Commandaria Orchestra in Cyprus

About The Commandaria Orchestra

The Commandaria Orchestra of Cyprus was established in 2009 by The Cyprus Wine Museum.

The appellation of the Orchestra directly refers to the region where the Orchestra and The Cyprus Wine Museum are based, the Great Commandery of Cyprus (Kolossi Castle) which was founded by the Order of Saint John. Commandaria is also the unique sweet wine of Cyprus that Homer and Hesiod mention in their opuses.

The word ‘orchestra’ has its roots in the word ‘orchos’, which during the Homeric years meant row of vines and it is related with the cult of Dionysus.

Commandaria Orchestra Mission

The Commandaria Orchestra’s main target is the implementation of the visions of The Cyprus Wine Museum, not least of which is the desire to promote Cypriot culture. The rich repertoire (chamber and symphonic) of the orchestra includes theme masterpieces related to the Middle Ages and the performance of contemporary music. A number of first performances – most of which were dedicated to the orchestra – have been performed and recorded.

Amongst the achievements of the Commandaria Orchestra are a series of concerts in Greece and Bulgaria in 2012 and 2013, collaborations with The Sofia National Opera and Ballet and The Varna State Opera, collaboration with The Comédie de Genève in the production of “Cassandre” by Michel Jarrell, directed by Hervé Loichemoi and performed by the French actress Fanny Ardant during The Pafos 2017 European Capital Of Culture and many others.

CommandARIA Orchestra Live

Watch the Orchestra playing live at various events

Book the Commandaria Orchestra

To discuss your project in more detail and to get a quote, contact one of the dedicated members of the Commandaria Orchestra team to help plan your event from start to finish (advising on technical aspects, recommending suppliers, arranging security details, providing detailed scheduling etc) by sending an email at: orchestra@cypruswinemuseum.com

Hire The Orchestra

Commandaria Orchestra is a world-class performing ensemble and gives a number of concerts every season on a huge range of platforms.

The Commandaria Orchestra is available for hire to perform at your event, festival, concert series or venue.

The Commandaria Orchestra is available to be hired for your film, advert or video game soundtrack or recording.

No matter what your event we pride ourselves on our competitively priced and personalized service which we offer to each and every client.

Promoters/Managers and Festivals

Whilst we work regularly with a range of venues and festivals, we are always keen to hear from new promoters we can work with to bring The Commandaria Orchestra to new and un-reached audiences in Cyprus and over the globe.

DMC's Event Organisers/Planners

Commandaria Orchestra is available to be hired for:

Business / Corporate event
Galas
Fundraising event
Private functions

With opportunities ranging from:

Soloists (Advice and access to a range of conductors and soloists from around the globe)
String, woodwinds, brass, percussion ensemble combinations (such as duets, trios, quartets or other)

And of course, the full Commandaria Orchestra of Cyprus as a String, Chamber or Symphony Orchestra

Recording or Performing with The Commandaria Orchestra

The Commandaria Orchestra is available for hire to record OR present your project and can be hired for a wide range of recordings.
Commandaria Orchestra and never a ‘B-Band’ – a group of musicians who perform together on stage and in the studio during a concert season
Exceptional performance quality and the flexibility to achieve the sound you require as well as first-rate sight-readers.
A warm and friendly reception from the Orchestra and staff with the patience and professionalism to get what you need from your time in the studio.
Recommending, availability checking and reserving recording venues and concert venues across Cyprus to cater for all different sizes of ensemble and price ranges.
Recommending, availability checking and booking appropriate soloists for your project when required. Commandaria Orchestra has relationships with a wide range of artists, many of whom are experts in the studio and concert halls.
Advising on scheduling to ensure your sessions are as efficiently organized as possible, making the most of your time in the studio and maximizing your budget.
Discussing ways in which the Commandaria Orchestra can be filmed during sessions for use in promotional material for your website, or as ‘added extras’ on commercial recordings.

Dr Francis Guy
Conductor and Musicologist

Dr. Francis Guy is an active and a dynamic conductor and musicologist with notable concert activity and publications. His repertoire and research is focused on western and southeastern European medieval and contemporary music works.

Commandaria Orchestra

The Cyprus Wine Museum

Your Maestro

In 2004 he graduated from the National Music Academy “Pancho Vladigeroff” of Bulgaria (2003 BA in Music Education; 2004 MA in Musicology / Choir Conducting). He studied and worked with distinguished choir and orchestra conductors such as Maestros Vassil Kazandjiev, Georgi Robev, Luba Pesheva, Dejan Pavlov, Svilen Simeonov, Jonathan Brett, Julius Kalmar, and composers and musicologists Dimitrar Christoff, Bojidar Abrashev and others.

He received his first PhD (Doctor of Musicology and Musical Art) at The Bulgarian Academy of Sciences and his second (Doctor of Musical Arts – Performing) in Opera and Orchestra conducting at the New Bulgarian University.

Francis finds it very challenging to combine his concert activity with his research projects. The most recent example is his research publications and concert series of orchestral music composed using the ‘free bar-line notation’. This “trend” is noted in modern and contemporary composers such as Pierre Boulez, Giya Kancheli, Yiannis Christou, Dimiter Christoff, Hans Warner Henze and others.

Global Collaborations

He has conducted a number of concerts in Bulgaria, Greece, Cyprus and Poland. Amongst his recent artistic achievements and collaborations is his participation at the 2015 Sofia Musical Weeks International Festival, 2017 Varna International Summer Music Festival, Pafos 2017 European Capital of Culture, his yearly appearances with Sinfonietta Sofia with distinguished artists such as the cellists Emilia Baranowska, Anatoli Krastev, the pianist Ganka Nedelcheva and others.

Francis Guy is the founder and conductor of The Commandaria Orchestra that aims to promote mainly symphonic, chamber and operatic repertoire related to Greek mythology and European medieval history.

He leads the classes of Music Analysis and Orchestra Conducting at the European University Cyprus and he is a collaborator with the Cyprus Symphony Orchestra.