The Cyprus Symphony Orchestra Foundation is pleased to announce the appointment of the distinguished conductor Mr. Myron Michailidis as the new artistic director of the Cyprus Symphony Orchestra.

Mr. Michailidis was selected following an extensive evaluation process among numerous candidates.

Having gained significant experience in leading artistic institutions in Greece and abroad, Mr. Michailidis brings to the Orchestra a high level of expertise, artistic excellence and strategic vision.

The Foundation looks forward to a creative and harmonious collaboration with him, aiming to further advance the Orchestra’s artistic strategy and to enhance its standing as a leading cultural institution in Cyprus. Our vision is for the Orchestra to continue to grow, enrich its artistic footprint, and reach an even wider audience.

Mr. Michailidis will officially assume his duties in January 2026.

Myron Michailidis

Biographical Note of Artistic Career

Myron Michailidis is one of the most acclaimed Greek conductors with a distinguished international career. He has conducted leading orchestras worldwide—including the Vienna Chamber Orchestra and the Symphony/Philharmonic Orchestras of Berlin, Erfurt, Bratislava, Sofia, Odessa, Ankara, Bangkok, Rome, Trieste, Toronto, Jerusalem, Mexico, Batumi, Prague Radio, Bucharest, the São Paulo National Opera, the Shanghai Opera, Astrakhan, Skopje—as well as all major Greek orchestras.

His repertoire comprises approximately 400 symphonic works and 46 operas, and he has collaborated with renowned artists such as Aldo Ciccolini, Paul Badura-Skoda, Cyprien Katsaris, Ivo Pogorelić, Fazıl Say, Salvatore Accardo, Vadim Repin, Shlomo Mintz, Mischa Maisky, June Anderson and Cheryl Studer.

His discography on EMI Classics and Naxos has earned international recognition, including two Grammy Award nominations, the Supersonic Award, the Pizzicato Classics Award and the prestigious Five Diapason. His recording of Beethoven’s Concertos with Aldo Ciccolini and the Thessaloniki State Symphony Orchestra received worldwide attention, while his Faust (Gounod) DVD with the Greek National Opera was equally acclaimed.

He has served as Artistic Director of the Greek National Opera (2011–2017), Artistic Director of the Thessaloniki State Symphony Orchestra (2004–2011), Principal Conductor at the Saxon Opera (1999–2004), and Generalmusikdirektor of the Erfurt Opera and Philharmonic Orchestra (2017–2022). Since 2019, he has been the first Artistic Director of the Cultural and Conference Center of Crete.

He has been honoured with the insignia of Chevalier of the Order of Arts and Letters of the French Republic, the Apollo Award, the “Golden Baton” Special Award, and distinctions from the Hellenic Union of Music and Theatre Critics.

Michailidis studied piano with Dimitris Toufexis, advanced theory with Yiannis Ioannidis, law at the University of Athens, and orchestral conducting with Hans-Martin Rabenstein at the Berlin University of the Arts, while also attending seminars with Miltiadis Karydis and Sir Simon Rattle. He maintains an active teaching career, serves on juries of international opera and conducting competitions, and is Vice President of the Maria Callas International Association.

For more information, refer here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myron_Michailidis