Praised for the “spiritual heights, the drama, the tension” of his music, “immersing the listener into a world of sound” (The National Herald, NYC), composer Aris Antoniades creates works for everything from Symphony Orchestras to Jazz Big Bands. He has written/arranged for eight-time Grammy nominee Bobby Sanabria, the National Radio Symphony Orchestra of Greece (ERT), legendary Greek composer George Hatzinassios, twenty-eight-time golden and platinum album vocalist (IFPI Greece) Alkistis Protopsalti, as well as other influential artists of the Greek industry, including Michalis Hatzigiannis, George Perris, Costas Cacoyannis, X-Factor (Greece) judges George Theofanous and Mariza Rizou.

 

Among his most distinguished concert works are his Chiaroscuro for symphony orchestra, which was recorded and broadcast by the Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation; his Nostos for saxophone and piano, co-commissioned by the University of Sydney and the Australian ensemble HD Duo, which was featured in the group's album Music of the Commonwealth published by Da Vinci Classics in November 2021; and his Toccata & Fugue for church organ which was performed at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in NYC. In the jazz medium, Aris has composed a set of original Big Band works inspired by Cypriot folklore music. This set was featured in several festivals, including the Kypria International Festival of Cyprus. More notably, his original Afro-Cuban Jazz arrangement of Lalo Schifrin’s famous Mission Impossible Theme was performed at Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola in New York (Jazz at the Lincoln Center) in the presence of the late conga master Cándido Camero.

 

Aside from concert works, Aris has written extensively for film and theater, scoring seven short films, including the film Bizone, whose title theme is available on all major streaming platforms. His theater credits include collaborations with Broadway veterans, such as composer/pianist Andrew Gerle and director Joe Locarro. In Cyprus, he recently orchestrated and music-directed a set of sold-out performances of the show West End & Beyond: Broadway and West End Stars in Concert featuring internationally known theater stars, including Earl Carpenter. He has also composed original music for the Greek experimental play Women of Soil, directed by Ermina Kyriazi, whose music can be streamed on all major platforms.

 

As of January 2021, he is the artistic director and principal conductor of the TrakArt Pops Orchestra in his homeland, Cyprus. In that capacity, he has music-directed several big productions nationwide. Some of his most notable collaborations as a conductor were with internationally acclaimed Greek composer and pianist Stefanos Korkolis, “The Voice of Greece” judge Panos Mouzourakis, and golden album vocalist (IFPI Greece) Sofia Manousaki. Additionally, Aris is the radio host of Musical Compass on CyBC Classic Radio, where he shares his passion for music with listeners.

 

A recipient of the Fulbright award, Aris completed his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Classical Composition at the Manhattan School of Music in NYC, where he studied with Mark Stambaugh, receiving the Provost’s Award for Academic Excellence upon graduation. He is honored to have been the recipient of the Manhattan School of Music International Advisory Board and the A. G. Leventis Foundation scholarship awards. Aris is a Ph.D. candidate at the School of Education of the University of St. Louis, Missouri.