Maria Koutsampari (b. 2000 in Thessaloniki) is a pianist, chamber musician and piano teacher. She studied the piano with Prof. Tim Ovens and choir and ensemble conducting at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna (Department of Music Education), where she is currently pursuing her master’s studies. She has obtained the Piano Diploma with the highest distinction and first prize from the National Conservatory in Athens (Prof. Konstantinos Destounis), as well as the Piano Degree with distinction (Prof. Nikos Zafranas) and the Harmony Diploma (Prof. Nikos Solomonidis) from the New Conservatory of Thessaloniki.
She won the second prize at the Greek National Piano Competition of Unesco (adult’s category – Athens, 2021) and the first prize at the chamber music competition “Jugend Musiziert” (Thessaloniki, 2013).
She has performed in concerts in venues in Austria and Greece such as Vienna Konzerthaus, Palais Ehrbar, Thessaloniki Concert Hall, Athens Concert Hall and Kulturverein Redtenbach. In addition, she has conducted the Athens Municipality Symphony Orchestra as a finalist at the 14th National Masterclass on Orchestral Conducting with Maestro Michalis Economou.
Maria composes as well. So far, her compositions include works for solo instruments, chamber music, and orchestra. Her ‘Spring Waltz’ was recorded by the New Conservatory of Thessaloniki Symphony Orchestra and it was used as a soundtrack in the short film ‘Golden Days’ (2015).
In addition, she has worked as a pianist at the Vienna International Orchestra Conducting Masterclass with the Orpheus Kammerorchester Wien and Konstantinos Diminakis. Currently, she teaches the piano at the Privatschulzentrum De La Salle Fünfhaus, in Vienna.