Biography
Nikolas Agrafiotis (b. 1998, Athens, Greece) is a composer currently pursuing postgraduate studies (Meisterklasse) in Composition at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater Leipzig under the guidance of Professor Claus-Steffen Mahnkopf. He previously completed his Master’s degree in Composition at the same institution, studying with Professors Mahnkopf and Fabien Lévy, and earned his Bachelor of Composition at the Conservatorium Maastricht under the guidance of Professor Vykintas Baltakas.
His works have been performed across Europe by leading orchestras and ensembles, including the MDR-Sinfonieorchester, Ensemble Recherche, Ensemble Ascolta, Avanti! Chamber Orchestra, K.A.S. Orchester, Contemporary Insights, Osimun Quartet, Roman Quartet, and the Philharmonie Zuidnederland, among others.
His orchestra work Stryphos, premiered by MDR-Sinfonieorchester and conducted by Michael Wendeberg, was also broadcast on MDR Klassik Radio.
In December 2025, he won the Ningde Composition Competition and received a commission for large symphony orchestra, to be premiered in April 2026 in Ningde, China.
He has been selected for the Ulysses Journeys for Composers 2025, part of Warsaw Autumn contemporary music festival. He has also participated in esteemed programs and masterclasses such as the Peter Eötvös Foundation’s Spotlight on Ramon Lazkano (2023), Impuls Academy (2025), the Delian Academy for Contemporary Music (2024), the Sävellyspaja Composition Masterclass (2024), Casa della Musica San Michele (2025), She Lives Budapest Masterclass (7th edition, 2025), and the ContemPlay Workshop in Vilnius (2023).
Through these opportunities, he has worked with renowned tutors including Peter Eötvös, Mark Andre, Franck Bedrossian, Johannes Kalitzke, Ramon Lazkano, and Jukka Tiensuu, among others.
In 2022, his Two Movements for Ensemble was awarded the Special Mention at the Winds Composition Contest Saxony.
WORKS
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WORKS *
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Commission from the Ningde Composition Competition and for large symphony orchestra, to be premiered in April 2026 in Ningde, China.
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Duration 8 minutes
To be premiered in 25/26.10 by the k.a.s. Orchestra under the baton of Max Grimm.
Score Sample:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/13_xhRHhKrtTxYcJzWwk2GxvvualNH6M7/view?usp=sharing
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Duration approximately 10’
Premiered by theMDR-Sinfonieorchester and conducted by Michael Wendeberg on the 18.6.2025 in Leipzig, Germany.
Recording: https://on.soundcloud.com/WGQkSelg2sHjs35dIy
Score Sample:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1yADtQ5FXXYhsQ_VudNUhwLKzJopWbyJ1/view?usp=sharing
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Duration 9’
Written for Ascolta Ensemble premiered on 29.6.2025 in Leipzig.
Excerpts of recording:
https://on.soundcloud.com/01RN83T4SrDvLBOYhu
Score Sample:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/19djIJetFueXtjmVZTE25zzSNBfpumWgy/view?usp=sharing
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Duration 8’
Recording: https://on.soundcloud.com/C7e2NDHLaMpePFHFA
Premiered by Contemporary Insights in June 2024 in Leipzig, Germany as a part of the ZfGM Festival.
Score Sample:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1GWNlPMWRgE2arTNtKyzFTf438hyyBeaH/view?usp=sharing
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Duration 3'30"
Recording: https://on.soundcloud.com/2FK3Xvn9BAEYudWr5
Premiered by Ensemble Recherche in June 2024 in Tinos, Greece as a part of the Delian Academy of Music.
Alto Flute - Anja Clift
Oboe - Eduardo Olloqui
Bass Clarinet - Shizuyo Oka
Viola - Sofia von Atzingen
Score Sample:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1hvVVIZ-aqudV_qFoqX_UwLOqwYphIhJl/view?usp=sharing
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Duration 7’
Recording: https://on.soundcloud.com/E4RHYoFDSUeeLJnJA
Premiered on February 8th, 2023, at Vilnius, Lithuania as a part of the ContemPlay Festival by students from Freiburg and Vilnius Academy of Music forming together a Sinfonietta under the baton of Friederike Scheunchen.
Score Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=daTemwmQugI&list=RDdaTemwmQugI&start_radio=1
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Duration 4’
Premiered by Avanti! Chamber Orchestra under the baton of Jukka Rantamaki during the "Sommarmusik Festival 2024" in Porvoo, Finland.
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Duration 6’
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Duration 7’
Premiered by Heiður Lára Bjarnadóttir on the 5th of March 2023 at Ainsi, Maastricht.
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Duration 4’
Recording: https://on.soundcloud.com/RiAxPgCcUB7y3gI0mL
The piece was awarded the "Special Mention Prize" at Dresden Bläserphilharmonie Composition Competition 2022.
Premiered on June 2nd at Conservatorium Maastricht by Sinfonietta formed by Conservatorium Maastricht students, under the baton of Stijn Waterval.
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Duration 10’
Recording: https://on.soundcloud.com/hjWMhmRfXmC1KPnC9
Premiered on the 10th of June 2023 at Conservatorium Maastricht, The Netherlands by Soloist Ioanna Boultadaki and Sinfonietta formed by Conservatorium Maastricht students under the baton of Victor Gil.
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Duration 6’
Recording: https://on.soundcloud.com/bXdFFA268pPwKr6z9
Premiered on the 6th of April 2023 by Andrea Armas Batista and Gema Vega Diaz at Conservatorium Maastricht as part of "Xenakis Percussion Week".
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Premiered in June 2023 in Eijsden, the Netherlands, by the Osimun Quartet.
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Duration 7’30”
Recording: https://on.soundcloud.com/GJ2nTe1ra1CKA9mb9
Premiered on the 2nd of June at Conservatorium Maastricht by Ioanna Boultadaki (Violin), Andrea Armas Batista (Percussion) and Tudor Cioceanu (Piano)
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Duration 5’30”
Recording: https://on.soundcloud.com/1HVCda8BPh6E8Auv8
Recording from the premiere on March 14th, 2022 in Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Kaja Sešek - Violin
Taja Rijavec - Harp
Listen to…
Stryphos (2024-25) performed by
MDR Sinfonieorchester under the baton of Michael Wendeberg.
Es ist ein eigentümlicher Apparat (2024) performed by
Ensemble Recherche
Stadia (2023) performed by
Contemporary Insights