This album is a journey across centuries and cultures — weaving together the elegance of classical music, the soul of folk traditions, and the emotion of timeless popular melodies. From the serene beauty of Bach’s “Air on a G String” and the haunting “Meditation” by Massenet, to the heartfelt modern classics “Unchained Melody” and “Time to Say Goodbye,” each track tells its own story.

Listeners are carried from the joyful celebration of “Hava Nagila” and “Funiculi Funicula”, through cinematic reflections like “Cavatina” from The Deer Hunter and the poignant “Ashokan Farewell,” to songs of love, hope, and farewell such as “The Rose” and “Wind Beneath My Wings.”

At its heart, this collection is about mood and memory: music that uplifts, comforts, and connects. A versatile blend for every listener — whether you’re drawn to the intimacy of chamber music, the grandeur of theatre, or the nostalgia of beloved film themes.

Those Were The Days

Chanson De Matin by Edward Elgar

This album is a heartfelt musical journey dedicated to the people of Cyprus and the dream of unity on one island. Blending Greek Cypriot, Turkish Cypriot, and the other ethnic groups that shape Cyprus, along international influences, it weaves together traditional melodies, peace songs, and instrumental works to create a cross-cultural tapestry of hope, memory, and togetherness.

The opening track, “Unite (3 Languages)”, sets the tone with a call for harmony across the divide. From the Cypriot folk essence of “Psintri Vasilicha” and “Ehe Via Panagia” (from Constantinople) to the deeply reflective “San Ton Metanasti” (“Like a refugee on your own land”), the album captures both the pain of displacement and the longing for belonging.

Nature and identity shine in “Hrisso Brasino Filo” (“The golden-green tree of Cyprus”), a symbol of the island’s beauty, while resilience is echoed through the world-famous protest song “Bella Ciao,” here sung in Turkish. Instrumental gems like “Scherzo Petahto” (a dance piece) and “Ora Kali” (a traditional wedding song) bring moments of joy and festivity.

International classics are honored as well, with the moving “Schindler’s List” theme—widely recognized as a song of peace—and the serene “Meditation” by Massenet, adding a universal dimension of reflection and healing.

The journey closes with “Eshen Vereve / Dillirga,” a duet of Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot folk traditions intertwined, symbolizing shared roots and the possibility of reconciliation.

Each track speaks to Cyprus’s cultural richness and the enduring desire for peace. This album is not just music—it is a bridge, a dedication to unity, and a tribute to those who believe in living together as one.

Ehe Via Panagia

“Danny Boy” is one of the most famous folk songs to emerge from Ireland is a timeless Irish folk ballad—an emotional farewell that captures the bittersweet mix of love, loss, and hope for reunion, carried on a melody as haunting as it is beautiful.

Danny Boy

“Hava Nagila” (Hebrew: הבה נגילה, meaning “Let us rejoice”) is one of the most widely recognized Jewish folk songs, often sung and danced to at weddings, bar and bat mitzvahs, and festive gatherings.

Hava Nagila

Czardas is a lively Hungarian folk-inspired piece, most famously arranged for violin by composer Vittorio Monti in 1904. Based on the traditional csárdás dance, it captures the spirited contrasts of Hungarian gypsy music: starting with a slow, mournful lassú section and building into a fast, fiery friss. Its passionate melodies, sudden tempo changes, and virtuosic runs make it both a showcase for instrumental skill and an energetic expression of Central European folk tradition.

Czardas

Inner Beauty Through Positivity: Stirling shared that “Crystallize” is inspired by the work of Dr. Masaru Emoto, who studied how water forms crystals under different conditions. Positive words and environments produced beautifully structured crystals, while negativity led to distorted, jagged formations. Given that our bodies are made mostly of water, she drew a metaphor: surround yourself with positivity, cultivate inner beauty, and it will radiate outward.

Crystallize

🎶 Pianist & violinist crossing worlds — from Phantom of the Opera to House of the Dragon, Judy, and the Irish Passport Band.

✨ Royal Academy-trained, award-winning musician | keys, strings & stories on stage, screen & beyond.

🎹🎻 From classical halls to Hollywood sets — Phantom, Judy, House of the Dragon — I make music travel.

🔥 Concert pianist • Medieval violinist • Irish folk traveler | Soundtracks, stages & secret projects.

🌍 International performer blending classical, theater & folk — always chasing the next sound.

Those Were The Days

Andrew Michael

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