LITSA KOUTALARI–IOANNOU was born in Nicosia, Cyprus and, showing her talent at an early age, took piano lessons with Eleni and Evis Maxoutis. She continued her studies in Athens, where she graduated from the Hellenic Conservatory of Music, from the class of pianist George Georgiades, winning first prize in solo performing.
She continued postgraduate studies in Brussels at Conservatoire Royale de Musique and worked with the renowned pianist Andre Dumortier and the famous composers Jacques Leduc, Jacqueline Fontyn-Schmit and Jacques Stehman on piano performing, harmony, counterpoint and history of music.
She has played with orchestras and has given solo recitals in Cyprus, Greece, Romania, Finland, Austria, France, Yugoslavia, Bulgaria, etc. In 2004 she participated in the festival on Romanian and Greek music organized in Ateneul Roman, Bucharest. Her performances have been recorded by the Cyprus and Greek radio and television channels, as well as by the Bulgarian National Radio. She gave also piano-duo recitals. Her concert with the Belgrade Sinfonietta for two pianos was broadcast live on Yugoslav Radio. In Finland she played on the occasion of the celebrations of Independence of Cyprus, performing, among other works, Sibelius’ “Finlandia” on piano, which was acclaimed by the Finish audience with great enthusiasm.
She is the author of a series of music programs for Cyprus Radio; she regularly writes in newspaper reviews and articles on musical subjects.
Litsa Koutalari – Ioannou is the Director of the Cyprus European Conservatory and is currently President of the Cyprus Music Committee of the International Council of Music. She has been a member of the Cyprus Council of EPTA (European Piano Teachers Association) and she is one of the founding members and Vice President of Evangelia Tjiarri Foundation, having laid the basis for its annual International Competition.
She has been a member of the jury for the Nicola Stefanov Annual Music Competition in Sofia, the Emanouil Manolov National Youth Music Competition in Gabrovo, the Competition “Musical Talents” in Sofia and the International Piano Competition of Evangelia Tziarri.
In 1998 she had recorded the C.D. «Italian Masters of the 17th and 18th centuries» (Cambini, Callupi, Crazioli, De Rossi, Zipoli), of which Grazioli, de Rossi and Zipoli are World first time recordings.