Alkinoos Ioannidis

Alkinoos Ioannidis was born in Nicosia, Cyprus. He studied classical guitar at the European Conservatory and in 1989 moved to Athens, Greece. He spent the next three years studying theatre at the National Theatre Drama School and philosophy at Athens University. In 1993 he signed to Universal Music, who continues to be his label to this day.

As a singer-songwriter he has released eleven solo albums, most of which have gone gold or platinum. As a guest singer, he has performed on more than 40 albums with various artists. He has also written songs, arranged and produced albums for other artists, as well as music for dance and theater, while his symphonic work is often performed by orchestras in Greece and abroad. His influences range from traditional Cypriot music, Greek composers of the last decades, Byzantine, Classical and Rock.

When performing his work, he either heads a band whose members include some of the best Greek soloists, or strips it right back to a solo multi-instrumental performance. He performs at about 100 shows per year, at venues ranging from 5,000 capacity theatres to small clubs and from Ancient Greek amphitheatres to modern rock stages. In his constantly evolving live performances, he combines electric music with choirs, improvisation, classical elements, live looping, progressive rock, jazz, Greek and Middle Eastern influences.

In 2005 he became a student of legendary Russian composer Boris Tishchenko, studying composition with him at the St. Petersburg State Conservatory in Russia. In November 2009 the Academic Symphony Orchestra Dmitri Shostakovich of St. Petersburg and the choir "Lege Artis" performed Alkinoos' music to a sold out crowd at the Conservatory's Glazunov theatre. Alkinoos dedicated this concert to his teacher. In April 2010, his classical work was performed at the Berlin Philharmonie Kammermusiksaal. The same program was performed for a sold out crowd in October 2010 at the Athens Concert Hall, with the Cyprus Symphony Orchestra. In May 2011, his works were the opening concert of the "White Nights" Festival of Petrozavodsk, Russia, with the Karelia Philharmonic Orchestra.

He has also worked with The Charles Lloyd New Quartet, The Absolute Ensemble (New York), The Bulgarian National Radio Symphony Orchestra, The Greek Radio and TV Symphony Orchestra, The Athens Kamerata, The Cypriot State Orchestra, The Greek State Orchestra, The Thessaloniki State Orchestra, The Camerata Europaea, The Manos Hadjidakis Ensemble, The Yiannis Markopoulos Palintonos Armonia and The Mikis Theodorakis Popular Orchestra.

Alkinoos pursued a career in acting before devoting himself to music. One of the youngest ever actors to play primary roles at the ancient theatre of Epidaurus, he played there twice, in 1993 (Menander, Samia, Cyprus Theatre Organization) and 1997 (Euripides, Alkistis, Art Theatre). He has also starred in television and on film.

Among his diverse activities, he is the flutist, percussionist and singer of the avant-garde group FMS (Friends of Miltos Sahtouris). He is a board member of the Athens Concert Hall since December 2010. He also gives annual seminars on Creative Writing to postgraduate literature students at Florina University.

Standout performances:

USA
New York: Madison Square Garden, 1996
The Metropolitan Museum, 1999
The Lincoln Center, 2001
SummerStage Festival at The Central Park, 2002
The Skirball Center for the Performing Arts at NYU, 2004, 2007
BMCC Tribeca Performing Arts Center, 2009
Chicago: World Music Festival, 2005
Indiana: Bloomington Lotus Festival, 2005

Germany
Berlin: Berlin Philharmonie, 2010
Quasimodo, 2004, 2007, 2009
KulturBrauerei, 2006
Munich: Carl Orff Saal, 2008, 2010
Cologne: Stadtgarten, 2007, 2008, 2009
Nurnberg: Tafelhalle, 2005, 2007
Stimmen Festival, 2006
Rudolstadt Festival, 2007
Stuttgart: Denoar, 2007, Wagenhallen, 2008
Frankfurt: die Fabric, 2009, 2011
Hamburg: Kafe Aman, 1997

Russia
St. Petersburg: Glazunov Hall, 2009
Petrozavodsk: Petrozavodsk Symphony Hall, 2011

UK
London: The Hellenic Center, 2000
The Queen Elizabeth Hall, 2002, 2007, 2010
Islington Academy, 2008
Manchester: Academy 2, 2008
Brighton: Komedia, 2008
Birmingham : Barfly, 2008

France
Paris: Maison de la Poesie, 2001
UNESCO 2006, 2009
Maison des Cultures du Monde 2009

Luxemburg
Luxemburg, 2009

Australia
Melbourne: Sidney Myer Music Bowls – 2006
Melbourne Town Hall, 2008

Belgium
Bruxelles: Palais des Beaux Arts, 1996
Dranouter Music Festival, 1996

Spain
Madrid: Museo de la Citad, 2000
Manresa World Music Festival, 2007

Portugal
Povoa de Varzim, Festival Musicas do Mar, 2007

Romania
Bucharest 1997

Georgia
Tbilisi State Concert Hall, 1999
Batumi Opera House, 1999
Kutaisi Meliton Balanchivadze State Opera House, 1999

Slovakia
Bradislava, 2011

Argentina
Buenos Aires: Teatro Coliseo, 2005

Serbia
Beograd, 1998, Republic Square, during the bombings.

Egypt
Alexandria, 2002, at the Opening of the New Alexandria Library

He also performs regularly at the Acropolis Theatre of Athens and the Athens Concert Hall.