A great man is one who collects knowledge the way a bee collects honey and uses it to help people overcome the difficulties they endure - hunger, ignorance and disease!
- Nikola Tesla

Remember, remember always, that all of us, and you and I especially, are descended from immigrants and revolutionists.
- Franklin Roosevelt

While their territory has been devastated and their homes despoiled, the spirit of the Serbian people has not been broken.
- Woodrow Wilson

LeitmotivArts presents Aleksandra Denda EP release show

LeitmotivArts is thrilled to announce the release of the debut EP DREAMER from Aleksandra Denda available worldwide on March 17th 2016.

Two years after having her single "In the Dark" selected as The Song Of The Day on Jon Oliver's The Main Ingredient Radio, Aleksandra releases her debut EP. DREAMER - wonderful patchwork of acoustic and electronic elements, intertwining Neo Soul, Jazz, World Music and Electronica into Aleksandra's own ethereal sonic canvas.

Dreamer is a luscious six-track introduction to the distinctive artistry of this Serbian native, as her sultry voice daydreams about the perfect lover, forgiveness, inner bliss and artists’ place under the sun. Aleksandra’s enchanting blend of celestial harmonies, captivating melodies and insightful lyrics will undoubtedly speak to all those seeking for truth and authenticity in music.

Recorded in Boston, all songs on the were written by Aleksandra and produced by the innovative, LA-based producer Giosue Greco; apart from the collaboration with Indian singer-songwriter Vasuda Sharma on the single "Already Here", that immediately picked up support from India's MTV and Rolling Stone Magazine after its video release on February 29th.

After performing across NYC at the variety of humanitarian events organized by Leitmotiv Arts, the established arts organization and Aleksandra deepen their collaboration through other musical occasions, including the release show of her debut EP Dreamer, scheduled for March 16th at 9PM at DROM in New York's East Village.

Joining Aleksandra’s regular rhythm section as a special treat for this unique performance, are a 4-part horn section, a duo of captivating back vocalists, and some surprise guests.

Besides the music from the EP, Aleksandra and her international 10-piece band will also perform some unrecorded material.

For more information about the album release performance on March 16th at Drom visit the venue’s website here - http://www.dromnyc.com/events/4637/leitmotivarts-presents-aleksandra-denda-ep-release-show#.Vt-LQMczMlI

Aleksandra Denda is an internationally recognized, New York-based vocalist, bandleader and songwriter. Besides performing, recording and touring throughout USA, Europe and Asia, she performs steadily on the East Coast as a leader and as featured artist in the wide array of musical genres, spanning from Soul to World Music, Brazilian, R&B, and Jazz. Some of these projects include performances with American Idol's Michael Lynche (aka Big Mike) as his background vocalist, recording with the flamenco star Jose Merce on the Latin Grammy nominated album Mi Unica Llave, and co-founding ROSA -the only traditional Serbian all-female a cappella group on this side of the Atlantic.

www.aleksandradenda.com
www.facebook.com/LeitmotivArtsNYC


SA

 

People Directory

Stella Jatras

Stella Louis Jatras (nee Katsetos) from Camp Hill, PA, was born in Poughkeepsie, New York, as the fourth and youngest daughter of Louis (Leonidas) and Marina Katsetos, originally of Sparta, Greece, and later of Harrisburg and Carlisle.

Stella was quite literally a daughter of Sparta - and her father's name was Leonidas, no less. As Julia Gorin noted, she was Sparta, truly worthy of that heroic heritage. Axia!

In addition to the U.S. Department of State, her professional work included service with the U.S. Department of Defense, NASA and the Veterans Administration.

In 1953, she married George Jatras, also the offspring of Greek immigrant parents, and began a long and varied life as the wife of a career U.S. Air Force Officer.

As a career military officer's wife, Stella traveled widely and lived in several foreign countries where she not only learned about other cultures but became very knowledgeable regarding world affairs and world politics. She lived in Moscow for two years, where she worked in the Political Section of the U.S. Embassy. She also lived in Germany, Greece, and Saudi Arabia. Her travels took her to over twenty countries.

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Publishing

The Church at Prayer

by Archimandrite Aimilianos of Simonopetra

Publisher’s note

Many readers of the addresses of Elder Aimilianos, which have been published in the five-volume series, rchimandrite Aimilianos, Spiritual Instructions and Discourses (Ormylia, 1998-2003), have frequently expressed the wish for an abridged and more accessible form of his teaching. In response, we are happy to inaugurate a new series of publications incorporating key texts from the above-mentioned collection. Other considerations have also contributed o this new project, such as the selection of specific texts which address important, contemporary questions; the need for a smaller, more reader-friendly publication format; and the necessity for editing certain passages in need of clarification, without however altering their basic meaning.

Above all, the works collected in this volume reflect the importance which the Elder consistently attached to prayer, spirituality, community life, worship, and liturgy. Thus the experientially based works "On Prayer", and "The Prayer of the Holy Mountain", which deal primarily with the Prayer of the Heart, appear first, followed by the summary addresses on "The Divine Liturgy", and "Our Church Attendance". These are in turn followed by the more socially oriented discourses on "Our Relations with Our Neighbor", and "Marriage: The Great Sacrament". Finally, the present volume closes with the sermons on "Spiritual Reading" and "The Spiritual Life", which in a simple and yet compelling manner set forth the conditions for "ascending to heaven on the wings of the Spirit".

It is our hope that The Church at Prayer will meet the purpose for which it is issued and will serve as a ready aid and support for those who desire God and eternal life in Him.