Yanni, the God of New Age Music

Yanni, the God of New Age Instrumental Music - 2003-06-15. Craig McClutch, Voice of America. Since Yanni released his first album twenty years ago, he has been recognized internationally as one of the greats of instrumental music known as 'New Age.' He is of Greek descent, and although many consider his music trivial, he has a legion of fans around the world. A new album of his has been released, and an autobiography he wrote is available in bookstores. A Voice of America reporter met him during his last concert in North America. Yanni's music is eclectic, combining ethnic sounds such as Native American vocals, African rhythms, and Asian melodies. In a live concert piece, he might use a Paraguayan harp, Indian drums, Armenian flutes, or an Australian didgeridoo together. He does not have traditional music literacy or notation; instead, he uses a form of shorthand notation he invented. This method has certainly proven effective as he has sold over twenty million copies of his albums. His first album in 1980 was titled 'Optimystique.' He was born in a small village in Greece and was a swimming champion in his youth. At eighteen, he decided to come to America to study psychology. Reflecting on that time, he laughs about the culture, cold weather, and food. While studying for his psychology degree at the University of Minnesota, his passion for music overwhelmed him, and he never let it go, stating, 'The problem was that I was more interested in what it means to be human than in being a psychologist. I realized I couldn't sit in an office and see patients.' After releasing his first album, Yanni's career grew steadily with a small but loyal group of supporters. These fans enjoyed the sound ambiance he created by merging world music with New Age spirituality. However, mainstream music radio stations rarely played his albums in the United States. His first truly international success came in 1994 when he returned to his homeland to record the album 'Live at the Acropolis.' Following the success of the concert he held after twenty years of returning to Greece, Yanni organized and produced more concerts with great splendor, including at the Taj Mahal in India and the Forbidden City in China. In one of the songs from his latest album 'Ethnicity,' Yanni performs a local Greek song called 'Gia Mas,' which tells the story of children who leave their families in search of a better life.