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Yanni music biography continued...

In his younger years, he was a competitive swimmer until realizing that his dream of becoming an Olympian was not achievable. While attending the University of Minnesota, he pursued a side career performing in rock and roll bands. He toured with his band Chameleon throughout the Midwest and eventually graduated from University with a psychology degree. From that point on he made the decision to focus solely on his aspirations as a musician.

His early music which consisted mostly of synthesizers received little attention but was often played on New Age radio stations. Nevertheless the musician managed to gain an adequate fan base. His debut full-length album was Keys to Imagination released in 1986. His first greatly recognized album was Dare To Dream in 1992 as it was nominated for a Grammy Award.

In 1993 he released the album and video Live at the Acropolis. This album was his first utilizing a full Orchestra rather than studio musicians. The concert was filmed in Athens at the Herodian Amphitheater under the Parthenon. The Royal London Philharmonic Orchestra performed under the supervision of conductor Shardad Rohani. Live at Acropolis proved to be a huge commercial success. The concert was aired on PBS in the US and became one of their most popular programs.

Several of Yanni's compositions are used for sports telecasts. NBC Sports uses the song "In Celebration of Man" for all United States Golf Association championships coverage. CBS Sports PGA Tour and LPGA Championship events feature Yanni's track "Fanfare". Also Epcot's Innoventions Fountain plays "Standing In Motion" as one of their musical selections for the water ballet.

In 2003, he went on tour promoting his Ethnicity album and released the DVD of the Ethnicity Tour in 2006. On March 2, 2006, Yanni was arrested after a dispute with girlfriend Silvia Barthes and faced a domestic battery charge. The charge was later dropped and the musician released a statement claiming that the accusations were false.