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Prof. Dr. Manolis Vlitakis

short vita

The composer and music theorist Manolis (Emmanouil) Vlitakis was
born in Greece in 1967.
He studied composition (M. Travlos, W. Zimmermann, G. Neuwirth, G.
Grisey, M. Stroppa), music theory (E. Kokkoris, H. Fladt, J. Mainka,
O. Trachier), and instrumentation (M.-A. Dalbavie) in Athens,
Berlin, and Paris. He earned his doctorate in musicology (C. M.
Schmidt) with a thesis on sound and instrumentation in compositions
by Lachenmann, Boulez, Ligeti, and Grisey, published as Sinefonia 11
by Wolke Verlag.

Vlitakis has received support from various foundations and the
Berlin Senate (composition residency at the Cité des Arts in Paris,
composition scholarship in 2004, and a doctoral scholarship from the
Nafög Foundation). Performances and commissions connect him with the
Thessaloniki State Symphony Orchestra, Ensemble Modern, Ensemble
Mosaik, Ensemble Echo, Ensemble Junge Musik, Trio IAMA, and
musicians such as Enno Poppe, Kasper de Roo, Frank Gutschmidt,
Miltos Logiadis, Ermis Theodorakis, Alexander Doroschkevich,
Theodoros Kerkezos, Simone Otto, and Yoann Mylonakis, among others.
His work is characterized by an expanded structural approach, which
is also determined by the specificity of the sonic moment. The
exploration of language, literature, and philosophy continues to be
an important, often generative aspect of his composing.

In his writings, Vlitakis, who pursues a decidedly analytical
approach, addresses the relationship between sound/instrumentation
and form, music theory and composition, as well as questions of
intercultural composition. A particular focus is on the music of the
20th and 21st centuries. His expertise in various artistic and
academic fields is reflected in his extensive work as an expert and
reviewer (Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes, Evangelisches
Studienwerk Villigst, Swiss National Science Foundation,
Gesellschaft für Musiktheorie, among others).

Since 2000, Manolis Vlitakis has taught music theory, composition,
and instrumentation/orchestration at several music academies in
Germany (Berlin University of the Arts, Hanns Eisler Academy of
Music Berlin, Franz Liszt Academy of Music Weimar, Frankfurt
University of Music and Performing Arts) and abroad (visiting
lectureship at the CNSMD Paris, master classes in composition at the
State Conservatory in Tbilisi, Georgia, and in instrumentation at
the Mozarteum Salzburg). From 2017 to 2019, Vlitakis was a visiting
professor of composition, and in February 2020, he was appointed
professor of music theory at the Berlin University of the Arts.