A tribute to Ella Fitzgerald by the Steppin' Out Jazz Band

Ella Fitzgerald, often referred to as the “First Lady of Song”, “Queen of Jazz” and “Lady Ella” was one of the most popular female jazz singers in the United States for more than half a century. In her lifetime, she won 13 Grammy award and sold over 40 million albums, while she worked with all the jazz greats, from Duke Ellington, Count Basie and Nat King Cole to Frank Sinatra, Dizzy Gillespie and Benny Goodman. The Steppin’ Out Jazz Band present a special music tribute for one of the most influential vocalists of the 20th century!

Join Alice Ayvazian – voice, Dimitris Miaris – piano, Costas Challoumas – double bass and Marios Spyro - drums at Technopolis 20 garden, on Friday, 17th of June 2022, at 8pm.

Entrance: €12

Reservations are necessary.

Reservations, Tickets & Information: 70002420

A few words about the musicians

Alice Ayvazian received her bachelor’s degree in Vocal Performance from Berklee College of Music, Boston, Massachusetts, a Master’s in Educational Leadership from Saint Mary’s University, San Antonio, Texas and a second Master’s in Classical Performance and Pedagogy from the University of Nicosia, Cyprus. In the United States, she participated as lead and backing vocalist in numerous studio recording projects as well as various performances and concerts. Since returning to Cyprus, she has established her reputation as an active figure in the local jazz scene performing alongside with some of the best musicians in Cyprus. She is the lead vocalist of the Steppin’ Out Jazz Band with Konstantinos Efraimidis (clarinet/saxophone) and Dimitris Miaris (piano). A member of the Cyprus Voice Centre, Alice is also a sought-after clinician and vocal coach. She has presented various vocal workshops & seminars for choirs, educational institutions and music conservatories. In addition to her singing activities, Alice has conducted research on the early-twentieth-century Armenian composer Komitas Vardapet, which she has presented at the Komitas and Medieval Music Culture International Conference in Yerevan, Armenia (2016). She is currently instructor of Jazz Voice at the Department of Music and Dance at the University of Nicosia (since 2009) and the Director of the University’s Jazz Choir (since 2011). She is also a voice instructor at the Musicopolis music school.

Dimitris Miaris was born in Nicosia in 1991. He started playing classical piano from 6 years old. At the age of 16 Dimitris had his first connection with Jazz through the “Jazz Futures” workshops that took place in Nicosia with great musicians such as Sacha Perry, Vahagn Hayrapetyan, Ari Roland and Chris Byars. Since then, he took part in almost all the “Jazz Futures” workshops and had various live performances in Cyprus and Greece. He also attended the monthly Bicommunal Workshops with Charis Ioannou. The last two years he participated in Dr. Barry Harris’ workshops in Rome. He is also a member of ‘Neorebetes’, a Greek traditional band, where he plays the accordion. The band has performed in Cyprus, Greece, Kazan (Russian), Sydney and Melbourne (Australia). He received his bachelor’s degree for Jazz Piano at the Ionian University’s Jazz Department in 2009 under the instruction of George Kontrafouris.

Costas Challoumas was born and raised in Larnaca. He studied pedagogy at the University of Cyprus, where he graduated in 1999. He studied double bass and music theory with Nikos Ioannou and continued his studies at ‘The Collective School of Music’ in New York with Sean Conly and Joe Fitzjerald. For twenty years he is a member of various musical ensembles (traditional, jazz, latin etc) and also of music and theatre performance groups. Amongst others, he was a member of the musical ensemble of ancient instruments “Terandros”, the original Cuban band “Havana Noche” and “Turnaround Jazz Quartet”, while the last years he is the artistic director of “Makam Ensemble”.

Marios Spyrou is a professional Cypriot Jazz drummer, based in Nicosia. He completed his master’s degree in the Koninklijk Conservatorium Den Haag and followed several workshops and private lessons with many important Jazz musicians, as Eric Ineke, Joseph Farnsworth, George Fludas, Leroy Williams, Adam Nussbaum, Barry Harris and Harold Maybern. Currently he is teaching private drum lessons at the English school in Nicosia. Over the last 12 years he has been playing extensively with the top Cypriot and European jazz musicians all over the island and in other important venues around Europe (UK, Greece, Italy, Holland, Belgium).