed the Luzerne and Forty Fort theatres, among others. His first influences were Greek music played at home and the scores of great films in his family’s theatre. Like his Uncle Taki, a fine jazz pianist, Tom took to piano and composition early. Now living near Miami, he has composed for film, TV, and radio, and was awarded Best Score at the 2018 Cosmic Film Festival. He performs and records solo and with the jazz fusion group, Earth Code.