Yiannis Papadoulis
Yiannis Papadoulis was born in Larissa, Greece, in 1992 and became involved with music from an early age. He initially studied at the Larissa Music School, while also participating in the 5th, 6th, and 7th Summer Jazz Academies of the Ionian University. He later studied at the Department of Music Studies, School of Music and Audiovisual Arts, Ionian University, where he graduated with an Integrated Master’s degree, specializing in Music Performance (Jazz Drums). A significant milestone in his artistic development was his participation in the group Baby Trio, performing for several years alongside the iconic Greek jazz pianist/organist George Kontrafouris.
He also took part in the Erasmus+ European program Roots and Routes MaMOE14 (Music and Media for an Open Europe), held in Baltrum, Germany. In 2017, he toured the Caribbean for seven months aboard the Royal Caribbean Allure of the Seas, performing drums in a jazz quartet. He completed his military service as a member of the Hellenic Navy Band.
In recent years, he has worked as a substitute teacher of European percussions at music schools in Athens, has presented seminars at music institutions, and has taught at conservatories. Since 2024, he has held a permanent teaching position at the Larissa Music School.
Throughout his career, he has attended drum and European percussion lessons and seminars with Ralph Peterson, Bill Stewart, Jojo Mayer, Eric Ineke, Ukis Uotila, Mark Halbeer, Jussi Lehtonen, Maxim Mankowski, Alexandros Ktistakis, among others. He has also participated in seminars led by Sheila Jordan, Kenny Barron, Jay Clayton, Chico Freeman, Ed Motta, Jonathan Kreisberg, JD Walter, Gilad Hekselman, Marcus Stockhausen, George Kontrafouris, Dimos Dimitriadis, Stefanos Andreadis, Petros Klampanis, and others.
He has performed in hundreds of concerts. Selected appearances include Ancient Epidaurus Little Theatre (Dimitris Kalantzis Master’s Voice), Athens Concert Hall (Jazz Big Day, Jazz Ensemble of the Piraeus Music School), Thessaloniki Concert Hall (53rd Dimitria – Yamekraw Suite, in collaboration with the MOYSA Youth Symphony Orchestra), Olympia Municipal Music Theatre “Maria Callas” (Jazz Tribute to Manos Hadjidakis, in collaboration with the Athens Municipality Symphony Orchestra), Onassis Stegi (2nd Greek Jazz Panorama – New Generation), Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center (Jazz & Colors, 10 Years of Baby Trio, George Kontrafouris Trio, The Soul Peanuts), Basil & Elise Goulandris Foundation (Jazz at the Museum), Technopolis City of Athens (20 Years of Jazz & Τζαζ, Django Festival), Athens and Epidaurus Festival (Live at the Square), Centre Wallonie-Bruxelles (Festival Jazzy Colors) in Paris, Motoki Wohnzimmer-Kollektiv (MaMOE14) in Cologne, Nardis Jazz Club
in Turkey, Aglanjazz Festival in Cyprus, as well as numerous festivals and events in Greece and abroad.
He has also appeared live on the Second Programme of the Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation (ERT), on the radio show Jazz in the City, performing with the George Kontrafouris Quartet, Jenny Kapadai Quartet, and Trio Pibloctok. On television, he appeared on The Jazz Stage – ERT Jazz Sessions (with the George Kontrafouris Quartet) and took part in the series Maestro in Blue. He also performed in the musical Hedwig and the Angry Inch, in the Greek National Opera’s music-theatre production Eleusis 2023 – A Celebration for Changing the World, and at the Lyrikos Notos Festival with the performance Band on the Run.
He has participated in numerous recordings, including: The Soul Peanuts (This is the Soul Peanuts, 2023; Soul Peanuts Orchestra Live at Orfeas, 2025), George Kontrafouris Baby Trio (The Big Four, 2015; Slow Blade, 2017), Usurum (Asanser – Space Between Us, 2021), Electrolytes (Plays Standards Live, 2026), Papadoulis/Mihas/Pantelias/Thodoridis (And What Remains Is What We'll Be, 2023), Hippomaniacs (2023), Central Pozitronics (2020), Vasilis Lagos Quintet (Cantatas for a Demon, 2016), Yako Organ Trio (Safe Place, 2022), Alexandros Gourgoulis (Epilogue, 2023), Trio Katara (2022), Ithil (2024), Giorgos Polychronakos (2023), Dimitris Soukaras (Antithesis, 2023), Haris Nikolaidis (2023), Michalis Kalogerakis & Apostolos Kitsos (Something Strange, 2017), Dionysis Farmakis (2023), Jazzmovision (2018), Jazzm (2018), among others.
He has collaborated with numerous ensembles, performed with the Athens Municipality Symphony Orchestra and the Thessaloniki Concert Hall Youth Symphony Orchestra (MOYSA), and shared the stage with distinguished musicians such as Timo Lassy, Gilad Atzmon, Chip Crotts, George Kontrafouris, Miltos Logiadis, Takis Paterelis, Dimitris Kalantzis, Dimos Dimitriadis, Dimitris Vasilakis, Andreas Polyzogopoulos, Phoebus Delivorias, Martha Frintzila, Dimitris Papadopoulos, Katerina Papoutsaki, Minos Theoharis, Katerine Duska, Katerina Polemi, Sadahzinia, Sugahspank, Angeliki Toubanaki, and Nikolas Anadolis, among others.