Panayota Chaloulakou

Vocalist/composer Panayota Chaloulakou grew up in Athens, Greece, where at a young age she started her musical training in classical piano. In 1996, she enrolled in the Music Program of the Ionian University in Corfu, Greece, for undergraduate studies (BM 02). In March 2002, she received a Fulbright grant for graduate studies at the New England Conservatory in Boston, MA, where she majored in Jazz Voice Performance (MM 04).

As a teenager, Panayota was a member of the professional Greek choir Fons Musicalis, performing with Greek artists George Dalaras, Yiannis Markopoulos, Notis Mavroudis, and Vangelis Papathanasiou, among others. With this choir, Panayota performed in venues such as the Heirodion, Megaro Mousikis, and Palas Theater.

While in Boston, Panayota has performed with saxophonists Steve Lacy and Joe Lovano, singers Sheila Jordan and Irene Aebi, as well as with many young musicians of the Boston jazz and experimental music scene. Since 2004, she has been a member of the Boston-based Greek Music Ensemble mainly performing in concerts and often collaborating with the Greek Institute and the MIT Hellenic Association. In 2004, she also formed her 7-piece band performing her original compositions based on poetry, which she recorded two years later under the title “Barely Real: Music of Panayota Chaloulakou.” In 2007, Panayota joined the orfeas band, with which she has performed in numerous festivals, dances, weddings, and private occasions in the greater New England area. Panayota finds that her collaboaration with orfeas has been a wonderful experience so far.

When not performing with orfeas, Panayota leads her jazz duet with Lefteris Kordis on piano, as well as her jazz trio with Lefteris and Haggai Cohen on double bass. With this duet/trio, Panayota has performed at the Beehive restaurant, Les Zygomates Bar & Bistro, Glory Restaurant, and the Lily Pad Gallery, among other venues. Future plans with this ensemble include a summer tour in Greece.

Panayota is currently studying voice with Ms Mary Klimek and rhythmic skills with Lefteris Kordis.