I am an Ivor-Novello nominated composer of concert work and film music, pianist, and comedian based in Vienna. My work varies between large-scale composition and intimate one-woman performances. I am interested in my music conveying vulnerability, and making audiences feel. I regularly perform as a comedian, and I won Austria's Best New Comedian in 2025. I bring my varied practice together by shape new musical ideas that combine stand-up comedy together with experimental music. My music has been premiered by ensembles and orchestras such as Ensemble 10|10, Psappha Ensemble, ensemble recherche, Trio Estatico, The Antwerp symphony Orchestra, and The Hallé orchestra. My practice has been supported by Arts Council England, The Hinrichsen Foundation, PRS for music, SKE Austromechana (Austria), and academic scholarships from RNCM and the mdw.…

ATHANASIA KONTOU

I am an Ivor-Novello nominated composer of concert work and film music, pianist, and comedian based in Vienna. My work varies between large-scale composition and intimate one-woman performances. I am interested in my music conveying vulnerability, and making audiences feel. I regularly perform as a comedian, and I won Austria's Best New Comedian in 2025. I bring my varied practice together by shape new musical ideas that combine stand-up comedy together with experimental music. My music has been premiered by ensembles and orchestras such as Ensemble 10|10, Psappha Ensemble, ensemble recherche, Trio Estatico, The Antwerp symphony Orchestra, and The Hallé orchestra. My practice has been supported by Arts Council England, The Hinrichsen Foundation, PRS for music, SKE Austromechana (Austria), and academic scholarships from RNCM and the mdw.…

Available to hire

I am an Ivor-Novello nominated composer of concert work and film music, pianist, and comedian based in Vienna. My work varies between large-scale composition and intimate one-woman performances. I am interested in my music conveying vulnerability, and making audiences feel. I regularly perform as a comedian, and I won Austria’s Best New Comedian in 2025. I bring my varied practice together by shape new musical ideas that combine stand-up comedy together with experimental music.

My music has been premiered by ensembles and orchestras such as Ensemble 10|10, Psappha Ensemble, ensemble recherche, Trio Estatico, The Antwerp symphony Orchestra, and The Hallé orchestra. My practice has been supported by Arts Council England, The Hinrichsen Foundation, PRS for music, SKE Austromechana (Austria), and academic scholarships from RNCM and the mdw.

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Language

English
Fluent
Greek, Modern
Fluent
German
Intermediate
Spanish; Castilian
Intermediate

Work Experience

Workshop Participant at Hallé Orchestra
April 1, 2023 - April 1, 2023
Selected participant for a workshop with the Hallé Orchestra, supporting collaborative artistic development and rehearsal-based exchange.
Artistic Researcher (Composer/Doctoral Researcher) at mdw
January 1, 2023 - Present
Develops artistic-research projects and original compositions as part of an artistic doctoral program, including work on “The Styx,” a multimedia film opera.
Workshop Participant (Composers Workshop) at Trio Estatico (violists Megumi Kasakawa, Jack Stultz, Paul Beckett)
January 1, 2022 - January 1, 2023
Participates in the composers workshop programme, contributing to ongoing compositional development within a chamber-music learning environment.
Artistic Doctoral Researcher (The Styx – a film opera development) at Arts Council England (funded project)
January 1, 2021 - Present
Develops The Styx, a film opera project supported by Arts Council England, integrating multimedia composition and performance across voice and instruments.

Education

Master of Music in Composition at Royal Northern College of Music
October 1, 2017 - September 30, 2025
Postgraduate Diploma Advanced Studies in Composition at Royal Northern College of Music
October 1, 2019 - September 30, 2019
Graduated with Distinction (90%)
Aritstic Research Doctorate (Doctor Artium) at University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna (mdw)
October 1, 2023 - September 30, 2026
Doctor of Arts – Artistic Research Doctorate at mdw (University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna)
January 1, 2023 - June 29, 2026
Master of Music in Composition at Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM)
January 1, 2017 - January 1, 2019
Postgraduate Diploma in Composition at Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM)
January 1, 2019 - January 1, 2020
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
January 1, 2013 - January 1, 2017
Piano Diploma at Dimitris Demopoulos Music School, Kozani
January 1, 2015 - January 1, 2017
Harmony, Counterpoint, Fugue Diploma at Dimitris Demopoulos Music School, Kozani
January 1, 2012 - January 1, 2017
Doctor Artium – Artistic Research Doctorate (mdw) at mdw (Universität für Musik und darstellende Kunst Wien)
January 1, 2023 - September 30, 2026
Postgraduate Diploma in Composition (90% Distinction) at Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM)
January 1, 2019 - January 1, 2020
Master of Music in Composition at Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM)
January 1, 2017 - January 1, 2019
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
January 1, 2013 - January 1, 2017
Piano Diploma at Dimitris Demopoulos Music School
January 1, 2015 - January 1, 2017
Harmony, Counterpoint, Fugue Diploma at Dimitris Demopoulos Music School
January 1, 2012 - January 1, 2017
Doctor Artium – Artistic Research Doctorate (mdw) at mdw
January 1, 2023 - September 30, 2026
Postgraduate Diploma in Composition (90% Distinction) at Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM)
January 1, 2019 - January 1, 2020
Master of Music in Composition at Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM)
January 1, 2017 - January 1, 2019
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
January 1, 2013 - January 1, 2017
Piano Diploma at Dimitris Demopoulos Music School, Kozani
January 1, 2015 - January 1, 2017
Harmony, Counterpoint, Fugue Diploma at Dimitris Demopoulos Music School, Kozani
January 1, 2012 - January 1, 2017

Qualifications

Nomination for an Ivor Novello Award in the Best Large Ensemble piece category
October 1, 2023 - October 1, 2023
https://ivorsacademy.com/nominee/antigone-pure-in-her-crime/
Rushworth Composition Prize
October 1, 2019 - October 1, 2019
mdw Scholarship for the Artistic Doctoral Program
January 1, 2025 - June 29, 2026
mdw Scholarship for the Artistic Doctoral Program
January 1, 2024 - June 29, 2026
Ivor Novello Award Nomination – Best Large Ensemble Composition (Antigone: pure in her crime)
January 1, 2023 - June 29, 2026
Rushworth Composition Prize – Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra
January 1, 2019 - June 29, 2026
Patricia Cunliffe Composition Prize – RNCM
January 1, 2019 - June 29, 2026
Entrance Scholarship for the PGDip in Composition – RNCM
January 1, 2018 - June 29, 2026
Patricia Cunliffe Composition Prize – RNCM
January 1, 2018 - June 29, 2026
Entrance Scholarship for the MMus in Composition – RNCM
January 1, 2017 - June 29, 2026
Scholarship for the Artistic Doctoral Program (mdw)
January 1, 2025 - September 30, 2026
Scholarship for the Artistic Doctoral Program (mdw)
January 1, 2024 - September 30, 2026
Scholarship for the Artistic Doctoral Program (mdw)
January 1, 2023 - September 30, 2026
Entrance scholarship for the PGDip in Composition course (RNCM)
January 1, 2018 - September 30, 2026
Patricia Cunliffe Composition Prize (RNCM)
January 1, 2018 - September 30, 2026
Entrance scholarship for the MMus in Composition course (RNCM)
January 1, 2017 - September 30, 2026
Scholarship for the Artistic Doctoral Program (mdw)
January 1, 2024 - September 30, 2026
Scholarship for the Artistic Doctoral Program (mdw)
January 1, 2023 - September 30, 2026
Austria’s Best New Comedian
January 1, 2025 - September 30, 2026
Scholarship for the Artistic Doctoral Program (mdw)
January 1, 2025 - September 30, 2026

Industry Experience

Media & Entertainment, Education, Other, Non-Profit Organization, Professional Services
    The Styx
    The Styx is an experimental interdisciplinary project that combines poetry, film and opera. The story follows a woman who receives therapy for PTSD; in a parallel plane, she is guided through Hades by Persephone, the Queen of the Underworld, and called to process the ghosts of her traumatic past. The text and score for The Styx was developed, recorded and mixed with the assistance of a project grant from Arts Council England. An accompanying film is in development. Send me a message if you want to listen to the recording of the film score!…
    Rackwick Bay
    Rackwick bay is a string sextet composition accompanying a short film. The film was created by Psappha Ensemble’s artistic director, Tim Williams, and is the third in a series of four short films of different locations in Orkney Islands, Scotland. What instantly affected me in the film, was the wide range of different images within the landscape of Rackwick Bay; the red-looking sand, the vast, foamy sea, the green hills, the angular, corroded rocks. I was inspired by all the contrasting colours and characters they add to the scenery, and their beautiful co-existence. I also imagined the presence of the wind, which is not visible, but is, I assume, prominent when one experiences Rackwick Bay in person. The sextet is sonically depicting the natural elements which caught my eye in each shot. It is often split in two trios, to capture a pair of the elements. Rackwick Bay was developed and composed between October 2021 and March 2022. It was commissioned by Psappha with the support of The Fidelio Charitable Trust, The Hinrichsen Foundation and The Leche Trust. You can watch the film here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vcRRUMUyN9k&list=PLg7dXnxAhdvG8spwZykTnvuh-rGuH5Ci8&index=10…