Dr. Theofilos Sotiriades was born in Thessaloniki (Greece) and graduated from the Faculty Psychology of of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. From an early age he introduced himself to music by playing classical guitar and after a short “roaming” as an electric basest in various young rock groups of his hometown, finally he dedicated himself to the art of saxophone. He graduated from the State Conservatory of Thessaloniki with the degree of the highest distinction (class of Vassilis Vradelis) and then as a scholar of the Foundation of the Greek State Scholarships, he studied in the “École Nationale de Musique de Créteil” in Paris, in the class of Georges Porte (first prize and special distinction about the interpretation of contemporary music). During his residence in France he won prizes in the European Music Contests “Picardie” and “Leopold Bellan”. 

As a professional saxophonist he realized concerts in Europe, Ukraine, Τurkey and USA and officially participated in International Music Festivals and Congress such as LSU International Mini Festival of Art (USA), BGSU 27th New Music Festival (USA), XIX Festival Forfest Czech Republic, ΕlectroMediaWorks 2008 (Athens, Greece), XIII & XIV World Saxophone Congress (Minneapolis, USA and Ljubljana, Slovenia) and Odysseia Symposium (Georgia State University), International Computer Music Conference (Huddersfield-England), Yasar Univesrity (Τurkey) etc. As a soloist, Theofilos performed with the famous French Quintet of Saxophones of Paris, Lutoslawski String Quartet (Poland), Louisiana Sinfonietta (USA), Neuchâtel Chamber Orchestra (Switzerland) and the State Symphony Orchestra of Thessaloniki (Greece) and Cyprus. Distinguished contemporary Greek composers have dedicated some of their works to him and he performed their world premieres. As a result of his deep interest for the promotion of the Hellenic music for saxophone, he recorded many compact discs such as: Recollections, Theofilos Sotiriades and friends. Music for saxophone by Dinos Constantinides, Dedication to Nikos Astrinidis, Composers and Performers of the Thessaloniki State Conservatory, K. Grigoreas: Soundtracks for ideal music,  Odysseia (by Albany records) and finally On lacrimae (with the collaboration of the guitarist C. Makrigiannakis). He also recorded American contemporary music for Newtertian Recordings and Magni Publications. Theofilos participated in the cd Wondering Pleiades as an electroacoustic composer with his piece Atrapos.

He holds a doctorate degree from the department of Music Science and Art of Macedonia University. Τhe scientific outpout of his research is the creation of the online Hellenic Saxophone Library (https://hellenicsax.gr) presenting all the saxophone works written by Greek, Cypriot and Diaspora composers. Moreover, his artistic creativity covers a wide range of activities: artistic director of the Hellenic Festival of Saxophone (Kilkis) and the Macedonian Saxophone Quartet, founding member of the Hellenic Association of Saxophone and the contemporary music ensemble “Idée Fixe”. He is currently member of the Osmosis Saxophone Quartet and the non profit organisation Beartive.

Passionate about teaching, Theofilos holds a position in the State Conservatory of Thessaloniki and Municipal Conservatory of Thermi. He also taught as a visitor professor in American Universities such as Bowling Green State, Georgia State, Kutztown and Rutgers and in Yasar University (Turkey). His obsessive belief about the social and educational dimensions of music as a mean for the improvement of the human life comes true as a collaboration with the UNESCO Chair of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and the creation of the “Saxaràcas” orchestra under the auspices of the Municipal Conservatory of Thermi.

In 2006 he received his master’s degree of Music Performance from the studio of Dr. John Sampen in Bowling Green State University while he was working as an assistant professor of saxophone at the same institution. Since 2013 Theofilos runs “Avanti Maestro”, an educational music-theatrical performance in elementary schools of Greece and Cyprus.

He is currently working as a part time saxophone professor in the department of Music Science and Art at the University of Macedonia, Greece.

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UPCOMING CONCERTS

9-13 October 2024 Esthonia Tour

13 December 2024 Symphony State of Thessaloniki, Greece