Internationally Acclaimed Conductor Celebrates 40th Anniversary of Leadership 100 and His Concert Company

On Sunday January 7, 1984, the internationally acclaimed conductor, music director, and producer, Peter E. Tiboris, conducted his first concert in New York, at Lincoln Center, and created his concert company, MidAmerica Productions, Inc. and MidAm International, Inc., with the support of Archbishop Iakovos and the assistance of Paulette Poulos and Fr. Alexander Karloutsos. The Archbishop, who spoke from the stage at the end of that concert, founded, in that same year, the Archbishop Iakovos Leadership 100 Fund, Inc., of which Fr. Alex and Ms. Poulos were to successively become Executive Director and Tiboris a prominent member.

The 40th Anniversary of each organization was celebrated this year with Tiboris conducting a concert at Carnegie Hall on the same date and time as his first in New York, on January 7, 2024, at 3 pm, and Leadership 100 holding its 40th Anniversary Annual Conference from February 29 to March 3, 2024, in Naples, FL.

Tiboris, who was invested as an Archon of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, Order of Saint Andrew, on October 9, 2022 and conferred with the offikion Ieromniman, has creatively used his company, MidAmerica Productions, to bring together conductors, soloists, and choral and orchestral ensembles from the United States and abroad to appear at New York’s top venues. His worldwide initiative, MidAm International, Inc., has presented concerts in Vienna, Salzburg, Florence, Verona, Paris, Lisbon, Porto, Athens, and elsewhere.

Now, a new book, Peter Tiboris: A Musical Odyssey, details his life devoted to music and the ways in which he benefited from the support of his father and other family members. It explains how MidAmerica Productions became inextricably linked with Carnegie Hall, and how major composers and their works inspired and sustained his commitment to share his love of music with the world.

"Peter Tiboris: A Musical Odyssey" is a comprehensive biography chronicling the life and achievements of this renowned conductor, music director, and producer. Authored by Alexander Kitroeff, Professor Emeritus of History at Haverford College, the book features a foreword by British composer and conductor John Rutter, CBE. 

Structured into six chapters, the biography unfolds chronologically, shedding light on Tiboris's deep-rooted connection to music. It explores his familial support, notably from his father and other relatives, delving into the pivotal role of friends and collaborators who helped realize his dreams. The narrative traces the evolution of MidAmerica Productions, Tiboris's company, intertwined with Carnegie Hall, and highlights his dedication to sharing classical music globally. The biography also explores Tiboris's international engagements, marriage to soprano Eilana Lappalainen, collaborations with figures like John Rutter, Olympia Dukakis, and Greek composer Mikis Theodorakis. 

The book concludes with an examination of how MidAmerica Productions, MidAm International, and the Festival of the Aegean weathered the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. An epilogue offers a reflective overview of Tiboris's life and career. Richly illustrated with photographs, the biography includes detailed appendices cataloging Tiboris's engagements, performances, and personal favorites, along with translations in Greek of key sections. At 75, Peter Tiboris continues to conduct, planning new international ventures, symbolizing a lifelong odyssey dedicated to the pursuit and promotion of classical music.