The Band

The EMBOS Orchestra represents a group of seven dynamic and talented musicians. EMBROS performs most of the traditional Greek folk dance rhythms, Greek-Latin music, Greek waltzes and polkas, as well as a variety of American dance music. The EMBROS Orchestra has performed throughout the southeastern region of the United States in locations including Miami, Palm Beach, Clearwater, Orlando, Ocala, St. Augustine, Jacksonville, Pensacola and Mobile, Alabama. It is the official musical group of the Center For Greek Studies at the University of Florida. The group has produced one audio cassette, Live From Mobile, as well as two CDs, Greek Night and Greek Fest. [back to top]

Leo Polopolus is the leader of the Embros Orchestra, which he founded in 1975. The B-flat clarinet is Leo’s major instrument, while he also plays the C and A clarinets, alto and soprano saxophones and the flute. He is also a beginning student of the violin. Leo began his musical ‘career’ on clarinet with the Bloomington, California Elementary School band. He played first clarinet with the Colton Union High School (California) marching band and the symphonic orchestra. Leo organized a dance band while in high school known as the Fontana Cloverleaf 4-H band, playing clarinet and tenor saxophone. In college, Leo played first clarinet with the University of California at Davis marching band, as well as the ROTC military band and the university’s chamber orchestra. In recent years, Leo has concentrated his musical energies on Greek music, mostly Greek folk music. He also writes original Greek music and lyrics. [back to top]

David Patrick Ford began his performance career at age 12 doing stage performances in and around his hometown of Carlisle, PA. He began playing the guitar at age 16 in his high school rock band. After receiving a BFA in Drama/Musical Theater from Carnegie Mellon University, he moved to New York City to pursue an acting career. Highlights from those years include the Broadway National Tours of "The Full Monty" and "Footloose;" the Off-Broadway Musical, "Sessions," and performances in some of the premiere regional theaters around the country. He can be seen in the movie, "P.S. I Love You," and in the background of several other major motion pictures. David has also written many songs, a one-act play, and a full-length musical. He met Peggy Polopolus (daughter of Leo and sister of Eleni) in 1999 and they were married in 2002. David has only recently picked up the bouzouki, but finds it a thrilling challenge and is very happy to be included in this talented orchestra. When not practicing, David can be found teaching Music Together® classes around Gainesville through his company, Tonewood Family Music, Inc. Find out more about him at DavidPatrickFord.com; or his classes at TonewoodFamilyMusic.com. [back to top]

Annemieke Pronker-Coron studied violin at the Amsterdam Sweelinck Conservatory in her native country, the Netherlands, where her teachers included Jan Henrichs and internationally renowned Baroque specialist, Jaap Schroder. She also studied music therapy in London, Great Britain. Annemieke performed with many different orchestras, in Holland and the U.S., including the Gainesville Symphony Orchestra. She joined the Embros Orchestra in 2001 and also currently performs with the baroque trio: the Alachua Consort. When she first came to the U.S., Annemieke did research in Bluegrass / Folk fiddling music. She studied with George Custer and took some lessons with Byron Berline. In June 1992, she placed 7th in the open rounds at the Nashville Grand Masters Fiddle Competition. Annemieke is a violin and fiddle instructor as well as an active promoter of music in the community, having taught in local school string programs, and is one of the founding members of the annual Sawgrass Fiddle Contest for Children and Teens. [back to top]

Eleni Polopolus grew up dancing to the sounds of her father Leo Polopolus" clarinet and singing in the St. Elizabeth Greek Orthodox Church choir. She began playing piano at the age of eight and began studying voice in high school. Eleni earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in vocal performance from Tulane University in 1992. Currently she continues her vocal training and recently learned to play the accordion. Having been the Embros Orchestra"s number one fan since its inception, Eleni was so proud to join the band in 2000 and share the spotlight with her father, Leo. [back to top]

Mark Wilson has been playing in bands for over 30 years. He continues to play classic rock with the band Crosswinds (along with Jeff Burkhardt), which has been playing in the Gainesville area for 18 years. He has played the upright bass for the Lake City-based bluegrass group Skip Johns and the Travellers since 1977. The Travellers have performed all over the Southeast region, including the Grand Ol' Opry. They were invited guests of the legend country humorist, Jerry Clower, and they are the only Florida-based bluegrass group to ever perform on the Opry, to date. Mark has played rhythm and bass guitar for Embros for over ten years and continues to appreciate the intricate patterns and rhythms of Greek folk dance music. The best is yet to come. [back to top]

Lance Spano has been playing drums for almost forty years. Born and raised in the Philadelphia area, he worked the backstage crew of the Philadelphia Folk Festival for eleven years. He moved to Maine in the late 1970's and played with the new wave band Ghost Walks in Portland. The closest he came to fame was when that band got the chance to open for The Ramones in the mid-1980s. He enjoys exploring the world of music and has traveled to Egypt to purchase hand drums and to East Africa to absorb the music and culture. After arriving in Gainesville, Florida, in 1987 Lance has played in various bands, including Lazy Lightning, Mojo Men, and the Root Doctors for seven years. He also currently plays with Mark and Jeff in Crosswinds, and from their invitation joined EMBROS in 2006. [back to top]