Terry Vakirtzoglou
Terry’s Artistic Journey & International Profile
Terry Vakirtzoglou was born in Athens, Greece. At the age of 12, she began her formal music studies, though her earliest experiences with singing came much sooner as a member of local choirs. In 2004, she was accepted into the Department of Music Studies at the Ionian University in Corfu. During her studies, jazz became the focal point of her attention, and she developed an approach to improvisation not just as a performance practice but as her own universal musical language.
After graduating in 2010, she continued her journey in New York City, supported by scholarships from the Fulbright, Onassis, and Gerondelis Foundations. At the Aaron Copland School of Music (Queens College), she deepened her craft and earned her Master of Arts in Jazz Vocal Performance in 2013. During this time, she was a semi-finalist at the International Jazz Competition “Voicingers” in Poland and established herself in the New York scene, performing at renowned venues such as Cornelia St Cafe, Le Poisson Rouge, The Zinc, and Silvana.
Expertise, Performance & Pedagogy
Since returning to Athens, Terry has established herself as a prominent figure in the music scene. For the past eight years, she has been the lead singer of The Jazz Express at the Railway Carriage Theater, producing acclaimed, sold-out shows, including “Franky Meets Ella.” Her discography includes her debut album “Qualia” (2018), with her new album of original compositions, “Permathia,” forthcoming in 2025/2026. Beyond the stage, she serves as a vocal coach for major theatrical productions, including works at the Poreia Theater and the Athens Epidaurus Festival.
Terry seamlessly integrates her passion for performance with her dedication to education. She currently teaches modern vocals, theory, and improvisation at the Nakas Conservatory (Berklee Representative in Athens), having also served as a guest professor at the Ionian University. A central part of her current work is her role as the conductor of the Nakas Gospel Choir, which she has led since 2018. Her teaching expertise spans jazz improvisation, songwriting, circle singing, and vocal arrangement, bridging the gap between traditional jazz and contemporary vocal practices.
Vakirtzoglou Tanja Kührer
