Praised for the “spiritual heights, drama, and tension” of his music, immersing listeners into “a world of sound” (The National Herald, NYC), Aris Antoniades is a Cypriot composer, arranger, and music director whose work spans symphonic, jazz, theatrical, and cinematic mediums. From Symphony Orchestras to Jazz Big Bands, his creations resonate with audiences worldwide.

He has collaborated with iconic figures such as nine-time Grammy nominee Bobby Sanabria, the National Radio Symphony Orchestra of Greece (ERT), legendary composer George Hatzinassios, platinum-selling vocalist Alkistis Protopsalti, and esteemed composer and pianist Stefanos Korkolis. His contributions extend to Greece’s most influential artists, including Michalis Hatzigiannis, George Perris, Sofia Manousaki, and X-Factor (Greece) judges George Theofanous and Mariza Rizou.

Recently, Aris orchestrated and music-directed Alkistis Protopsalti’s sold-out concert tour in Greece, The Songs I’ve Grown to Love, which featured his imaginative reworkings of songs by renowned artists.

Aris’s compositional voice reflects a thoughtful balance of emotional depth, structural clarity, and a deep connection to storytelling. Influenced by classical traditions, jazz idioms, and the rich musical heritage of Cyprus, his work often juxtaposes simplicity with complexity, creating music that is both evocative and accessible.

Among his distinguished concert works are Chiaroscuro for symphony orchestra, recorded and broadcast by the Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation; Nostos for saxophone and piano, commissioned by the University of Sydney and the Australian HD Duo, and featured on Da Vinci Classics’ Music of the Commonwealth (2021); and Toccata & Fugue for church organ, performed at NYC’s Cathedral of St. John the Divine. Most recently, Lucas Hopkins and Er-Hsuan Li have released a full album, published by Soundscape Records, featuring his new work, Two Childhood Portraits.

In jazz, Aris draws inspiration from his Cypriot roots, with original Big Band works showcased at festivals such as the Kypria International Festival. His Afro-Cuban Jazz arrangement of Lalo Schifrin’s Mission Impossible Theme was performed at Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola, attended by the legendary conga master Cándido Camero.

Aris has also scored seven short films, including Bizone, whose title theme is streaming globally. His theatrical credits include collaborations with Broadway veterans Andrew Gerle and Joe Locarro. In Cyprus, he recently orchestrated and music-directed West End & Beyond: Broadway and West End Stars in Concert, featuring internationally celebrated performers like Earl Carpenter, Holly-Anne Hull, Lauren Byrne, James Hume, Olivia Brereton, and Niall Sheehy. He also frequently composed music for plays, such as the experimental play Women of Soil by Ermina Kyriazi.

Since January 2021, Aris has been serving as the artistic director and principal conductor of the TrakArt Pops Orchestra in Cyprus. Under his leadership, the orchestra has presented major national productions, collaborating with esteemed artists from the Cyprus, Greece, and the U.K. He also shares his love of music as the host of Musical Compass on CyBC Classic Radio (88.2 FM).

A Fulbright Scholar, Aris earned his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Classical Composition from the Manhattan School of Music, where he studied under Mark Stambaugh and received the Provost’s Award for Academic Excellence. He was the recipient of the Manhattan School of Music International Advisory Board Scholarship and the A. G. Leventis Foundation Scholarship. He is now pursuing a Ph.D. at the University of St. Louis, Missouri.