ABOUT OUR DIRECTOR

Odeion’s Director, Eftihia Papageorgiou, first began pursuing her passion for performing as a youth during tours of Europe, Greece, and Turkey with the Panagouda Choir, based in Thessaloniki, Greece. Years later and thousands of miles removed, she is now a familiar face as a performer and a music educator in the Chicago metropolitan area. Since 1992, she has been performing, providing individual instruction in piano and voice, directing choirs and musicals, and coaching vocalists and vocal ensembles.

Education

In 1997, Eftihia earned a Bachelor’s Degree in both Vocal Performance and Psychology from Northeastern Illinois University (NEIU), where she studied piano under the tutelage of Dr. Elyse Mach, pursued voice lessons with Dr. Phyllis Hurt, and studied vocal pedagogy and opera with Dr. Ronald Combs. As an undergraduate, Eftihia also studied drama and dance. Upon being awarded a full scholarship for graduate work at NEIU, Eftihia continued her classical piano training and studied vocal pedagogy and opera with Dr. Combs. As part of her graduate studies, she did extensive research and specialized in the analysis and performance of "Chanson et Melodie": Art Songs of French Composers of the 19th and 20th Centuries, and she also focused her research on Boys' Changing Voices: Effective and Creative Vocal Pedagogy Approaches. In 1999, she was awarded a Master’s Degree in Vocal Pedagogy by NEIU.

A Dedicated Educator

Since 1992, Eftihia has been providing private piano and voice lessons to youth and adults in Chicago and all along the North Shore. Drawing on her extensive performance experience and educational background, she encourages and challenges her students so that they can attain higher levels of musicianship. From 2002 through 2007, she also held the position of choral director at Chicago International Charter School Northtown Academy and its predecessor, Good Counsel High School. As choral director, she was instrumental to the production of several musicals to rave reviews.In 2004, Eftihia became the vocal instructor and choral director for the Orpheus Hellenic Folklore Society. She also has several years of experience teaching music and the Greek language at Greek schools throughout the Chicago metropolitan area. Eftihia is currently an adjunct music professor at Wilbur Wright College, one of Chicago's city colleges, where she teaches Applied Voice, Music Theory, and Percussion Classes. Numerous students of Eftihia have been inspired to pursue music in higher education and have achieved successful careers in music and music related fields.

Performing Experience

Eftihia was a member of and a regular, featured soloist for NEIU’s Chorus. While enrolled at NEIU, she also performed in numerous productions of the works of Italian, American, Russian, and French composers. As a lyrical soprano, Eftihia has performed lead roles in Puccini’s Gianni Schichi, Cimarosa’s Secret Marriage, and Rorem’s What Men Live By, as well as leading roles in selections from Puccini’s acclaimed Madame Butterfly, Mozart’s legendary Magic Flute, Thomas’ Mignon, Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin, Menotti’s The Saint of Bleecker Street, and more. Currently, Eftihia performs as a featured soloist at popular Chicago area venues, and as a solo performer, accompanist, and member of ensembles at concerts and special events.

Founding Odeion

In 2006, Eftihia founded Odeion School of Music, where she coordinates and oversees the music education of students enrolled in private lessons for piano, voice, guitar, violin, and other instruments, as well as students enrolled in group classes. At Odeion, she also offers private voice and piano lessons as well as open-enrollment group classes such as master classes, vocal groups, vocal performance workshops, music theory for adults, and music fundamentals for young children. Eftihia currently co-directs Odeion with her husband, Petros Dragoumis.

The Chicago Hellenic Choir

Combining her commitment to education with her dedication to and love of her Hellenic heritage, Eftihia founded the Chicago Hellenic Choir in 2003, which is now a program of Odeion.