Kokoras is an internationally award-winning composer and computer music innovator, and currently Professor of composition and CEMI director (Center for Experimental Music and Intermedia) at the University of North Texas. Born in Greece, he studied composition with I. Ioannidi, K. Varotsi and A. Kergomard and classical guitar with E. Asimakopoulo in Athens, Greece. In 1999, he moved to England to undertake postgraduate studies at the University of York where he completed his MA and PhD in composition with T. Myatt with funding from the Arts and Humanities Research Board (AHRB) and an Aleksandra Trianti Music Scholarship (awarded by the Society of Friends of Music), Hellenic Foundation of Culture, Greek Ministry of Culture, Vinson York among others. As an educator, Kokoras has taught at the Technological and Educational Institute of Crete, and the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (Greece) among others.

Kokoras’s sound compositions use timbre as the main element of form. Panayiotis Kokoras’s sound compositions develop functional classification and matching sound systems written on what he calls Holophonic Musical Texture. His music eschews from melody, harmony and classical instrumental sound. His concept of “holophony” describes his goal that each independent sound (phonos), contributes equally into the synthesis of the total (holos). In both instrumental and electroacoustic writing, his music calls upon a “virtuosity of sound,” emphasizing the precise production of variable sound possibilities and the correct distinction between one timbre and another to convey the musical ideas and structure of the piece. His compositional output is also informed by musical research in Music Information Retrieval compositional strategies, Extended techniques, Tactile sound, Augmented reality, Robotics, Spatial Sound, Synesthesia.

His compositional output consists of 65 works ranging from solo, ensemble and orchestral works to mixed media, improvisation and tape. His works have been commissioned by institutes and festivals such as the Fromm Music Foundation (Harvard), IRCAM (France), MATA (New York), Gaudeamus (Netherlands), ZKM (Germany), IMEB (France), Siemens Musikstiftung (Germany) and have been performed in over 1000 concerts around the world. His compositions have been selected by juries in more than 300 international calls for scores and have received 84 distinctions and prizes in international competitions, among others Guggenheim Foundation fellowship award 2022 (USA), MA/IN Award 2020, 2019 and 2016 (Italy), Giga-Hertz Music Award 2019 and 2009 (Germany), Destellos Prize 2018, 2014 and 2011 (Argentina), KLANG! Composition Competition 2016, Franco Evangelisti Prix 2012 (Italy), Prix Ars Electronica 2011 (Austria), Métamorphoses 2014, 2010 & 2000 (Belgium), Bourges 2009, 2008 and 2004 (France), Gianni Bergamo 2007 (Switzerland), Musica Viva 2005 and 2002 (Portugal), Gaudeamus 2004 and 2003 (Holland), Jurgenson Competition 2003 (Russia), Takemitsu Composition Award 2002 (Japan).

He is a founding member of the Hellenic Electroacoustic Music Composers Association (HELMCA), and from 2004 to 2012 he was a board member and president. Currently, he is secretary of the Interactional Confederation of Electroacoustic Music (CIME/ICEM) and coordinates the CIME PRIX International Electroacoustic Music Competition. He served as Conference Chair for International Computer Music Conference – ICMC 2015 in Denton/Texas, Music Chair at Sound and Music Computing – SMC 2018 Limassol/ Cyprus and currently serves as CEMI Director – Centre for Experimental Music and Intermedia at the University of North Texas.

His music appears in 54 album compilations by Sub Rosa Records, Miso Records, SAN / CEC, Independent Opposition Records, ICMC2004, LOSS, Host Artists Group, Musica Nova, Computer Music Journal (MIT Press) and others.