Mavrothi T. Kontanis - oud, voice
Mavrothi T. Kontanis was born in 1979 in Pennsylvania and currently lives in Jersey City, NJ, though his family’s origin is from Halkidiki, Greece. As a child, he showed interest in several instruments, including the clarinet, guitar, and bouzouki. However, at the age of 16 he discovered his true passion, the oud, and began lessons with his first teacher Stamatis Merzanis immediately. Since then he has studied with many other renowned masters including Münir N. Beken, Emin Gündüz, John Berberian, Kyriakos Kalaitzides, Dinçer Dalkılıc, Yurdal Tokcan, and Ara Dinkjian. In addition to playing oud, Mavrothi has become an accomplished singer and violinist, performs on baglama, tzoura, and tamboura, and also enjoys teaching and writing. Mavrothi has performed throughout the United States, Europe, and the Middle East playing traditional and classical music from all over the world, as well as original compositions of his own with various ensembles. He has been featured on several albums and the film soundtrack of “AmericanEast,” and released two albums in the Spring of 2008 that showcase the oud and diversity of sounds from the Aegean region. By combining his love for classical, urban, and folk music from Greece and the Near East, Mavrothi hopes to heighten awareness of the great beauty and freedom that exist within this unique and diverse musical tradition, especially through the Maeandros Ensemble, which he founded in 2006.

Megan Gould - violin
Megan Gould (violin) is one of NYC’s foremost performers of Arabic and Greek music. She holds a Violin Performance degree from Indiana University and a Master’s Degree in Ethnomusicology (with a concentration on the Middle East) from the University of London. In London, she studied with Egyptian violinist Ahmed Mukhtar and performed Persian classical music with the Naghmeh Ensemble. She has performed around the world in such cities as Paris, London, Budapest, Copenhagen and Dubai, and has appeared nationwide at venues such as Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center and Lincoln Center. She has appeared on many and varied recordings and film soundtracks for artists such as Philip Glass, Yungchen Lhamo, Bassam Saba, Ani Difranco and Lou Reed, and on television and radio broadcasts for NBC, PBS, MTV and NPR. Currently she resides in the New York City area, where she performs and records with groups ranging from traditional Arabic to pop.

Lefteris Bournias - clarinet
Lefteris Bournias was born in the US and currently resides in Queens, NY, but he has lived in Greece as well and has been a clarinetist since the age of 11. Lefteris was fortunate to live near a famous gypsy clarinetist, Mr. Vasilis Soukas, and frequented his house for lessons while attending the Athens Conservatory of Music under the guidance of clarinetist Mr. Farandatos.  While returning to New York with his family, Lefteris attended the Aaron Copeland School of Music earning a B.A. in Performance, and a Masters of Science in Music Education and attempted a Ph.D. in Ethnomusicology (still pending!). Lefteris has performed and recorded with many highly acclaimed singers and musicians, amongst them, The New York Pops (under the direction of Skitch Henderson), New York Philarmonic, En hordes, Uri Cane, Charles Genus, Henry Hay, Matt Garisson, Gene Lake, Charles Blesing,Steve Haas, Elektra Ensemble, Nikos and Giasemi Saragoudas, Spiros Exaras Band, Avram Pengas Noga Group, Ara Dinkjian, Uri Yunakoff, Omar Faruk Tekbelik, Okay Temiz, Selim Sesler ,Takis Zaharatos, Hristos Antoniadis, Stathis Aggelopoulos, Eleni Legaki, Nikos Hatzopoulos, Makis Hristodoulopoulos, Pitsa Papadopoulou, Peggy Zina, Doukissa and many more. As a diverse musician, Lefteris' style combines Greek traditional, Gypsy, Classical, Turkish Gypsy, and elements of Jazz (rhythmical and harmonic). With a special sound that eminates from his clarinet, he is a wanted man in the recording field and in live festivals, gigs, etc.

Timothy Quigley - percussion
Timothy Quigley is one of New York City's most versatile and in demand drummer/percussionists. His distinct sound has led to collaborations with many great talents among them legendary clarinetist and mandolin player Andy Statman. He has worked extensively as a sideman, sharing the stage with notables such as reggae/hip hop sensation Matisyahu and Frank London of the Klezmatics. A specialist in Balkan/Asia Minor rhythms, Quigley has worked with Bulgarian saxophone virtuoso Yuri Yunakov, Algerian Rai master Cheb Nasro, renowned Greek vocalist Amalia Papastefanou, Christos Govetas (Bill Frisell, Ziya), violinist Beth Cohen and clarinet virtuoso Lefteris Bournias. As a session musician he has recorded on film and television soundtracks and can be heard on over 30 CD releases. Recent releases include Mavrothi Kontanis' debut albums Wooden Heart and Sto Kafesli Sokaki, One Ring Zero's Wake Them Up, Chicha Libre's Sonido Amazonico, Las Rubias Del Norte's Ziguala and Adam Good's Dances of Macedonia and the Balkans. Currently Timothy tours, records and teaches masterclasses internationally and performs with The Maeandros Ensemble, Romashka and One Ring Zero.

The Maeandros Ensemble
   
The group Maeandros, created by oud player, singer and songwriter Mavrothi Kontanis, performs traditional folk, urban and classical music of Greece and the Near East. Maeandros is the Ancient Greek name of the river that “meanders” throughout Asia Minor (modern–day Turkey). Just as this ancient and mighty river winds through different regions and towns, Mavrothi Kontanis and the Maeandros Ensemble transport audiences on a musical journey through Greece and Asia Minor: 
Folk Songs of the Countryside, Urban Songs from the City Centers, Ottoman Court Music and Original Works are all effortlessly intertwined in each Maeandros performance. Greek, Turkish, Armenian, Persian, Arabic, Jewish, Gypsy and Assyrian cultural influences combine for a fascinating and vibrant musical journey. 

The members of Maeandros share a deep love and respect for the music they bring to life, and move audiences of all backgrounds with emotional and virtuosic performances. They are some of the most talented and sought–after performers and teachers of Greek and Near Eastern music in the country, and truly enjoy sharing their art through concerts and workshops. The combination of a faithfulness to tradition and individual creativity and expression makes every Maeandros concert a moving and entertaining experience.