Yanni tour adds ‘Voices’ to new interpretations of classic songs

Best known for his instrumental compositions, New Age musician Yanni is bringing vocals into the mix for the first time with his upcoming album and tour, Yanni Voices: Live in Concert. The first leg of the extensive worldwide jaunt kicks off in North America with nearly 50 confirmed concert dates.

The outing begins April 10 at Bank Atlantic Center in Ft. Lauderdale, FL, and wraps July 5 at Jobing.com Arena in Glendale, AZ. Highlights for the first tour leg include an April 22 concert at the Sommet Center Arena in Nashville, TN, a May 29 concert at Sears Centre Arena in Chicago, IL, a June 14 show at Nokia Theatre in Dallas, TX, and a June 30 concert at Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles, CA.

A two-night stand is also on the books for April 31 and May 1 at Radio City Music Hall in New York, NY. Additional North American dates, as well as international stops, are expected in the future, and ticket on-sale and purchasing information will be announced on his Web site sometime this month.

The Grecian musician is touring behind his upcoming March 24 release, “Yanni Voices,” his first album in more than five years. The record will also be his first release under his new worldwide 360 deal with the Disney Pearl Series record label and Buena Vista Concerts.

In a mid-November statement announcing the deal, Yanni noted that the partnership would help lead his music in new directions. “Expect the unexpected,” the keyboardist declared. “There are no rules. Nevermind what Yanni used to do; that has been done.”

Unlike Yanni’s previous work, the new album puts vocals in the forefront for a reimagining of his classic tracks. According to the statement, Yanni worked with award-winning producer Ric Wake to train singers Nathan Pacheco, Chloe, Ender Thomas and Leslie Mills “to take Yanni’s most famous themes and convert them into masterful new songs with voices.”

Yanni became a popular icon of New Age music in the early- to mid-1990s. His breakthrough “Live at the Acropolis,” released in 1994, sold approximately 3.6 million copies in the United States alone, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

Since then, his record sales have declined, but he remains a top international act. Yanni’s previous two tours, which stretched from 2003 through 2005, grossed an estimated $49 million combined, according to Billboard Boxscore.

Yanni itinerary:
(Dates are subject to change.)