Alexis Porfiriadis teaches Composition at Musical Praxis Conservatory.

Studies

Alexis Porfiriadis is a composer, music theorist and pianist/improviser. He holds a PhD in composition from the University of Bath-Spa/UK (supervisor: James Saunders). He also studied ‘Composition and Music Theory’ (Komposition und Musik Theorie) with Gerd Kühr (Magister Artium, 2002) and Beat Furrer (Postgraduate, 2003) at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Graz/Austria. During the academic year 2003-04 he composed works under the guidance of Mathias Spahlinger who was a visiting professor in Graz.

Furthermore, Alexis holds a Piano Diploma and Degrees in Harmony, Counterpoint and Fugue as well as a Piano Diploma from the State Conservatory of Thessaloniki. He has attended seminars and courses in composition, analysis and music theory with many important European composers such as Erich Urbanner, Enno Poppe, Bernard Lang, George Aperghis, and Manos Tsangaris.

Educational Activity

He teaches improvisation, experimental music and non-conventional performing arts for ensembles at the Department of Music Science and Art of the University of Macedonia, Music History at the State School of Dance, Music Theory Modules at the Amarousion Municipal Conservatory and Composition at Musical Praxis Conservatory.

Professional Activity

Awards and scholarships awarded to him include the First Prize at the Franco Evangelisti International Composition Competition 2020 Rome/Italy (2020), the Third Prize at the Molinari Quartet International Composition Competition Montreal/Canada (2004/05), the Prize for the promotion of Music of the City of Graz/Austria (2002) and the Annual Scholarship for Music Composition of the Republic of Austria (2003-04).

His artistic career as a composer and improvisation performer includes, during the years 1997-2024, presentations of compositions in individual concerts and international/local festivals as well as appearances as a improvisation pianist in Europe (Greece, Italy, Spain, Serbia, Slovakia, Austria, Germany, Belgium, England, Russia, Denmark), USA, Mexico and Canada. He has participated as a composer and as a musical performer in festivals such as: Tectonics Festival of the Onassis Foundation’s House of Letters and Arts (Athens, 2022), Klang Festival (Copenhagen/Denmark, 2021), ‘Enclosures-Diffusions’ produced by Thessaloniki Music Hall (Thessaloniki, 2019), Dimitria Festival (Thessaloniki, 2017 and 2006), ‘A bridge of music over Syngrou’ organized by the Onassis Stegi and Pantion University (Athens, 2019), ‘Open Day’ of Onassis Stegi of Letters and Arts (Athens, 2018 and 2017), Contemporary Insights Summer Academy for Present-Day Music, (Melle/Germany, 2021), Open Form Festival, (Copenhagen/Denmark, 2018 and 2017), Just Fest Festival, (Rostow on don/Russia, 2018), ISCM World Music Days 2013, (Kosice/Slovakia), SITE Festival, (Stroud/England, 2012), etc.

Among the ensembles which have performed his compositions are the ensembles: Dissonart Ensemble (Greece), T R A M A S espacios de experimentationación artística (Mexico), Open Form Ensemble (Denmark), Modern Music Ensemble of the University of Washington School of Music (U.S.A.), Sicilian Improvisers Orchestra (Italy), snim–spontanes netzwerk für Improvisierte Musik (Austria), Extradition Series (USA), x.y Ensemble (England), InEnsemble (Russia), Ensemble Wiener Collage (Austria), MotoContrario Ensemble (Italy), , Molinari String Quartet (Canada), ARS MUSICANDUM Sax-Quartet (Spain), 6daEXIt Improvisation Ensemble (Greece), WHI ensemble (Greece).