Maria Kaoutzani is an Illinois-based composer from Limassol, Cyprus.  Recent projects include a concerto for the Grammy-winning ensemble Eighth Blackbird and Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, a residency at Hartford Women Composers Festival in 2023, a National Sawdust residency in the 2019-20 season, Pomegranate Institute and UCLA's Notes on Napkins, Hocket ensemble's #What2020SoundsLike, "Chicago Speaks” with the Civic Orchestra of Chicago and residencies at Anderson Center for the Arts and Woodstock Byrdcliffe Guild.  Past collaborators include the ~Nois saxophone quartet, Chartreuse trio, Desdemona string quartet, Zafa Collective, Rubiks Collective, Longleash trio, Imani Winds, the Grossman ensembles and many others.

Maria teaches composition at Knox College and is finishing her PhD in music composition at the University of Chicago. She holds a master's degree from New York University and a bachelor’s degree from the University of York. Past teachers include Augusta Reed Thomas, Anthony Cheung, Sam Pluta and Justin Dello Joio. Along with composers Gemma Peacocke and Shelley Washington, Maria is a founding member of composer collective Kinds of Kings.

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For a full resume, click here. 

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For Maria's teaching portfolio, please click here. 

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