Christos Kaliontzidis,
was born in Veria Imathias, Greece in 1993 and was raised in Thessaloniki. He comes from a rich musical
family with his father Mixalis considered one of the most important masters of the Pontic lyra in Greece.
Through his father he was immersed in traditional and pontian music from a very young age, learning to play
at the age of six. At the age of 12 he started his first public appearances playing and singing Pontian music at
social events (weddings, christenings, traditional festivals, name days, etc.) and in concerts with choirs and
large orchestras throughout Greece either with his father or alone.
In 2001 he enrolled in the State Conservatory of Northern Greece, where he studied for a number of years,
undertaking theoretical lessons, piano and classical violin close to the great soloist Galina Batsika. In 2011
he passed with entrance examinations in the University of Ioannina (Department of Music Studies) from
which he graduated and later he graduated with a master degree at “Modal Traditions of Mediterranean”
University of Macedonia, Thessaloniki, Department of Music Science. His specialty focuses on musical
tradition of Pontus and the modality that it is been used both technically and stylistically. He plays several
musical instruments such Pontic lyra, traditional violin, lute, oud, kemane, yayli tanbur, tulum (Pontic
bagpipe), he himself though declaring himself as a lyra player.
Despite his young age he has traveled all over Greece giving concerts in historical theatres such as Odeon of
Herodus Atticus, Epidaurus, and also in many foreign countries, in Europe, America, Africa and Australia,
participating in numerous events with important interpreters of Greek music some of which are: Chronis
Aidonidis, Petros Gaitanos, Stamatis Gonidis, Sofia Papazoglou, George Ntalaras, Areti Ketime, Panagiotis
Lalezas, Matthaios & Konstantinos Tsahourides, Mimis Plessas and also interpreters and exceptional
musicians from other nations such as Dilek Coç (Turkey), Hussein Zahawy (Iraq), Peter Ralchev, Peyo Peev
(Bulgaria), Lamia Ait Amara (Algeria) and the famous ethnic performer Omar Faruk Tekbliek (US),
accompanying them with the Pontic lyra and violin. He has participated in numerous recordings cooperating
with musicians from different music styles and idioms. He has created his own recording studio called
“Argo Records” in order to produce projects and recordings which are based on Pontic and ethnic fusion
style. Since October 2019 he has been enrolled as a lecturer at the University of Ioannina and in addition to
that, the last 7 years he has been helping his father with his teaching work and he is an active faculty member
of the School Learning Pontian Lyra called “Lyra”, conducting both online and live courses in many Greek
cities like Thessaloniki, Serres, Ioannina, Kozani, Preveza and elsewhere.

Despite his young age he has traveled all over Greece giving concerts in historical theatres such as Odeon of
Herodus Atticus, Epidaurus, and also in many foreign countries, in Europe, America, Africa and Australia,
participating in numerous events with important interpreters of Greek music some of which are: Chronis
Aidonidis, Petros Gaitanos, Stamatis Gonidis, Sofia Papazoglou, George Ntalaras, Areti Ketime, Panagiotis
Lalezas, Matthaios & Konstantinos Tsahourides, Mimis Plessas and also interpreters and exceptional
musicians from other nations such as Dilek Coç (Turkey), Hussein Zahawy (Iraq), Peter Ralchev, Peyo Peev
(Bulgaria), Lamia Ait Amara (Algeria) and the famous ethnic performer Omar Faruk Tekbliek (US),
accompanying them with the Pontic lyra and violin. He has participated in numerous recordings cooperating
with musicians from different music styles and idioms. He has created his own recording studio called
“Argo Records” in order to produce projects and recordings which are based on Pontic and ethnic fusion
style. Since October 2019 he has been enrolled as a lecturer at the University of Ioannina and in addition to
that, the last 7 years he has been helping his father with his teaching work and he is an active faculty member
of the School Learning Pontian Lyra called “Lyra”, conducting both online and live courses in many Greek
cities like Thessaloniki, Serres, Ioannina, Kozani, Preveza and elsewhere.