Biography:

Lina Tonia, was born in Greece, in 1985. She studied composition close to Professor Christos Samaras, at the Department of Music in Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (2003 - 2008).

She completed a PhD in composition in Edinburgh University (2008 - 2012) under the supervision of the professor Nigel Osborne and Michael Edwards, where she was studying with a Greek National Scholarship from Union of Greek Composers (2008 - 2009) and IKY Foundation (2009 - 2011).

She studied composition with Michael Jarrell to the Vienna University (2012 - 2013).

She has been participating in National and International composition competitions acquiring prizes and some of these are:

-The 1st National Composition Competition of the Aristotles University of Thessaloniki 2005 (1st prize for the work "ANIL" for Clarinet and Piano)

-The Greek Festival of Friends of Music in Athens 2005 (honorable mention for the string quintet "IKESIA II")

-The Young Composer's Workshop organized by the Greek Composer's Union in Patra 2006 (1st prize for the work "IKESIA IV" for chamber ensemble)

-The 4th International Jurgenson Composition Competition 2007 in Moscow (1st prize for the String Quartet Nr.1 "MNEMONION")

-The 2nd International Ivan Spassov Composition Competition 2007 in Plovdiv, (3rd prize for the orchestral work "EPITIMBIO")

-The National Kinder Opera Festival 2008 in Thessaloniki, (3rd prize for the opera "Who did wee at the middle of Missisipi?")

-The 2nd International Ton de Leeuw Composition Competition 2008 in Tirana, (3rd prize for the chamber work "FOR THE ABSENCE")

-The 11th International Via Nova Composition Competition 2010 in Weimar, (2nd prize for the chamber work "CONtrust")

-The Golden Key International Composition Competition 2010 in Vienna, (3rd prize for the piano work "THE GARDEN WITH THE ILLUSIONS")

-The 1st International Antonin Dvorak Composition Competition 2010 in Prague, (finalist with the chamber work "PRISMATIC")

-The 7th International Composition Competition Young Virtuosos 2011 in Sofia, (1st prize for the chamber work "KRAMA").

-The 2nd International Composition Competition Nicolay Myaskovksy 2012 in Moscow, (3rd prize for the string quartet "CHRONOGRAPHIA").

-The 1st International Composition Competition of Kunsthaus in Muerz 2013 in Austria, (1st Prize for the work for 12 celli "KIVOS")

-The 3rd International Composition Competition "Edison Denisov" in Tomsk (Russia) 2013, (Honorary Diploma for the work Wind Quintet Nr. 2)

She was awarded with the Baerenreiter Prize for the work "CONtrust" (for clarinet, flute and cello).

She was awarded with the title of “Young Composer 2008” from the Union of Greek Music and Theater Critic for her work "DEISIS" (for chamber ensemble).

She selected to participate to the International workshops of:

- ALEA III with her work PRISMATIC for chamber ensemble on January 2009 in Boston.

- London Contemporary Orchestra with her work PRISMATIC for chamber ensemble on January 2009 in London.

-4th Junges Deutsches Komponistenforum in corporation with Via Nova with her work RODOSTAMA for flute and piano on October 2010 in Sonderhausen.

- The University of Edinburgh in corporation with Marcus Weiss
Voyage (S) I on November 2010 in Edinburgh

- The University of Edinburgh in corporation with Hans Abrahamsen
Diaphanous for Horn, Cello and Piano on March 2010 in Edinburgh

-5th Junges Deutsches Komponistenforum in corporation with Via Nova with her work PARAPHRASE for guitar, violin, cello and accordion on November 2011 in Sonderhausen.

The chamber opera "DIOGMENOS" selected for its first international performance by the National Greek Opera (2011).

She has attended analysis and composition seminars with Theodoros Antoniou, Marcus Weiss, Hans Abrahamsen, Jose Manuel Lopez – Lopez, Hans Werner Henze, Simon Bainbridge, Diana Burrell.

She has written about 90 compositions include works for solo instruments, chamber ensembles, orchestra and three operas that have been performed in Greece, United Kingdom, United States, Russia, Germany, Bulgaria and Albania.

Some of major performances of her works include String Quartet Nr. 1, New Studio Ensemble, in Tchaikovsky Conservatoire at the final round of Jurgenson International Composition Competition in Moscow, Russia , September 2007, Epitimbio (for large orchestra), Orchestra of Colors, conductor Miltos Logiadis, in Benakis Museum in Athens, Greece, October 2007, For the Absence (for chamber ensemble), in Academy of Fine Arts of Tirana at the final round of Ton de Leeuw International Composition Competition in Tirana, Albania, November 2008, “Who made wee in the middle of Missisipi?” (opera for children for choir, 4 soloists and large orchestra), Greek National Opera, in Planetarium Concert Hall of Thessaloniki at the final round of Pais Opera Composition Competition in Thessaloniki, Greece May 2008,Deisis, Dissonart Ensemble in Young composer's workshop in Thessaloniki 2008, In Memoriam (for solo clarinet and string quartet), Edinburgh Quartet and Neyire Ashworth, in King’s Place in London, Great Britain, October 2009, Prismatic (for chamber ensemble), at the ALEA III Young Composer’s Workshop, ALEA III ensemble, in Boston University, Boston, USA, January 2010, Prismatic (for chamber ensemble), at the Young Composer’s Workshop of London Contemporary Orchestra, conductor Hugh Brunt, Roundhouse Theatre, London, Great Britain, January 2010, CONtrust (for flute, clarinet and cello), Marges Ensemble at the Via Nova International Composition Competition in Weimar, Germany, May 2010, Rodostama (for flute and piano) at the 4th composers's forum in Sonderhausen DUO 9 ensemble, October 2010.

Some of her works are published by Sconfinarte Editions under a pedagogical goal about contemporary music for young performers.

She is a member of International Alliance for Women in Music (IAWM) and also of Vox Novus.