Izaki Metropoulos is a Chicago-born, third-generation Greek American violinist-- and the first musician in his family. Nearly two decades ago, he began exploring Greece’s violin traditions, crossing genres from Nisiotika to Rebetika. His path has ranged from taking first place at age 10 in the Midwest Fiddle Championship to appearing as an operatic tenor soloist with the Berkshire Symphony Orchestra. He also performs repertoire from the wider Balkans and Ottoman classical music and is passionate about musical syncretism across the Mediterranean-- especially adaptations of makam (modal) systems and the meditative, evocative taksim that express them. He continues to perform and teach across North America, specializing in the beautiful and varied music of the Cyclades.