Demetrios Pappas is an acclaimed musician, conductor and musical director who has garnered over 50 years of experience in his industry. Specializing in classical and jazz music production, he has served as the musical director for Smokey Robinson since 2008, having also served with Bertam Publishing Co. as a pianist, conductor and musical director during this time. Earlier in his career, Mr. Pappas was a musical director for Nell Carter from 1997 to 1999 and a touring keyboardist for the Funk Brothers from 2000 to 2004.
Outside of his primary career efforts, Mr. Pappas has also worked with such distinguished musicians as Aretha Franklin, Eric Clapton, Steve Winwood, Billy Preston, Daryl Hall, Bobby Caldwell, and the musical group Blood, Sweat and Tears, among many other famous names. Likewise, he contributed to a number of productions of “Mamma Mia!” on Broadway, as well as secured three record deals with Naxos Records, through which he recorded jazz versions of three different shows that also included his own original compositions.
Earlier, Mr. Pappas attended Keene State College, where he completed coursework in music performance in 1975. He subsequently completed additional coursework at the Berklee College of Music in 1976. After completing his education, Mr. Pappas began touring with several pop bands, with whom he played at hotel lounges and international venues. Furthermore, Mr. Pappas is recognized as a civic-minded citizen, having contributed to the Deborah Hospital Foundation, the New Hampshire Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, United Service Organizations, Inc., and the Tunnel to Towers Foundation.
In light of his remarkable feats in music, Mr. Pappas was twice nominated for a Grammy Award and received the Gershwin Prize for Popular Song from the Library of Congress in 2016. He also appeared at The White House in 2015, playing and conducting for Smokey Robinson. In the coming years, Mr. Pappas aims to witness the continued growth of his career and compose and perform for more musicians.
