Eastern Music Orchestra
Βio
Panagiotis Kaitatzis was born in Athens in 1984. He studied Computer Science at the Athens University of Economics and Business and Folk and Traditional Music, specializing in oud, at the Department of Folk and Traditional Music of the Technological Educational Institute of Epirus, graduating with highest honors.
He continued his studies in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, at CODARTS – University of the Arts, where he obtained a Master’s degree in Ud and Performance with distinction, under the guidance of Kudsi Erguner. He was supported by the Onassis Foundation, as a scholarship recipient (2012–2013).
In October 2023, he completed his PhD at Leiden University, Academy of Performing Arts, titled “Expanded Inspiration: Metric Improvisation and Compositional Tools.” His artistic research focuses on metric improvisation and composition in contemporary modal music.
He has participated in seminars at the Labyrinth Musical Workshop (founded by Ross Daly), studying with renowned musicians such as Yurdal Tokcan, Evgenios Voulgaris, Harris Lambrakis, Mercan Erzincan, and Sokratis Sinopoulos.
From 2013 to 2018, he lived and worked in Istanbul as a professional musician. He is a founding member of the Sinafi Trio, with whom he recorded for the well-known label ZKALAN. Their album IHO, released in August 2019, features collaborations with prominent Turkish and Greek musicians. The trio has performed at festivals in Turkey, Cyprus, Greece, and Italy, and has given seminars in Greece (Music Village) and Cyprus.
He is also a member of Fulya Ozlem ve Akustik Kabare, a trio presenting original compositions inspired by the style of Turkish Cabaret. Their 2017 album was included in the playlist of fROOTS magazine.
He has presented his own compositional work in Istanbul and Greece and collaborates with Alkis Zopoglou and Giannis Kyrimikidis as the Crossover Trio, performing original compositions.
Additionally, he collaborates with the Rodopi Ensemble, which focuses on the music of the broader Thrace region. With this ensemble, he has performed at festivals and venues in Greece and abroad, including Sziget Festival (Budapest), Tavira Mediterranea Festival (Portugal), Thessaloniki Concert Hall, and Cosmopolis Festival (Kavala), among others.
In October 2019, he was invited to teach a workshop on metric improvisation and contemporary modal composition at CODARTS University of the Arts (Rotterdam), within the framework of his doctoral research.
In August 2019, in collaboration with Alexandros Rizopoulos (percussion, composition), he co-presented and curated an original performance workshop titled Rhythmic Plasticity at Music Village (Greece).
He was also a member of the Intercultural Orchestra of the Greek National Opera (Stavros Niarchos Foundation, Athens, 2019).
In recent years, he has been working as an educator, teaching oud at Music Schools in regional Greece (Komotini, Serres, Drama).
