Kyriakos Kalaitzidis is an oud player, composer, and scholar whose work illuminates connections between Islamic and Euro Mediterranean traditions, facilitating a deeper understanding of their shared musical heritage. Kalaitzidis is the artistic director and co-founder of En Chordais, an ensemble formed in 1993 to research and perform music from the Levant. His work with En Chordais is enriched by scholarship focusing on post-Byzantine music manuscripts, which offer unique insight into the origins of Oriental secular music.

Since 2020, Kalaitzidis has taught at the University of Ioannina, in Greece. As Artistic Director of the MediMuses project, funded by the Euromed Heritage programme, Kalaitzidis promoted artistic, educational, and research-related activities across 13 countries in the Mediterranean and Europe.

Jury citation

"For masterfully illuminating the Levant’s shared musical heritage through distinguished arts research, performance, composition, and advocacy."