# Aris Antoniades

Aris Antoniades (Greek: Άρης Αντωνιάδης; born December 2, 1991) is a Greek-Cypriot composer, arranger, orchestrator, and music director. Antoniades has composed and arranged music for concert, film, and theater. Some of his most notable works include Chiaroscuro, a symphonic piece that was first performed at the Riverside Church under the baton of conductor George Manahan and later recorded by the National Radio Symphony Orchestra of Greece (ΕRΤ); his Toccata & Fugue for Organ, that was performed at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York City; and his big band arrangement of Lalo Schifrin's Mission Impossible Theme which was performed by multi-Grammy nominated percussionist and band leader Bobby Sanabria at Dizzy's Club - Jazz at Lincoln Center. As an arranger and orchestrator, he has written for twenty-eight-time gold and platinum album vocalist (IFPI Greece) Alkistis Protopsalti, composer Stefanos Korkolis, as well as Michalis Hatzigiannis, George Perris, and X-Factor (Greece) judges George Theofanous and Mariza Rizou, among others.

## Early life and education

Antoniades was born and raised in Limassol, Cyprus, and began taking piano lessons at age 5. After being awarded a scholarship from the Fulbright Commission, he moved to the United States where he completed his bachelor's and master's degrees in classical composition at the Manhattan School of Music in New York City, receiving the Provost's Award for Academic Excellence upon graduation. Antoniades is currently pursuing a Ph.D. at Saint Louis University, Missouri.

## Musical career

Antoniades’ compositions reflect his ability to weave emotional depth with structural clarity, resonating with audiences across the globe. His works include Chiaroscuro for symphony orchestra, recorded and broadcast by the Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation, and Nostos for saxophone and piano, commissioned by the University of Sydney and recorded by the HD Duo's album Music of the Commonwealth (Da Vinci Classics, 2021). His latest work for saxophone and piano, Two Childhood Portraits, is featured on a full album released by Soundscape Recordings in 2024.
In jazz, Antoniades draws inspiration from his Cypriot roots. Recently, original Big Band works have been showcased at festivals such as the Kypria International Festival.
Aside from concert works, he has written extensively for film and theater, having scored seven short-films - including the film "Bizone" whose Main Theme was released on all major streaming platforms in 2019. His latest original theater score was for the Greek experimental play Women of Soil (Greek: Γυναίκες από Χώμα).
Recent highlights include orchestrating and music-directing Alkistis Protopsalti’s sold-out tour The Songs I’ve Grown to Love, featuring imaginative reworkings of beloved songs. Antoniades also served as the music director and orchestrator for West End & Beyond: Broadway and West End Stars in Concert, collaborating with renowned performers Earl Carpenter, Holly-Anne Hull, Lauren Byrne, James Hume and Niall Sheehy.

## Leadership and outreach

Since January 2021, Antoniades has served as the artistic director and principal conductor of the TrakArt Pops Orchestra in Cyprus, presenting major national productions and collaborating with esteemed artists from Cyprus, Greece, and the U.K. He also hosts the radio show Musical Compass on CyBC Classic Radio (88.2 FM), exploring a wide range of musical traditions and genres.