Jazz music ensemble and workshop, Thodoris Kotsifas

The workshop is open to students of all instruments who wish to deepen their understanding of the language of jazz, improvisation, and ensemble performance. Its main goal is the development of a meaningful and well-rounded musical vocabulary through both theoretical understanding and practical application of the elements that shape the aesthetics and expression of jazz music.

Throughout the workshop, participants will explore fundamental and advanced harmonic concepts, including chords, scales, arpeggios, and their connection to improvisation. At the same time, rhythmic and melodic exercises will be introduced, aiming at a deeper understanding of harmony, rhythmic feel, and the development of a personal musical phrasing.

Special emphasis will be placed on repertoire study and analysis, as well as on the practical application of musical tools through ensemble playing and interaction among group members. Through this process, students will cultivate communication, listening, and creative response skills — essential elements for the function of a contemporary jazz ensemble.

In parallel, the workshop will include group composition and collective creation processes, giving participants the opportunity to develop original musical ideas, experiment with different forms of arrangement, and explore the creative dimension of collaboration within an ensemble.

The workshop aims not only to strengthen the participants’ technical and theoretical background, but also to encourage personal expression, creativity, and confidence in improvisation, composition, and stage presence.

Theodoris Kotsifas is a guitarist, composer, and educator with an active presence in the contemporary jazz and improvisational music scene in Greece and abroad. He was born in Naousa, Greece, in 1985 and began his involvement with music at the age of seven, with early influences drawn from Greek traditional and folk music, as well as the musical traditions of the East.

In 2003, he was admitted to the Department of Music Studies at the Ionian University, from which he graduated in 2009 with a specialization in Jazz Guitar. During his studies, he attended lessons and seminars with important musicians from the Greek and international scene, while in 2008 he participated in the IASJ (International Association of Schools of Jazz) meeting in Riga, Latvia.

Since 2011, he has been professionally active in Athens and is now based in Thessaloniki, collaborating with prominent musicians such as Tivon Pennicott, Gilad Atzmon, Mark Guiliana, Shigeru Umebayashi, Giorgos Kontrafouris, Takis Paterelis, Olivier Temime, Giotis Kiourtsoglou, Stavros Lantsias, Human Touch, Dimitris Tsakas, Vasilis Xenopoulos, Michalis Kalkanis, Phoebus Delivorias, Nikos Xydakis, Mariza Rizou, among many other artists from the jazz, improvisational, and contemporary creative music scene.

He is a member of Next Step Quintet, with whom he has released three albums and performed at important festivals and concert venues in Greece and abroad. In 2016, the group received first prize in the “Small Band” category of the Made in New York Jazz Competition and performed at the Tribeca Theater of Arts in New York City.

In 2017, he released his first solo album, Conception of Thought, followed in 2023 by his second solo album, New War Design. His third personal album, titled Cognitive Distortions, is scheduled for release in the coming months. Alongside his personal projects, he participates in recordings, composes music for theatre and film, and performs regularly at concerts and festivals in Greece and internationally.

In the field of education, he has been active since 2010, teaching at Music Schools in Thessaloniki, Athens, Alimos, Pallini, and Larisa, as well as at conservatories and music institutions such as the “George Fakanas” Art Conservatory and LAB Music Education, among others. He also frequently participates as a lecturer and instructor in seminars, masterclasses, and music camps with participants from Greece and abroad, focusing on guitar, improvisation, musical study, and ensemble interaction.