We were lucky to catch up with Peter Xifaras recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Peter thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

Because of the brand I have been pursuing, ‘music for social change’, three recent projects are meaningful each in their own way thru their messaging. For these types of projects, I like to enhance the music by combining tracks with video & film. When both are combined, the messaging then explodes driving home the meaning of the compositions. In addition, using an orchestra for these type of projects gives you a wide array of color pallets and timbre to choose from in order to express deep emotional and dramatic tracks.

The three meaningful projects that stand out are:

CHILDREN OF CONFLICT is a string orchestra project recorded by the Czech National Symphony Orchestra with added vocal narration and vocalizations.

WHILE MY GUITAR WEEPS FOR MEHDI RAJABIAN is another CNSO project with added electric guitar tracks.

DYSTOPIAN WORLD features solo violin with the CNSO that incorporates contemporary elements and sounds effects.

Of the three, Children of Conflict has probably been the most emotional of the three due to the reality of the situation.
In light of recent events in places such as the Middle East, Ukraine and Afghanistan, but not limited to those places, I felt compelled to create an artistic work to shine a light on this travesty of this human condition. Children of Conflict is a powerful work, championing social change for the world’s disadvantaged and war-stricken children in hope of raising awareness. Each movement is recorded as a 4K music-video that plays an integral role in reinforcing the music’s message of empathy. Lost Innocence, one of the more poignant movements can be viewed here: https://youtu.be/kVkB1QOSn4M

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I began taking guitar lessons early on as a child and by my teens I was doing gigs in local night clubs with rock & fusion bands. This pretty much solidified my future pathway as I decided to pursue music as a career. When I auditioned to get into the music program at the State University, I was accepted contingent upon studying the classical guitar which meant I needed to trade in my Gibson Les Paul for a classical. After a year of studying classical while in my last year of high school, I was able to hit the ground running as a college freshman and majored in guitar performance. Years later I started a record label, MusicWithNoExpiration.com®, to release my own compositions as well as those of my alter ego symphoneX Orchestra® with plans to take on additional artists.

With regards to creative works and focus, the brand I’ve pursued is that of ‘music for social change’. As mentioned earlier, three of the projects I am most proud of are:

1. CHILDREN OF CONFLICT

– to bring attention to the plight of ‘Children of Conflict’ around the globe. It’s an important message of the innocents who every day suffer throughout the world, to remind people of these children whose lives have been indescribably altered, their parents either gone, or so traumatized they are struggling to simply cope with the everchanging patchwork their lives and futures have become.

2. WHILE MY GUITAR WEEPS FOR MEHDI RAJABIAN

– a homage to the bravery and tenacity of the Iranian artist imprisoned, beaten & tortured who nearly died for his music. I promised him I would honor his sacrifice with this song for what he has endured as an artist. Mehdi became the first musician to win the United Nations’ second annual International Art Contest for Minority Artists. The honor was presented to him in absentia because Mehdi, who has been jailed three times for his music, is unable to leave Iran.

3. DYSTOPIAN WORLD

– features 7 tracks that visit recent dystopian themes infiltrating our modern-day society that are reminiscent of George Orwell’s fictional work ‘1984’ via surveillance technology, free speech suppression, info manipulation, censorship, privacy erosion, propaganda, individuality, groupthink, and the value of truth. As the music for this project explores these concepts, a Google search revealed many of the talking points below from which writings from these sources are presented as follows:

a. SURVEILLANCE: The proliferation of surveillance technology has surpassed anything Orwell could have imagined. As people become more reliant on technology, the potential for abuse grows with the ability to track individuals’ movements, behaviors, and even conversations, both online and offline (think Amazon Echo, Google Home, Siri, Smart TV’s that listen, Apple air tags).

b. FREEDOM OF SPEECH: Another critical aspect of Orwell’s “1984” is the suppression of freedom of speech. There is a pattern of increasing censorship on social media platforms, with dissenting voices silenced and marginalized.

c. INFORMATION MANIPULATION: In “1984,” the government manipulated information to control the populace. Today, we face a similar challenge with the spread of misinformation and disinformation online. Social media algorithms prioritize sensational content, contributing to a distorted perception of reality and undermining trust in institutions.

d. PRIVACY EROSION: As individuals lose control over their digital footprint, the potential for manipulation and coercion increases. Invasive data collection practices and weak privacy protections have left individuals vulnerable to identity theft, targeted advertising, and government surveillance.

e. PROPAGANDA: Today we see the pervasive influence of propaganda through advertising, political campaigns, and media manipulation. The advent of deep fake technology has introduced unprecedented sophistication to propaganda efforts, allowing for the creation of convincing but entirely fabricated audio and visual content.

f. CONFORMIST SOCIETY: The pressures of social media and the expectation to conform to certain ideals can lead to the loss of individuality. People may feel compelled to present curated versions of themselves, stifling their authentic self-expression.

g. GROUPTHINK: Today, the prevalence of echo chambers on social media platforms can also promote groupthink, leading to a polarized society where dissent is vilified and critical thinking is discouraged. This fragmentation of public discourse contributes to ideological bubbles, where individuals surround themselves with like-minded people and reinforce their existing beliefs.

h. VALUE OF TRUTH: Orwell’s “1984” portrays a world where objective truth is disregarded in favor of government-sanctioned narratives. Today, we face the challenge of distinguishing truth from falsehood amidst misinformation. In this era of alternative facts and fake news, the pursuit of truth becomes a daunting task.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

In addition to creating musical works that have social significance, the focus and mission for myself as an artist and for the record label MusicWithNoExpiration.com® is creating artistic works that stand the test of time – what we believe is the true definition of art. It is this philosophy that has attracted a wide range of talented guest artists who are excited to participate on one of our many multi-genre releases.

If the art still stands up 50 years from now, mission accomplished.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

It is the working process – the act of having a concept, developing the idea, working to see it come to fruition and then seeing the impact it may have on consumers of the art. It’s a great feeling of accomplishment to create something substantial from nothing. And along the creative journey, it’s about the people you meet and interact with, each with their own set of gifts and talents to offer.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://peterxifaras.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/xifaraspeter
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PeterXifarasMusic
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-xifaras-739093135/
• Twitter: https://x.com/PeterXifaras
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBD36i9VdjUU3YyJFvlmW4A
• Other: https://symphony-x.com
  https://musicwithnoexpiration.com