About

b. Cyprus, 1989

Reach out via her Contact page

Rania Chrysostomou is a British Cypriot composer whose work explores the intersection of music with other artistic disciplines. Rania’s practice centres on music-led collaborations that fuse sound with visual arts, dance, theatre, and digital media (etc), creating immersive, interdisciplinary experiences.

In October 2025 Rania presents at the Tête à Tête: The Opera Festival 2025 for the 2nd time with the opera Hidden Star – The Story of Annie Walker. This was a work in progress performance and it received very positive comments. She composed the music and was also involved with some of the production matters of this presentation.

In September 2023, her one-woman micro-opera On Being Vocal premiered at the Tête à Tête: The Opera Festival, in collaboration with Canadian soprano Sarah Parkin and filmmaker Catherine Valve. The opera was praised by Florence Anna Maunders in Planet Hugill as “a half hour full of switchback changes, genuine surprise & delight.” This work, funded by the National Lottery Fund from Arts Council England, explores hidden moments of human vulnerability. The piece was further developed and performed at the Wandsworth Arts Fringe Festival in June 2024.

Rania’s work often draws on her Cypriot heritage. In 2022, she produced Stories, Odes, and Chants, a melodrama weaving poems by living Cypriot poets with her own original story, inspired by Cypriot landscapes and themes. The production, performed in three cities across Cyprus, was supported by the Cultural Services of the Ministry of Education, Sport and Youth, the Holy Archdiocese of Cyprus, and the Cyprus Broadcast Corporation.

Her exploration of womanhood is central to works like Statue of the Earth, inspired by the ancient Greek goddess Hestia and commissioned by British singer-violist Katherine Clarke. It premiered in London in 2020. Rania’s deeply personal approach is also evident in Tillein, a work for solo percussion inspired by trichotillomania, which was performed by Dr. Alex Fragiskatos at the Percussive Arts Society International Convention (PASIC) in Indianapolis in 2021. Additionally, she creates intricate soundscapes such as In The Clouds, performed by the flute-percussion duo Plekό Duo, and engages in musical storytelling in pieces like Lockdown Diaries: The Death, commissioned and performed by Skipton Camerata in 2020.

Rania’s music has been performed internationally, with notable works including Silver Lines (2019) premiered by Shadanga Duo in Denmark, Fantasy Impromptu-ish (2019) for solo flute, premiered by Laura Beardsmore in London, and Kyrie (2018), commissioned by the Selene Vocal Ensemble in Cyprus. Her dance piece 360 Vue for flute and cello was commissioned by ACM Chicago and performed in Milwaukee in 2018.

Rania earned her BA in Musical Studies and Composition for Performing Arts from the Ionian University of Corfu, Greece, and an MA in Composition from the University of York, studying under Prof. Thomas Simaku.

Currently residing in Kent with her family, Rania continues to compose and is preparing for her next opera project.

Other musical ventures

As a media composer, Rania has crafted original scores for the short film ‘A Different Time’ produced by Shinmoro Films, as well as for the gaming apps Broko Loco and GemBee produced by Created Informed. developed by Created Informed. In addition to her commissioned work, she has independently produced a series of animated music videos exploring themes of human relationships and self-reflection, showcasing her multifaceted talent as both a composer and visual storyteller. These visually captivating and emotionally resonant works are available on YouTube, further expanding her creative reach. YouTube.

Instruments

Piano | Saxophone | Harpsichord