Stamatis Kraounakis ( el, Σταμάτης Κραουνάκης) is a Greek music composer, music producer, lyricist, writer and director. He was born and lives in

Athens Athens ( ; el, Αθήνα, Athína ; grc, Ἀθῆναι, Athênai (pl.) ) is both the capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Greece, largest city of Greece. With a population close to four million, it is also the seventh List ...

and has studied

Political Science Political science is the scientific study of politics. It is a social science dealing with systems of governance and power, and the analysis of political activities, political thought, political behavior, and associated constitutions and ...

Panteion University The Panteion University of Social and Political Sciences ( el, Πάντειον Πανεπιστήμιο Κοινωνικών και Πολιτικών Επιστημών), usually referred to simply as the Panteion University, is a university loc ...

. He has composed music for more than 40

album An album is a collection of audio recordings issued on compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl, audio tape, or another medium such as Digital distribution#Music, digital distribution. Albums of recorded sound were developed in the early ...

s and 50 theatre plays.

Biography

Kraounakis studied music with Klelia Terzakis and made his first appearance in 1978, writing the music for the album ''To Spiti Tou Agamemnona''. One year earlier he had made his debut in theatre, with the music for the performance ''Varieme'' (1977). In 1981 he made his first big collaboration, with the music for the album ''Skouriasmena Hilia'' (Σκουριασμένα χείλια) performed by Vicky Mosholiou. In Panteion University Kraounakis met the poet Lina Nikolakopoulou, with whom he produced more than 80% of his work. In October 1985 they created and released the album ''Kikloforo Ki Oploforo'' with

Alkistis Protopsalti Alkistis Protopsalti ( el, Άλκηστις Πρωτοψάλτη), born as Alkistis Sevasti Attikuzel ( el, Άλκηστις Σεβαστή Αττικιουζέλ), is a Greek singer and songwriter. Life Alkistis Protopsalti was born in Alex ...

as leading singer. Since 1982 Kraounakis has collaborated with a number of important Greek singers, including Manolis Mitsias,

Dimitra Galani Dimitra Galani ( el, Δήμητρα Γαλανή) is a Greek singer and songwriter. Galani was born 1952 in Athens and began her musical career at the age of 16 providing vocals on several tracks of Dimos Moutsis and Nikos Gatsos on the album "A ...

, Tania Tsanaklidou,

Eleftheria Arvanitaki Eleftheria Arvanitaki ( Greek: Ελευθερία Αρβανιτάκη) (born 17 October 1957 in Piraeus) is a Greek folk singer. She originates from the island of Icaria. Arvanitaki has worked with important musicians, such as Cesária Évora ...

. He also introduced new singers through collaborations, including

Kostas Makedonas Kostas or Costas ( el, Κώστας) is a Greek given name and surname. As a given name it is the hypocorism for Konstantinos (Constantine). Given name * Costas Andreou, Greek musician * Kostas Antetokounmpo (born 1997), a Greek basketball player ...

, Dimitris Basis,

Stelios Dionisiou Stelios (Greek: Στέλιος) or formally Stylianos (Greek: Στυλιανός) is a Greek first name. This name is given to honor St. Stylianos, a Greek Orthodox saint, the protector of children. The name is derived from the Greek word στυλ ...

, and Polina Misailidou. In 1997 he accepted the position of artistic director at the Municipal Theater of the city of

Kavala Kavala ( el, Καβάλα, ''Kavála'' ) is a city in northern Greece, the principal seaport of eastern Macedonia and the capital of Kavala regional unit. It is situated on the Bay of Kavala, across from the island of Thasos and on the Egnati ...

, where he directed three significant productions - ''Ktistes'' by Giorgos Chimonas, ''Gro Plan'' by Giorgos Maniotis, and

Aristophanes Aristophanes (; grc, Ἀριστοφάνης, ; c. 446 – c. 386 BC), son of Philippus, of the deme Kydathenaion ( la, Cydathenaeum), was a comic playwright or comedy-writer of ancient Athens and a poet of Old Attic Comedy. Eleven of his fo ...

' ''

Plutus In ancient Greek religion and mythology, Plutus (; grc-gre, Πλοῦτος, Ploûtos, wealth) is the god and the personification of wealth, and the son of the goddess of agriculture Demeter and the mortal Iasion. Family Plutus is most commo ...

'' under the direction of Nikos Mastorakis. In 1998, Kraounakis directed a group of young actors called Speira Speira, which successfully performed the ''All in Black and a Piano'' show from October 1999 to April 2001. In 2000 his music for the movie of Nikos Panagiotopoulos '' Afti I Nihta Menei'' won the National Award in

Thessaloniki Film Festival The Thessaloniki Film Festival is a Thessaloniki-based cultural institution focusing on cinema. The Institution organizes the Thessaloniki International Film Festival every November and the Thessaloniki Documentary Festival every March, while its ...

, while his music for the TV series ''Istera Irthan I Melisses'' won the Award for Best Music in the Television Awards. In 2002 his music for the movie ''Kourastika Na Skotono Tous Agapitikous Sou'' (Tired of Killing Your Lovers) won the Arion Award for Best Soundtrack. During 2004 Stamatis Kraounakis composed the music for ''Delivery'', as well as music for Aristophanes' ''Ploutos'' for the

Athens Festival Athens – Epidaurus Festival is an annual arts festival that takes place in Athens and Epidaurus, from May to October. It is one of the most famous festivals in Greece. The festival includes musical, theatrical and other cultural events. History ...

in Epidavros. In May 2004 he was invited by the

Royal Academy of Dramatic Art The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA; ) is a drama school in London, England, that provides vocational conservatoire training for theatre, film, television, and radio. It is based in the Bloomsbury area of Central London, close to the Sena ...

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

to compose music for the project "Installation 496". He has written the theme song for one of the most popular TV series in Greece, ''

Maria, i Aschimi ''Maria, i Aschimi'' (Μαρία, Η Άσχημη - Maria, The Ugly One) is the Greek adaptation of the Colombian telenovela ''Betty la Fea''. The series ran from 2007 to 2008 on Mega Channel in Greece. The series starred Aggeliki Daliani in the ...

'', the Greek version of ''

Ugly Betty ''Ugly Betty'' is an American comedy-drama television series developed by Silvio Horta, which was originally broadcast on ABC. It premiered on September 28, 2006, and ended on April 14, 2010. The series is based on Fernando Gaitán's Colombian ...

''. In 2010 he voiced Louis the alligator in the

Greek language Greek ( el, label= Modern Greek, Ελληνικά, Elliniká, ; grc, Ἑλληνική, Hellēnikḗ) is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages, native to Greece, Cyprus, southern Italy (Calabria and Salento), southe ...

version of

The Princess and the Frog ''The Princess and the Frog'' is a 2009 American animated musical fantasy romantic comedy film produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures. The 49th Disney animated feature film, it is loosely based on the 2 ...

Discography

* Album discography: 60 albums and 14 collaborations * Shows: Music for 20 shows and 1 ballet * Theatre: Music for 54 performances (31 contemporary theatre, 9 comedies, 8

Ancient Greek drama Ancient Greek theatre was a Theatre, theatrical culture that flourished in ancient Greece from 700 BC. The Polis, city-state of Classical Athens, Athens, which became a significant cultural, political, and religious place during this period, was ...

, 6 children theatre) * Cinema: Music for 4 films * Television: Music for 6 TV series

References

External links

Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kraounakis, Stamatis Living people 1955 births Greek film score composers Male film score composers Greek songwriters Musicians from Athens Panteion University alumni Thessaloniki Song Festival entrants