Alkinoos Ioannidis was born in Nicosia, Cyprus. He studied classical guitar at the European Conservatory and in 1989 moved to Athens, Greece. He spent the next three years studying theatre at the National Theatre Drama School and philosophy at Athens University. In 1993 he signed to Universal Music.As a singer-songwriter he has released eleven solo albums, most of which have gone gold or platinum. As a guest singer, he has performed on more than 40 albums with various artists. He has also written songs, arranged and produced albums for other artists, as well as music for dance and theater, while his symphonic work is often performed by orchestras in Greece and abroad. His influences range from traditional Cypriot music, Greek composers of the last decades, Byzantine, Classical and Rock.
When performing his work, he either heads a band whose members include some of the best Greek soloists, or strips it right back to a solo multi-instrumental performance. He performs up to 100 concerts per year at venues ranging from huge open-air theatres or music halls to small clubs and from Ancient Greek amphitheatres to modern rock stages. In his constantly evolving live performances, he combines electric music with chamber orchestras and rock bands with choirs, chamber orchestras and live looping, in a musical environment with rock, jazz, classical, Greek and Middle Eastern influences.
In 2005 he became a student of legendary Russian composer Boris Tishchenko, studying composition with him at the St. Petersburg State Conservatory, in Russia. In November 2009 the Academic Symphony Orchestra Dmitri Shostakovich of St. Petersburg and the "Lege Artis" choir, performed Alkinoos' music at the Conservatory's Glazunov Hall. Alkinoos dedicated this concert to his teacher. In April 2010, his classical work was performed at the Berlin Philharmonie Kammermusiksaal, by the Camerata Europaea and Ernst Senf Chor. The same program was performed in October 2010 at the Athens Concert Hall, with the Cyprus Symphony Orchestra. In May 2011, his works were the opening concert of the "White Nights" Festival of Petrozavodsk, Russia, with the Karelia Philharmonic Orchestra. The Ermitage Symphony Orchestra presented his work in St. Petersburg's Philarmonia, in 2012. Thuringer Symphokiker presented his works in Germany, in 2013.
He has also worked with The Charles Lloyd New Quartet, The Absolute Ensemble (New York), The Bulgarian National Radio Symphony Orchestra, The Greek Radio and TV Symphony Orchestra, The Athens Kamerata, The Cypriot State Orchestra, The Greek State Orchestra, The Thessaloniki State Orchestra, The Camerata Europaea, The Manos Hadjidakis Ensemble, The Yiannis Markopoulos Palintonos Armonia and The Mikis Theodorakis Popular Orchestra.
Alkinoos has worked as an actor, playing primary roles at the ancient theatre of Epidaurus in 1993, 1997 and 2013. He has also starred in television and on film.
He has also composed for the theatre, in France, Russia, Greece and Cyprus.
Among his diverse activities, he is the flutist, percussionist and singer of the avant-garde group FMS (Friends of Miltos Sahtouris). He is a board member of the Athens Concert Hall since December 2010. He also gives annual seminars on Creative Writing to postgraduate literature students at Florina University and elsewhere.
The last twenty years, he has given more than 1.700 concerts in Greece and Cyprus and 100 concerts abroad.
