Leeds Beckett PhD composer celebrates second global accolade during studies

A candidate in Music Composition in the Leeds School of Arts, Euripides’s orchestral work, IDUNN, was performed by the Thessaloniki State Symphony Orchestra, under conductor Miltos Logiadis at the Thessaloniki Concert Hall in Greece.

The prestigious competition, recognised as one of the most significant platforms for emerging composers, took place before a live audience and an international jury - chaired by world-renowned composer and conductor, Tan Dun.

This marks Euripides' second major international accolade during his doctoral studies at Leeds Beckett under the supervision of Professor Nikos Stavropoulos, award-winning electroacoustic music composer in his own right. 

Leeds Beckett supporting world-class creative practice and research excellence

Reflecting on the influence of Leeds Beckett on his competition success, Euripides says: "The support I received in the lead up to the competition was fantastic and the environment at Leeds School of Arts had a very meaningful impact.

"Professor Stavropoulos' expertise in electroacoustic and spatial music practices helped in shaping the compositional approach for the orchestra and electronics. Analysing and shaping sound materials, as well as his broader understanding of contemporary compositional approaches, contributed significantly to the development of my methodology and to the refinement of the orchestral thinking in my work, even in purely instrumental contexts.

"My participation in the competition coincided with the final stages of my doctoral research, and the artistic and methodological clarity (particularly around orchestral language, structure, and expressive focus) developed during my PhD directly shaped the way I approached IDUNN."

Professor Nikos Stavropoulos praised the achievement: "Euripides' success is a testament to his exceptional musicianship and the depth of his research-led practice. His work demonstrates maturity, imagination, and a refined command of orchestral writing.

"We are thrilled to see his talent recognised on an international stage and proud that Leeds Beckett has been part of his development as a composer."

Euripides recently submitted his PhD thesis, which examines composition for large symphony orchestra and electronics in ambisonics format under the supervision of Dr Nikos Stavropoulos.