The late Hector Cosmas’ last recordings will be officially launched in two concerts, to be held on 5 and 6 October in Melbourne.
The two concerts were organized to officially launch Hector’s final recording, the CD “Heartbeat” («Της καρδιάς το τικ-τακ»). Musicians Agathon Iakovidis, Maria Dikta and their touring band will be performing for this event which is being held over two evenings.

Hector Cosmas and Fotis Vergopoulos, talented young musician from Melbourne, have worked together to make this CD.

The tragic loss of the beloved musician, husband, father, son and brother, one of the pioneers of rembetika music in Australia, has saddened the Greek Australian community six months ago. Born and raised in Melbourne, the classically trained musician had a strong connection to smyrnaika and rembetika, songs and music of Asia Minor, where Hector’s background was from. A third-generation Greek-Australian, whose paternal grandfather migrated to Australia in 1921, made his way back to the patrida, and from Melbourne moved to Athens in 1997.

In June last year, Hector visited Australia, on a tour with Agathon Iakovidis, one of the most revered figures of Greek rembetika. Agathon Iakovidis will play in Melbourne again, next weekend. This time however, the concert will lack the beautiful soul of music, Hector Cosmas.

“We were making this CD during my last few months’ holiday in Greece. Musicians that took part in this CD are Agathon Iakovidis, Maria Dikta, Dimitris Mitarakis, Hector Cosmas and myself. The purpose of the concert is primarily the presentation of the work that Hector has done – the launch of his last recording, but also the fact that the sales revenue of CD will financially help Hector’s family in Greece,” Fotis Vergopoulos said to Neos Kosmos.

The two concerts in Melbourne will join musicians: Agathon Iakovidis, Maria Dikta, Fotis Vergopoulos and Costas Kalamaras. The program of the concerts will include rembetika and smyrnaika songs and will also present some of the pieces from Hector’s last recording “Heartbeat”.

“These concerts were organized through a very good friend and supporter of good music, after being discussed and supported by Hector’s father, Kostas Kosmas,” said Vergopoulos.