Ayres & Graces

Maria Margiolakou is a native Greek coloratura soprano currently based in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. Maria’s performing experience - from recital to opera - is wide ranging in style and locale: having performed on stages in the Pacific Northwest, the American South, New England, Tuscany, London, and Prague. In summer 2023, she began collaborating with the early music group Ensemble OrQuesta (UK), performing Morgana in Handel’s Alcina. This was followed (in 2024) by a London performance of the title role in Handel’s Semele. In addition to operatic work, Maria has frequently been engaged as a soloist in various sacred works, including Vivaldi’s Magnificat, Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater, John Rutter’s Requiem, and Faure’s Requiem. In 2020, Maria was selected as a young artist at the Opera Studio of Connecticut Lyric Opera. In Connecticut Lyric Opera’s 2021 season, Maria made her professional debut in the role of Musetta in Puccini’s masterpiece La Bohème. Other roles have included Adele (Die Fledermaus - Connecticut Lyric Opera), Lauretta (Gianni Schicchi - Greve Opera Academy), Cherubino (Le nozze di Figaro - Greve Opera Academy), and Frasquita (Carmen - Opera Theater of Connecticut). As a student, Maria performed roles such as Lucy (The Telephone), Cercatrice (Suor Angelica), Joan Hall (The Workshop), Cissy (Albert Herring), and originated the role of Robin in the world premiere of Milton Granger’s opera Don’t You Know. Maria teaches voice privately, and has previously served on the voice faculty at Auburn University. As an avid practitioner of the Alexander Technique, Maria incorporates FM Alexander’s concepts into her teaching, as well as in her own vocal technique. Maria holds a BMus degree in Music from the University of Macedonia (Greece) as well as an MM and Artist Certificate in Vocal Performance from Georgia State University (USA), where she studied with W. Dwight Coleman.

Born in Orlando, FL and raised in Albany, GA, Cole Louis Hankins began his musical career noodling around on an old Wurlitzer organ in his grandmother’s living room. After some formal training on the violin, he began to pick up instruments one by one and conquer them: guitar, bass, harmonica, drums, and trumpet, to name a few. In addition to his instrument studies, he also became an amateur music historian, studying American and English music forms: rock and roll, jazz, folk, country, bluegrass, and soul music. All of these influences, together with an open mind, have formed an always interesting (if sometimes eclectic) musical sensibility. Multiple stints in bands (bass, fiddle, and guitar in bluegrass bands; bass, drums, keys, and guitar in pop/rock bands) have enhanced his “well-rounded” approach to performance and interpretation.