is a music educator, anthropologist of musical childhood, early childhood music education expert and academic researcher with concentration in musical identities, interculturality and music, evaluation of music learning/teaching. She is writer, presenter, music project developer and coordinator, musical entrepreneur and EU qualified trainer for professional qualifications and lifelong learning.
She is the Founder and President of the Cyprus Centre for the Research and Study of Music (C.C.R.S.M.) and the Cyprus Music Leadership Institute (www.ccrsm.org.cy). In September 2014 she was appointed to serve a six-year term as a member of the Editorial Committee of the International Journal of Music Education: Research (ISME).
She designed Early Childhood Music Education in the Mediterranean Erasmus+ KA2 Strategic Partnership (2014-2016) which was coordinated by C.C.R.S.M. Dr. Pieridou Skoutella is the author of the academic book Small Musical Worlds in the Mediterranean; Ethnicity, Globalization and Greek Cypriot Children’s Musical Identities, London: Routledge Press (Ashgate book 2015, 2nd edition 2016). She is the editor and co-author of the four-language on-line Early Childhood Music education in the Mediterranean manual (2016) published by CCRSM and funded by Erasmus+ programme http://www.ecmeinmediterranean.com/index.php/en/. She authored and co-produced the multidimensional pioneering publication Cypriot Traditional Songs for Children; through Music Education Practices (2008) http://www.ccrsm.org.cy/activities/id/15 . Avra was the co-developer of the state recognized Bachelors of Music Programme of Arte Music Academy, where she lectured during 2002-2008. She collaborated with the Foundation of the Cyprus Symphony Orchestra and the Minsitry of Education of Cyprus as the developer, music educator and animator of the educational programmes, concerts and family concerts for young children.
Dr. Avra Pieridou Skoutella has presented research papers and workshops in local, regional and international academic conferences in Europe, USA, Asia and Australia and has published research articles and book chapters in peer-reviewed journals and edited books. She is invited author to the 10-volume Sage Encyclopedia of Music and Culture (forthcoming 2017). She was invited presenter and keynote speaker at the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation in Portugal, at the Arab Music Academy International Music Education Convention in Lebanon and the University of Crete Greece. In September 2017 she is keynote speaker at the Modus-Modi-Modality International Musicological Conference for the Balkans and Mediterranean region of the IMS International Musicological Society at the European University of Cyprus.
She has been Post-Doctoral Research Scholar at UCL-IoE University of London and full CASP-Fulbright scholarship recipient for her musical studies at the Eastman School of Music USA.
