Violinist and composer of Greek origin, Elektra Kurtis-Stewart was raised in Poland. She graduated from the Warsaw Conservatory, and Finnish Sibelius Academy of Music in Helsinki.
She has performed throughout the US, Europe and Finland in numerous chamber ensembles, symphony orchestras, ethno-music ensembles (Greek and Gypsy music), including her own group, Ensemble Elektra, a world jazz improvisational ensemble. Some of the ensembles that Elektra has performed with include Warsaw Grand Opera Orchestra, "Yia Sou" (an improvisational World Music Ensemble), Connecticut Opera, Bronx and Brooklyn Philharmonic, New England Symphonic Ensemble.
Elektra performed in concerts, theatrical and television productions, radio broadcasts and recorded the music of notable Finnish composers such as Edward Vesala and Toni Edelman. She has worked with such stellar artists as Lester Bowie, Gerry Mulligan, Paquito d'Rivera, Lionel Hampton ,Shirley Horn, Ray Barreto, Max Roach, and the notable arabic music master Simon Shaheen. She toured with the legendary Cuban artist Israel "Cachao" Lopez, and performed the music of contemporary composers such as Anthony Davis, John Zorn, Akua Dixon and Carman Moore in venues such as the Knitting Factory, the Next Wave Festival at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, Carnegie Hall, Avery Fisher Hall, Lincoln Center, Apollo Theatre. She has also been a member of a Greek traditional music group under the leadership of guitarist Vangelis Fampas, and appeared in the New York tri-state area with the New England Symphonic Ensemble, Hudson Valley, Greenwich, Longar Ensemble and Harlem Festival symphony orchestras. Elektra played in trombonist Craig Harris' jazz, hip-hop, rap, poetry and song project in Paris and participated in a performance in 1997 with Nona Hendrix and Erica Badu, among others. In 2002 /03 she appeared in concerts with Henry Threadgill's Aggregation Orb and Butch Morris' Skyscraper.
Most recently Elektra performed as guest artist with a world music group Drum Freaks in Warsaw, Poland.
Recordings include Steve Coleman's double CD Genesis &The Opening of the Way (BMG), and her own recording, Ensemble Elektra The Book of Time (Milo Records, 2000) and AFROdite's Smile (MR, 2004)
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