about

Kristia Michael is a vocalist, composer, and sound artist from Cyprus, based in the Netherlands. She has obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Studies from ARTE Music Academy in Cyprus, as well as a Bachelor’s Degree in Education Sciences from the University of Cyprus. Kristia pursued advanced studies at The Royal Conservatory of The Hague, where she earned her Master’s degree in “New Audiences and Innovative Practice” with cum laude distinction. During her studies, she received guidance and mentorship from Noa Frenkel, Natalia Pshenischnikova, Yannis Kyriakides and Renee Jonker.

Her focus lies in the experiential, ritualistic, and spiritual aspects of music, delving into the extensive exploration of the voice as an instrument within medieval, baroque, traditional, and contemporary repertoire.

She devotes her practice to the creation of new works, collaborating with composers on world premieres, engaging in recordings, and contributing to multidisciplinary and experimental initiatives. Her research includes the exploration and use of extended vocal techniques, pure tones, folk timbres, and the realm of performance art. She has performed as a soloist at the Dutch National Opera and Ballet, AngelicA Festival, Greek National Opera, Dag in de Branding, November Music and collaborated with the Opera Forward Festival, Muze van Zuid and K3 Tanzplan Hamburg, among others. Her performance work spans ensembles and institutions including Nieuw Amsterdams Peil, MusicAeterna, Orkest de Ereprijs, Ensemble Modelo62, ΤΕΤΤΙΞ, Kali Ensemble and the Cyprus Symphony Orchestra.

Kristia is the founder and artistic director of Sibil·la Ensemble, which combines sacred and secular music from Western medieval rituals and traditions. The ensemble released the first immersive audiovisual album Viriditas in collaboration with TRPTK, on March 15th. With Sibil·la Ensemble, she has performed among others at the Utrecht Early Music Festival, the Festival of European Polyphony in Rhodes, the Early Music Festivals of Cyprus, New European Bauhaus in Brussels, Faneromeni24 and Muze van Zuid. She has collaborated with Ex Silentio and Nocturnalia Ensemble, and shared the stage with artists like Emma Kirkby, Marcel Pérès and Sokratis Sinopoulos.

Kristia has composed various pieces encompassing vocal music and multichannel sound installations. These have been premiered in new music concerts and festivals such as Dag in de Branding (NL), EPICENTROOM Festival (RU), SPRING Festival (NL), IMZ International Music + Media Centre (AU), Kournos Music Festival (GR), and State Hermitage Museum (RU), where her compositions served as soundtracks for an exhibition featuring Albrecht Dürer’s works. In 2020, she collaborated with Andreas Moustoukis on the album “Silent Lands”.

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Premieres and *works composed for Kristia

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*Subtractive Fields (2026) by Yannis Kyriakides for Ekhos Trio

*Collateral Listening (2026) by Claudio F. Baroni for Ekhos Trio

*Ecological Sonic Memories (2026) by Ekhos Trio for voice, overtone singing, microtonal accordion, baritone saxophone, Albanian double-flute, Iranian bagpipe

*Kamalā (2026) by Nirantar Yakthumba for voice and Indian harmonium

*To know beauty (2026) by Helen Chadwick for two voices

*Certain sensations are slumber (2025) by Michalis Paraskakis for two voices and big ensemble

*UR (2025) by Saskia Venegas for voice, cello, didgeridoo, percussion and electronics

*Thunder Perfect Mind I, II, III (2025) by Maya Fridman for voice, unfretted guitar, hardy-gurdy, Iranian kamancheh, percussion and electronics

*Prima Materia III: Last Mask (2025) by Myrtó Nizami for voice, ensemble and electronics

*Comin’ through the ray (2025) by Aggelos Mastrantonis for Sibil•la Ensemble

*Apíchima (2025) by Ioannis Panagiotou for Sibil•la Ensemble

*Lingua Ignota (2025) by Yannis Kyriakides for Sibil•la Ensemble

*All the Hemispheres (2025) by Aspasia Nasopoulou for voice, violin and organ.

*Like the Ganges (2025) by Aspasia Nasopoulou for voice and organ

*Prima Materia II: Mirror with no reflection (2025) by Myrtó Nizami for voice, ensemble and electronics

*Remember Thee (Δώρια) (2024) by Kristia Michael for voice and clavichord

*बगलामुखी (Bagalāmukhi) {x | x⁴ – 5ⁿ = 0} (2024) by Nirantar Yakthumba for voice and clavichord

*Prima Materia I (2024) by Myrtó Nizami for voice, ensemble and electronics

*Echo Piece (2024) by Niko D. Schroeder for three treble voices

*Lēoht (2024) by Kristia Michael for voice and organ

*भैरवी त्रिचक्र (Bhairavi Trichakra) (2023) by Nirantar Yakthumba for voice, clarinet, cello, piano, tuned metal bars, tape and organ

Outline of a whisper (2023) by Amarante Nat for two voices, two trombones and organ

*Good day sunshine (2023) by Isaac Barzso for voice and ensemble

*Hymns/Mirages (2023) by Hidde Kramer for voice and electronics

*The days they wonder away (2023) by Amba Klapwijk for voice and ensemble

Anomia (2023) by Yannis Kyriakides for singer, large ensemble, video, electronics

Limen VI (2023) by Tilen Lebar for voice and large ensemble

*Eve’s Lament (2022) by Nikos Galenianos for four voices and electronics

*La dame complainte (2021) by Cornelis de Bondt for voice and organ

All the stars / Songs for Ayelet by Yannis Kyriakides for voice and keyboard instrument

*Hydrochoir (2022) by Amarante Nat for three voices

*PHRASES (2022) by Andys Skordis for voice and electronics

*Mini-operas (2022) by Meriç Artaç for four voices and ensemble

*The Ugly Duckling (2022) by Pedro Latas for voice and electronics

*Now we send you this message (2021) by Yannis Kyriakides for voice, violin, viola, cello, double bass, bass clarinet and soundtrack

*SHE…NEN (2021) by Andys Skordis (2021) for voice, violin, viola, cello, double bass and gong

*Unknown (2021) by Samir TimajChi for voice and bass clarinet

*Role of Masako in the opera Argos Sidiros for 8 singers, female choir and orchestra by Andys Skordis

*Nanas de la Cebolla / Onion Lullabies (2021) by Amarante Nat for two voices

*Impatient to Assume (2020) by Tasos Stylianou for voice, violin and bass clarinet

*Sacred Vowels (2020) by Georgios Stavrou for voice, violin and bass clarinet

*Letters from the Garden (2020-2021) by Andreas Moustoukis for voice, violin, bass clarinet and tape

*Gegenlicht (2019) by Andreas Moustoukis for voice and bass clarinet