Ayis Ioannides was born in Nicosia, Cyprus in 1943. Inspite of extensive musical training (piano, theory etc.) he studied first biological science at universities in the UK (Edinburgh, Cambridge, St. Andrews) and in Australia (Ph.D. in Neurobiology, ANU 1973).
At the same time he continued his musical studies with emphasis on organ and conducting by taking private lessons and at summer schools of music, notably Canford, where his most important teacher was George Hurst. During his entire university studies he was actively involved in musical activities and made many successful appearances as conductor of orchestras and choirs.
From 1971 to 1976 he was music director of the Canberra Choral Society (large oratorio choir) and conductor with Canberra Opera. His success in this field strengthened his conviction that he should choose music as his profession. He returned to the UK and was accepted into the select class in Advanced Conducting offered at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, London, under the leadership of the Czech conductor Vilem Tausky. At the end of his studies Ayis Ioannides was awarded the First Prize for Conducting and the Kapsalis Cup for his year. He continued his professional training at the UK National Opera Studio (London) and studied piano with Peter Gelhorn.
On the continent of Europe he took part as active participant in master classes with Otmar Suitner (Mozarteum Salzburg), Edward Downes (NOS Hilversum), Helmut Rilling (Intern. Bachakademie Stuttgart) and Sergiu Celibidache (Munich Philharmonic Orchestra). He also attended Celibidache's seminars at the University of Mainz. In addition, he studied composition at the Guildhall School of Music with Buxton Orr and later in Vienna with Diether de la Motte.
Whilst still studying in London he was co-founder of Barbican Opera, a group which aspired partly to offer a podium for young singers and to help bridge the gap between studies and professional engagements. With this group Ayis Ioannides conducted in London several performances of chamber operas (eg. Menotti's The Medium, Britten`s Turn of the Screw).
Between 1980 and 1982 he was repetiteur with conducting duties at the opera theatre of Krefeld - Mönchengladbach in Germany and from 1982 to 1990 he was director of chorus and conductor at the opera theatre in Hildesheim, Germany. Here he conducted in symphony concerts as well as in opera.
In the years 1991 to 1993 he lived in Finland and was Chief Conductor of the Vaasa City Orchestra. In 1993, together with the orchestra, he participated at the International Korsholm Festival (artistic director, Dmitri Sitkovetsky).
From 1988 to 1993 he was the Chief Guest Conductor and artistic adviser to the State Orchestra in his birthplace, Cyprus, in advance of his appointment in 1993 to the post of its first Chief Conductor.

As guest conductor he has appeared in recent years with several orchestras in Europe (eg. Thessaloniki State Orchestra, Budapest Concert Orchestra MAV, Orquesta de Ciudad Malaga, Paul Constantinescu Orchestra Ploiesti Rumania) as well as in Australia (Canberra College of the Arts).
During the last few years he has also given more attention to composition and he has received commissions from the Cyprus Theatre Organization (for plays by Strindberg and Moliere) as well for documentary films.

WORKS PERFORMED WITH ORCHESTRA

Arensky Variationen über ein Thema von Tschaikovsky
Bach J.S.
Orchester Suiten 2, 3, Violinkonzert a moll, Doppelkonzert für zwei Violinen (d moll), Doppelkonzert für Violine und Oboe (d moll)
Bartok
Rumänische Tänze
Beethoven
Ouvertüren: Coriolan, Egmont, Symphonien 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, Klavierkonzerte 1, 2, 5, Violinkonzert, Trippelkonzert, Zwei Romanzen, Fantasie op.80
Berlioz Marche Hongroise
Bizet "L'Arlesienne" Suiten 1, 2, Jeux d'Enfants
Brahms
Serenade in D, Symphonie 4, Klavierkonzert 1, Ungarische Tänze
Britten A Simple Symphony
Britten-Rossini Soirees Musicales
Bruckner Symphonie 3
Castelnuovo-Tedesco Guitarrenkonzert 1
Chopin Klavierkonzert 2
Copland Appalachian Spring, Klarinettenkonzert
Corelli Concerto di natale
Debussy Prélude a "l'Après midi dí un Faune"
Dvorak Bläserserenade, Violoncellokonzert
Dymiotis Triptychon, Academic Overture
de Falla Suite 1 aus "El Sombrero de tres Picos", El Amor Brujo 7 Spanische Lieder
Ginastera Variaciones Concertante
Gounod Petite Symphonie
Grieg Kleine Orchesterwerke, Holberg Suite, Peer Gynt Suite
Haydn  Symphonien 45, 48, 49, 88, 92, 96, 101, 103, 104, Violinkonzert in C, Klavierkonzert in D
Hindemith Trauermusik, Suite "Tuttifäntchen"
Hummel Klavierkonzert in a moll
Ives The Unanswered Question
Kalomiris Symphonische Dichtung "Minas der Rebell"
Kodaly Galanta Tänze
Kuula Lied ohne Worte (Sanatonlaulu)
Mendelssohn Hebriden, Symphonie 4, Klavierkonzert in g moll, Violinkonzerte in d und e moll
Michaelides
Zwei Byzantinische Skizzen, Bei der Zyprischen Dorfhochzeit, Archaische Suite, In Memoriam, Klavierkonzert
Milhaud Scaramouche
Mozart
Symphonien 25, 28, 29, 34, 36, 38, 39, 40, 41, Klavierkonzerte 9, 20, 21, 23, Violinkonzert 5, Fagottkonzert, Hornkonzert 4, Klarinettekonzert, Sinfonia concertante für Violine und Bratsche, Ouvertüren: Die Entführung, Le Nozze di Figaro, Exultate, jubilate
Prokofiev Klassische Symphonie, Peter und der Wolf
Purcell Chaconny, Suite aus den Bühnenwerken
Raitio Due Figure per Orchestra
Ravel Ma Mère l'Oye
Reade Konzert für Flöte und Streichorchester
Respighi Suite 3 "Ancient Airs and Dances", Klavierkonzert 1 in a moll
Rodrigo Concerto de Aranjuez
Rossini Ouvertüren La Scala di Seta, La Gazza Ladra, Il Barbiere di Siviglia
Serghi Capo Greco
Shostakovich Klavierkonzert 1
Schubert Ouvertüre in c moll, Symphonien 5, 8, Rosamunde Ouvertüre, Entríacte, Balletmusik
Saint-Saens Carnival des Animaux
Schumann Symphonie 2, Klavierkonzert, Violoncellokonzert
Sibelius Symphonien 2, 4, Pelleas und Melisande, Valse Triste, Romanze in C
Skalkottas Griechische Tänze
Strauss R. Hornkonzert 1
Stravinsky Suite 2 für kleines Orchester
Svendsen Romanze
Theodorakis Klavierkonzert
Tschaikovsky
Suite 4 "Mozartiana", Capriccio Italien, Violinkonzert, Streicherserenade, Valse scherzo, Serenade melencholique, "Rococo" Variationen
Vivaldi  Le Quattro Staggioni
Voricek Symphonie in D
Wagner Siegfied Idyll
Weber Fagottkonzert
Xenakis Metastaseis

CHOIR AND ORCHESTRA

Bach J.S. Kantaten 56, 79, 80, 106, 140, Magnificat, Johannespassion H moll Messe
Bartok Sechs Lieder für Frauenchor und Orchester
Beethoven Fantasie op.80
Brahms Ein deutsches Requiem
Bruckner E moll Messe
Händel Dixit Dominus, Messias
Haydn Te Deum, Nelsonmesse, Harmoniemesse, Die Schöpfung
Michaelides Hymn and Lament for Cyprus
Mozart Vesperae Solennes de Confessore, C moll Messe, Requiem
Purcell Funeral Music for Queen Mary
Rossini Petite Messe Solennelle
Verdi Requiem
Vivaldi Gloria

STAGE WORKS (Opera, Operette, Musical, Ballet)

Arne  The Masque of King Arthur
Bizet Carmen
Britten The Turn of the Screw
Donizzetti L' Elisir d'Amore, Viva la Mamma
Kalman Gräfin Mariza
Lanchbury La Fille Mal Gardee
Lehar Der Graf von Luxembourg, Das Land des Lächelns
Leoncavallo Pagliacci
Lortzing Zar und Zimmermann
Lowe Guys and Dolls
Menotti Amahl and the Night Visitors, The Medium, The Telephone
Messager Les Deux Pigeons
Millocke Der Bettelstudent
Monteverdi Il Combattimento di Tancredi e Clorinda
Mozart Cosi fan Tutte, Die Zauberflöte
Nedbal Polenblut
Puccini Suor Angelica, Gianni Schicchi
Purcell The Indian Queen
Rossini La Cenerentola
Smetana Die Verkaufte Braut
Strauss J. Die Fledermaus
Stravinsky Petruschka
Sullivan The Pirates of Penzance
Suppé Bocaccio
Tchaikovsky Eugene Onegin
Verdi Arien und Szenen aus versch. Opern
Weber Der Freischütz