George Kallis

Biography

George Kallis is a Cypriot-born film and television composer renowned for his evocative orchestral scores and contributions to international cinema.

Early Life and Education

Born on November 29, 1974, in Nicosia, Cyprus, Kallis was immersed in a rich musical environment from a young age. He studied classical piano and violin, influenced by diverse genres including world music, heavy metal, and jazz. By 18, he had won several musical competitions, leading to a scholarship at the Berklee College of Music in Boston, where he earned a Bachelor of Music in Composition and Film Scoring. He furthered his studies with a Master’s degree in Composition at the Royal College of Music in London under the mentorship of British composer Joseph Horovitz.

Career Highlights

Kallis began his professional journey as a songwriter, representing Cyprus in the 1999 Eurovision Song Contest with the song "Tha’ne Erotas" performed by Marlain Angelidou. Transitioning into film composition, his debut feature film score was for Joy Division (2006), a WWII drama. He has since composed music for over 50 film and television productions across various countries, including:

Highlander: The Source (2007)

Gagarin: First in Space (2013)

93 Days (2016)

The Black Prince (2017)

Cliffs of Freedom (2019)

After We Fell (2021)

After Ever Happy (2022)

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His work on The Last Warrior, a Disney fantasy adventure, earned him the Jerry Goldsmith Award for Best Score for a Feature Film.

Awards and Recognition

In 2018, Kallis was honored as the "Breakthrough Composer of the Year" by the International Film Music Critics Association (IFMCA). His scores for 93 Days and A Place in the Stars received nominations at the Africa Movie Academy Awards.