Yanni

Yanni is a famous musician from Greece.

He is a composer and a performer who plays the piano and keyboards. He is also a music producer. Yanni makes music that blends many different styles. He mixes jazz, classical, soft rock, and world music together. Most of his songs are instrumental, which means they do not have many words. He uses a special way of writing music. He calls this his "musical shorthand." He developed this way of writing when he was a child. It helps him create his unique sounds.

Yanni's music has a very special sound. He likes to mix electronic music synthesizers with a full symphony orchestra. He also uses many different instruments from around the world. This creates a mix of ethnic sounds. He often works with musicians from many different countries. When he performs, he manages two decks of electronic keyboards and an acoustic piano. He also conducts his large group of musicians. He wants his music to show the beauty of a multicultural society. He calls this his "one world, one people" philosophy.

Yanni was born on November 14, 1954, in Kalamata, Greece. His father was a banker named Sotiri. His mother, Felitsa, was a homemaker. Yanni started playing the piano when he was only 6 years old. He did not have formal music training. Instead, he taught himself how to play. He was also a very good swimmer. At age 14, he set a Greek national record in swimming. In 1972, he moved to the United States. He went to the University of Minnesota to study psychology. He earned his degree in 1976. After graduating, he decided to make music his life's work.

Yanni became famous for playing in very old and historic places.

His big breakthrough was a concert called "Live at the Acropolis." This show was filmed in September 1993 in Greece. It was performed at the 2,000-year-old Herodes Atticus Theater. This video became the second best-selling music concert video ever. It was seen by half a billion people in 65 countries. Yanni has also performed at the Taj Mahal in India. He played at the Forbidden City in China. He has even performed near the Egyptian pyramids and the Great Sphinx of Giza.

Yanni has had a very successful career. He has performed in more than 30 countries on five continents. He has played for more than 5 million people. His albums have sold more than 25 million copies. At least 16 of his albums reached number one in the "Top New Age Album" category. Two of his albums, "Dare to Dream" and "In My Time," were nominated for Grammy Awards. His music is often heard on television. Some of his songs are used for sporting events. He even wrote music for a famous British Airways commercial.