Yiannis Hadjiloizou & Red Electrick

Performing Original Pop/Rock Hits as well as a tribute to David Bowie, Prince, and Michael Jackson

Yiannis Hadjiloizou hosts the 2016 Edition of MAESTRO & FRIENDS, welcoming famous band Red Electrick, performing original songs as well as tribute covers to Prince, David Bowie, and Michael Jackson. Guest star appearance by world renowned crossover soprano Aliki Chrysochou, and Maestro Steven Mercurio (Sting, Andrea Bocelli, Aretha Franklin, etc)

Pop/Rock Band
RED ELECTRICK (REK)

Even if they hadn't won the Best Band and the Best Song categories at the 2014 Malta Music Awards or any of the 8 awards they received before that, Red Electrick's commitment towards making quality music remains undisputed. At the core of the popular songs that have made them a household name is a band with a genuine love of music. Theirs is a sound collectively influenced by both the bluesy swagger of 70s rock and a more contemporary lilt that flaunts as much groove as it does grit, all delivered with an encompassing ray of Mediterranean sunshine that probably explains the upbeat feeling their music effortlessly projects.

The five-man band behind Red Electrick first fired up the Maltese airwaves with their bouncy debut single The End of it All and quite frankly, they haven't stopped since. Further proof is to be found not only on debut album Vine Lady, but also on the more recent singles The Runaway and Shake, both unshakeable indicators that the band is certainly not resting on its laurels but venturing into pastures new. Equally indicative is their Unplugged Sessions project - released both as a digital download and full DVD production - which apart from unveiling a different flavour to their music also captured their verve as a versatile performing act, now a proven trait that has established them as one of Malta's leading live acts whether they're plugged in or not.

Without a doubt Red Electrick is bigger than the sum of all its parts; five individuals with diverse tastes that somehow come together in a cohesive, flowing sound that references all of the inspirations behind it without sounding either too contrived or evocative of any of them. Their work to date is more than proof of this, and given the flurry of activity behind closed doors in recent months, the new album sounds like it's going to be an even bigger revelation than anything they've delivered so far!

Crossover Soprano
ALIKI

The internationally acclaimed crossover soprano exploded onto the the global music scene in 2013 after her success in the 7th season of Britain’s Got Talent. Her inspirational story combined with her angelic voice, Aliki , not only captivated the 4 judges, who praised her performance but following on from that the whole world.

Aliki's debut album REFLECTIONS with the City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra was released resently, with a presentation at Limassol's Marina alongisde her Pianist, Maestro Yiannis Hadjiloizou.

MAESTRO STEVEN MERCURIO

Maestro Steven Mercurio is an internationally acclaimed conductor and composer whose musical versatility encompasses the symphonic and operatic worlds. After receiving his Masters degree from the Juilliard School he became Music Director of the Spoleto Festival for five years, and, Principal Conductor of the Opera Company of Philadelphia. Maestro Mercurio is also a sought after collaborator for many award winning recordings, arrangements and film projects.

For the stage, he has conducted more than forty-five different operas in seven different languages. His engagements have taken him to many of the world's best loved opera houses including the Teatro dell'Opera, Roma; Teatro Bellini, Catania; Teatro Filarmonico, Verona; Teatro Reggio, Torino; Teatro Verdi, Trieste; Theatre de la Monnaie in Brussels, Bonn Opera, Teatro Massimo, Palermo, English National Opera as well as the American opera companies of San Francisco, Washington, Philadelphia, Seattle, Detroit, Opera Pacific, Florida Grand, Pittsburgh, Dallas and Cincinnati.

In addition to Maestro Mercurio's operatic repertoire, his symphonic appearances have included; the London Philharmonia, London Philharmonic, London Sinfonietta, thw Royal Philharmonic, Vienna Symphony Orchestra, Luxembourg, Prague Philharmonia, Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, New Jersey Symphony Orchestra and the Sacramento and San Diego Symphony Orchestras in addition to his own Spoleto Festival Orchestra.

Maestro Mercurio has conducted opera and symphonic pieces for several telecasts including the Christmas in Vienna series with the Vienna Symphony Orchestra for Sony Classical highlighted by the 1999 concert featuring The Three Tenors. He also conducted the now classic, PBS broadcast special American Dream – Andrea Bocelli’s Statue of Liberty concert with the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra. Also for PBS, Maestro Mercurio led the 20th Anniversary Richard Tucker Opera Gala with the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra. Maestro Mercurio led the worldwide tour of Sting, featuring the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, for Symphonicities, culminating in the DVD Live in Berlin.

As a composer, Maestro Mercurio's compositions include songs, chamber works, and pieces for large orchestra. For Lost Loved Ones, was given its world premiere by Zubin Mehta and the New York Philharmonic Orchestra. His composition, Mercurial Overture, was given its world premiere by the Oslo Philharmonic in a concert telecast honoring the Nobel Peace Prize winners with Maestro Mercurio conducting. Maestro Mercurio recently completed his first symphony titled, A Grateful Tail, based on American playwright Eugene O’Neill’s Last Will and Testament of Silverdene Emblem O’Neill.

Maestro Mercurio is an acclaimed and sought after arranger. He has created arrangements for a wide array of artists, including Andrea Bocelli, Placido Domingo, Fabio Armiliato, Carl Tanner, Ben Heppner, Bryn Terfel, Marcello Giordani, Secret Garden and Sting.