User:Themusicbaron

George Skaroulis (born 1963) is a Greek American pianist and is best known for his calming and passionate piano music with 16 CDs to his credit and performances throughout the U.S. and internationally

Early life
Skaroulis was born on August 15, 1963 in Clearwater, FL George began his love for the piano at the early age of five. His mother was a classically trained pianist and George would sit on the bench next to her to watch and listen. One day, he started playing along. It wasn’t too long before George was figuring out the melodies of songs he heard on the radio. On weekends, accompanied by his father, George often played in piano stores at the local mall, and crowds would gather to watch. Despite his shyness and stage fright, George would also enter annual talent shows at school, perhaps an early indication he was destined to perform. .

At the age of ten, his parents encouraged piano lessons, but in five weeks George quit the lessons after his teacher discovered he was playing by ear. Uninterested with structure & theory, George wanted to play the piano his way, and never returned to formal training, or piano lessons ever again.

As a teenager, George followed the footsteps of his Grandfather and began a career in the restaurant industry where he spent over 20 years in the business. Time at the piano was often his private escape. George never dreamed of pursuing his love of music as a career, but over the years, the piano kept calling him back. After moving to Atlanta in 1992, George continued his restaurant career, but also had an opportunity to record his debut album Homeland in 1996, and eventually stepped away from the restaurant scene to pursue his passion for music. Since that time, George recorded several albums including, Numinous, Season Traditions, Athena,Generations, Second Nature, Return to Homeland, Snow, Forever Young,Adagio-the music of Chris Spheeris, Reunion, and Imagine. It is no surprise the relaxing quality of his music has attracted use by spas and by massage therapists worldwide. This year, George celebrates the 15th year of his independent record label, Evzone Music.

George’s music has also managed to find it’s way into several public television documentaries and programs. PBS selected George’s music for three nationally televised documentaries “Visions of Greece,” “Visions of Italy", and most recently “Brava Italia.” You may have also heard George’s music on XM-SIRIUS Satellite Radio, Music Choice, iTunes and Martha Stewart Living Radio.

Most recently even animals have been listening to his soothing sounds and George's music has been chosen as the official music of the Atlanta Humane Society- his latest release “Songs for Sophie” benefits animal rescue projects nationally. George has also performed in concert various fundraisers, benefitting various charities including; The Breast Cancer Foundation, AHEPA (American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association), Jane Fonda’s G-CAPP (The Georgia Campaign for Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention), The Atlanta Humane Society, DIFFA- (Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS,) & Art for Good- Benefitting the Children of Haiti, and the Multiple Sclerosis Foundation.

George is also an avid photographer, and currently is planning to combine his talents for music, food and photography, in his upcoming cookbook to be released in 2012. All of George’s music can be found on on iTunes, Amazon.com and various other online sources, including his official website, GeorgeSkaroulis.com.