Stamatis Kraounakis is one of the most important contemporary Greek composers as his work have characterized the decades of 80s and 90s. As his resume he usually says: «I was born in 1955. I studied music with Mrs Klelia Terzakis and Political Science in Pandion University. I have composed 40 albums and music for 50 theater plays».
In Pandion University Stamatis Kraounakis met Lina Nikolakopoulou, «a natural born poet». More of 80% of his work is connected with the poet Lina Nikolakopoulou. In October 1985 they create and release the album Kikloforo ki oploforo with Alkistis Protopsalti as leading singer, that sold over 200.000 LPs and is considered one of the classics of the 20th century in Greece.
During the twenty years of their career Stamatis Kraounakis and Lina Nikolakopoulou have strongly fought for the development of art of singing, the quality of the shows, the introduction of new character and new standards in interpretation.
Since 1982 Stamatis Kraounakis has a strong presentation in discography uninterruptedly, cooperating with some of the most important Greek singers and Greek actors, and has introduced the best new male singers - Kostas Makedonas, Dimitris Basis, Stelios Dionisiou.
Since 1990 he deals with Greek plays that could be musically developed and he releases musical monologues, new techniques, songs with extended musical introductions - generally music that states its image. In 1997 he accepts the position of artistic director in the Municipal Theater of the city of Kavala, where he established a new era with three important productions - Ktistes by Giorgos Chimonas with Vera Zavitsianou, Olga Tournaki, Lydia Fotopoulou, Gro Plan by Giorgos Maniotis, and Aristophane's Ploutos under the direction of Nikos Mastorakis.
In 1998, Stamatis Kraounakis' seminars for song interpretation led his young students to the creation of the artistic group Speira Speira. Under his direction Speira Speira successfully presented the All in black and a piano (October 1999-April 2001 in Hitirio Theater, in Hora Theater, in the Municipal Theater of Pireaus, as well as in tour in Thessaloniki and Cyprus). From December 2001 Stamatis Kraounakis and Speira Speira present their work in the Music Scene in the multi-space building of Athhinais in Athens:
Sold out (2001-2002)
Classical recipe (2002-2003)
Young woman alone singing (2002-2003): Popular recital with Dimitra Papiou
Classical recipe Vol. II (2003-2004)
For the first time an opera for children, The conspiracy of the donuts (2003-2004 and 2004-2005), based on the book Poems and paintings of the Greek Nobel Award poet Giorgos Seferis
Bibero (2004-2005)
Stamatis Kraounakis’ work covers more than thirty five albums and music for over fifty theater plays. His music for the movie of Nikos Panagiotopoulos Afti h nixta menei (This is the last night) took the National Award in Thessaloniki Film Festival in 2000, his music for the TV series Istera irthan I melisses (And then the bees came) (based on the book of Yiannis Xanthoulis) took the Award for Best Music in the Television Awards in 2000, and his music for the movie of Nikos Panagiotopoulos Kourastika na skotono tous agapitikous sou (Tired of killing your lovers) took the Arion Award for Best Soundtrack in 2002.
During 2004 Stamatis Kraounakis composed the music for Nikos Panagiotoloulos' late movie Delivery, he composed music for Aristophane's Ploutos for Athens Festival in Epidavros, under direction of Nikos Mastorakis. On May 2004 he was invited by the Royal Academy of Drama in London to compose music for the project Installation 496.