Stamatis Kraounakis

Stamatis Kraounakis Σταμάτης Κραουνάκης
Stamatis kraounakis in 2007
Background information
Born	(1955-12-25) December 25, 1955 (age 61)
Origin	Athens, Greece
Genres	Musical shows, Theatre, Cinema, Television
Occupation(s)	Composer
Years active	1977 - present
Website	http://www.kraounakis.gr

Stamatis Kraounakis (Greek: Σταμάτης Κραουνάκης) is a Greek music composer, music producer, lyricist, writer and director. He was born and lives in Athens and has studied Political Science in Panteion University. He has composed music for more than 40 albums and 50 theatre plays.

Stamatis Kraounakis studied music with Mrs Klelia Terzakis and made his first appearance in 1978, writing the music for the album To Spiti Tou Agamemnona. One year earlier he had made his debut in theatre, with the music for the performance Varieme (1977). In 1981 he made his first big collaboration, with the music for the album Skouriasmena Hilia (Σκουριασμένα χείλια) performed by Vicky Mosholiou.

In Panteion University Stamatis Kraounakis met the poet Lina Nikolakopoulou, with whom he produced more than 80% of his work. In October 1985 they created and released the album Kikloforo Ki Oploforo with Alkistis Protopsalti as leading singer, that sold over 200.000 copies and is considered one of the classic pop records of the 20th century in Greece.

Since 1982 Stamatis Kraounakis has an uninterrupted present in Greek music and has collaborated with a number of important Greek singers, like Manolis Mitsias, Dimitra Galani, Tania Tsanaklidou, Eleftheria Arvanitaki, while he introduced new singers, like Kostas Makedonas, Dimitris Basis, Stelios Dionisiou, and Polina Misailidou.

Since 1990 he has dealt with Greek theatrical plays that could be musically developed, releasing musical monologues, new techniques and songs with extended musical introductions. In addition, he introduced a new way of presenting musical shows, using the songs as music theatrical dialogue and the singers as heroes of a fictional tale.