On Friday, May 10, 2024, “Polis, the Queen of Cities” concert was held at Saint Sophia Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Washington, DC. The concert was sponsored by AHEPA Chapter 31 of Washington, DC and produced in cooperation with the School of Byzantine Music of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. The concert served as a musical tribute to the city of Constantinople, and was directed by Archon Georgios Theodoridis, Director of the School of Byzantine Music. 

The program included a variety of Byzantine Liturgical Music, Secular Music of Byzantium, and Songs of Asia Minor. The concert opened with a 25-voice choir, comprised of male and female voices, filling the Cathedral with beautiful renditions of ecclesiastical hymns. After the liturgical music, the choir was joined by Politiko Ensemble, a 5-piece instrumental ensemble, who accompanied the choir for the remainder of the program. The audience was thoroughly captivated by 90 minutes of exceptional performance, musicianship, and interpretation of rare, but beautiful melodies and songs rooted in the Eastern Roman Empire. 

Following the performance, Archon Theodoridis, welcomed His Eminence, saying it was a historic moment for the SBM Choir and it was an extraordinary honor for AHEPA Chapter 31 and the Saint Sophia Greek Orthodox Cathedral to host the concert event. 

Archbishop Elpidophoros addressed the audience that included visitors, parishioners and clergy from surrounding parishes, as well as honored guests, on the basis of the concert and its contextual importance in today’s continued fight for religious freedom, particularly at the Ecumenical Patriarchate. 

Following the concert, a reception was held for concert-goers and performers to share fellowship and to close out a fantastic evening. 

Photo: POLIS