Pavlo kicks off Empress concert series

Internationally renowned, award-winning instrumental recording artist Pavlo will perform at the Empress Theatre as the first show in the 2023-’24 Center Stage Series on Thursday, Sept. 28 at 7:30 p.m.

Pavlo has written and released 15 albums of Mediterranean music over the span of his 20-year career.

He has performed his unique blend of Greek, flamenco, Latin, and Balkan flavours, wrapped in contemporary pop, across the world and has worked and toured with artists including Jon Secada, Olivia Newton-John and The Tenors.

Pavlo began playing guitar when he was 10 years old. He composed his first song at 12 and promoted his own first concert in the gym of his elementary school shortly thereafter.

In the following years, Pavlo studied everything from classical to flamenco; he performed in rock bands at weddings and, of course, in a Rush tribute band before he found his own sound.

By his mid-20s, Pavlo had spent many summers in Greece, but there was something very special about the island of Santorini that inspired him to write his first song that featured the Greek bouzouki, called Santorini Sunset.

In 1998, Pavlo released his first self-titled album and began performing tirelessly in front of any audience he could find.

Investing all the money he had at the time, Pavlo released his second album, Fantasia, which climbed the charts and made it to the Billboard Top 10, became a gold album, and earned Pavlo his first Juno nomination.

Pavlo started to tour across the country, and just as critics said this trend would die out, Pavlo received a call to perform for His Royal Highness, Prince Charles.

With his career growing, Pavlo rented the 2,700-seat Massey Hall in Toronto and sold it out twice.

In 2008, Pavlo completed an 80-city tour across the U.S. and grew his fan base exponentially.

Pavlo collaborated with legendary guitarists Oscar Lopez and Rik Emmett of Triumph to create their album Trifecta and execute a national sold-out tour. They made headlines and the album earned Pavlo a second Juno award nomination.

His television special Pavlo: Live in Kastoria was picked up in more than 150 cities, and distributed nationally through PBS.

In 2018, it became one of the most successful television concert specials on public television and propelled Pavlo and his band into a 100-city tour across the U.S., Mexico and Canada. He has since also released Pavlo: Live in Guadalajara.

Tickets are available at the Box Office on Main Street, at www.macleodempress.com, or by calling  toll-free at 1-800-540-9229.