short vita

The composer and music theorist Manolis (Emmanouil) Vlitakis was born in 1967
in Athens, Greece.

In his hometown he studied French Literature at the University of Athens and
harmony, counterpoint and fugue at the N. Skalkottas Conservatory. This was
followed by studies in Berlin and Paris with degrees in composition (diploma
and Meisterschüler degree/University of the Arts Berlin), music theory
(diploma/HfM Hanns Eisler Berlin) and a doctorate in musicology ("summa cum
laude"/Technische Universität Berlin). His teachers include M. Travlos, W.
Zimmermann, G. Neuwirth, G. Grisey, M. Stroppa (composition), E. Kokkoris,
H. Fladt, J. Mainka, O. Trachier (music theory), M.-A. Dalbavie
(instrumentation) and C. M. Schmidt (musicology). His dissertation on sound
and instrumentation in compositions by Lachenmann, Boulez, Ligeti and Grisey
was published as Sinefonia 11 by Wolke Verlag. An Erasmus exchange at the
Paris Conservatoire (CNSMDP) for three semesters was decisive for his
development.

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

In his writings, Vlitakis, who pursues a decidedly analytical approach, deals
with the relationship between sound/instrumentation and form, music theory
and composition, as well as with questions of intercultural composition. A
particular focus of his work is the music of the 20th and 21st century.

His expertise in various artistic and scientific matters is reflected in his
extensive work as an evaluator for several organizations (Studienstiftung des
deutschen Volkes, Evangelisches Studienwerk Villigst, Swiss National Science
Foundation, Gesellschaft für Musiktheorie, etc.).

Since 2000, Manolis Vlitakis has taught music theory, composition and
instrumentation/orchestration at several music academies in Germany (UdK
Berlin, HfM Hanns Eisler Berlin, HfM Franz Liszt Weimar, HfMDK Frankfurt
a.M.) and abroad (visiting lectureship at CNSMD Paris, master classes for
composition at the State Conservatory in Tbilisi/Georgia and for
orchestration at the Mozarteum Salzburg). A visiting lectureship at the
University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna (mdw) is planned for
December 2026.
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.

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